WorldWideScience

Sample records for northern india challenges

  1. Impact of Flexibility of Manufacturing System Components on Competitiveness of SMEs in Northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shakun Preet Kaur

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The present manufacturing environment is characterized by a number of changes which poses challenges to a typical manufacturing unit. Time demands a shift from the traditional manufacturing strategies as they do not fit to present market competition. A flexible systems strategy has to be designed for remaining competitive in the market and perform well. For designing strategies and policies it is important to know the factors that influence performance of the system. The aim of this paper is to assess the impact of the flexibility of manufacturing system components on competitiveness of SMEs in northern India. A questionnaire based survey was conducted in the SMEs across northern India analysing three sectors namely automotive, machine tool and light engineering (mechanical components and equipment. The study contributes to the existing literature by empirically investigating the impact of machine, material handling and worker flexibility on competitiveness of manufacturing firms. This paper presents a Structural Equation Model displaying the impact of flexibility of manufacturing system components on competitiveness of SMEs.

  2. A Review of Organic Farming for Sustainable Agriculture in Northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. K. Yadav

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In the post independence period, the most important challenge in India has been to produce enough food for the growing population. Hence, high-yielding varieties are being used with infusion of irrigation water, fertilizers, or pesticides. This combination of high-yielding production technology has helped the country develop a food surplus as well as contributing to concerns of soil health, environmental pollution, pesticide toxicity, and sustainability of agricultural production. Scientists and policy planners are, therefore, reassessing agricultural practices which relied more on biological inputs rather than heavy usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Organic farming can provide quality food without adversely affecting the soil’s health and the environment; however, a concern is whether large-scale organic farming will produce enough food for India’s large population. Certified organic products including all varieties of food products including basmati rice, pulses, honey, tea, spices, coffee, oilseeds, fruits, cereals, herbal medicines, and their value-added products are produced in India. Non edible organic products include cotton, garments, cosmetics, functional food products, body care products, and similar products. The production of these organic crops and products is reviewed with regard to sustainable agriculture in northern India.

  3. Student nurses' perceived challenges of nursing in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garner, S L; Raj, L; Prater, L S; Putturaj, M

    2014-09-01

    A profound nursing shortage exists in India. Increasingly nursing students in India are opting to migrate to practise nursing abroad upon graduation. Perceptions and attitudes about nursing are shaped during student experiences. The purpose in conducting this research was to illuminate student nurses' perceived challenges of nursing in India. This study took place at a hospital-based, private mission non-profit school of nursing in Bengaluru, India. Purposive sampling of nursing students yielded 14 participants. Photovoice, a qualitative participatory action research methodology, was used. Data were collected between August 2013 and January 2014. A strong international collaboration between researchers resulted in qualitative thematic interpretation of photographs, critical group dialogue transcripts, individual journal entries and detailed field notes. Two main themes were identified including the perceived challenges of a hierarchal system and challenges related to limited nursing workforce capacity. Subcategories of a hierarchal system included challenges related to image, safety, salary and balance. Subcategories of limited workforce capacity were migration, work overload, physical demand, incongruence between theory and practice, and knowledge. Nursing as a profession in India is still in its infancy when measured against standard criteria. Change in health policy is needed to improve salary, safety for nurses, and nurse to patient ratios to address hierarchal and workforce capacity challenges in India. © 2014 International Council of Nurses.

  4. Asplenium aethiopicum - A New Distributional Record for Northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nripemo Odyuo

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Asplenium aethiopicum is reported for the first time from northern India, at Kakoi Reserve Forest, Lakhimpur, in Assam. Previous North Indian records referred to the rather similar species, A. yoshinagae. Its synonymy, description, range and phytogeographical details are given along with cytological comments on the A. aethiopicum complex. The Assamese plant, like those from South India, is identified as belonging to subsp. aethiopicum. Differences from A. yoshinagae and A. crinicaule are given. A. aethiopicum is understood to be an African element which has become a Hindu-Lankan, peninsular Indian species, and has presumably migrated northwards to Northeast India and Myanmar.

  5. Differences in Influenza Seasonality by Latitude, Northern India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broor, Shobha; Saha, Siddhartha; Barnes, John; Smith, Catherine; Shaw, Michael; Chadha, Mandeep; Lal, Renu B.

    2014-01-01

    The seasonality of influenza in the tropics complicates vaccination timing. We investigated influenza seasonality in northern India and found influenza positivity peaked in Srinagar (34.09°N) in January–March but peaked in New Delhi (28.66°N) in July–September. Srinagar should consider influenza vaccination in October–November, but New Delhi should vaccinate in May–June. PMID:25279651

  6. Petroleum hydrocarbon concentration in sediments along northern west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Ram, A.; Kadam, A.N.

    Gas chromatography revealed that nonpolar material extracted from surface sediments collected along the northern west coast of India was originated from petroleum hydrocarbon residue. Petroleum hydrocarbon levels as determinEd. by fluorescence...

  7. Representing Farmer Irrigation Decisions in Northern India: Model Development from the Bottom Up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Keeffe, J.; Buytaert, W.; Brozovic, N.; Mijic, A.

    2017-12-01

    The plains of northern India are among the most intensely populated and irrigated regions of the world. Sustaining water demand has been made possible by exploiting the vast and hugely productive aquifers underlying the Indo-Gangetic basin. However, an increasing demand from a growing population and highly variable socio-economic and environmental variables mean present resources may not be sustainable, resulting in water security becoming one of India's biggest challenges. Unless solutions which take into consideration the regions evolving anthropogenic and environmental conditions are found, the sustainability of India's water resources looks bleak. Understanding water user decisions and their potential outcome is important for development of suitable water resource management options. Computational models are commonly used to assist water use decision making, typically representing natural processes well. The inclusion of human decision making however, one of the dominant drivers of change, has lagged behind. Improved representation of irrigation water user behaviour within models provides more accurate, relevant information for irrigation management. This research conceptualizes and proceduralizes observed farmer irrigation practices, highlighting feedbacks between the environment and livelihood. It is developed using a bottom up approach, informed through field experience and stakeholder interaction in Uttar Pradesh, northern India. Real world insights are incorporated through collected information creating a realistic representation of field conditions, providing a useful tool for policy analysis and water management. The modelling framework is applied to four districts. Results suggest predicted future climate will have little direct impact on water resources, crop yields or farmer income. In addition, increased abstraction may be sustainable in some areas under carefully managed conditions. By simulating dynamic decision making, feedbacks and interactions

  8. Prediction Equations for Spirometry for Children from Northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chhabra, Sunil K; Kumar, Rajeev; Mittal, Vikas

    2016-09-08

    To develop prediction equations for spirometry for children from northern India using current international guidelines for standardization. Re-analysis of cross-sectional data from a single school. 670 normal children (age 6-17 y; 365 boys) of northern Indian parentage. After screening for normal health, we carried out spirometry with recommended quality assurance according to current guidelines. We developed linear and nonlinear prediction equations using multiple regression analysis. We selected the final models on the basis of the highest coefficient of multiple determination (R2) and statistical validity. Spirometry parameters: FVC, FEV1, PEFR, FEF50, FEF75 and FEF25-75. The equations for the main parameters were as follows: Boys, Ln FVC = -1.687+0.016*height +0.022*age; Ln FEV1 = -1.748+0.015*height+0.031*age. Girls, Ln FVC = -9.989 +(2.018*Ln(height)) + (0.324*Ln(age)); Ln FEV1 = -10.055 +(1.990*Ln(height))+(0.358*Ln(age)). Nonlinear regression yielded substantially greater R2 values compared to linear models except for FEF50 for girls. Height and age were found to be the significant explanatory variables for all parameters on multiple regression with weight making no significant contribution. We developed prediction equations for spirometry for children from northern India. Nonlinear equations were superior to linear equations.

  9. Offshore northern Europe, the challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergseth, S.

    1996-01-01

    This paper relates to challenges of the offshore activity in the North Sea. It is appropriate to address these challenges in the context of generating values through efficient management of resources, markets, safety and technology, as the challenges lie therein. The petroleum industry is built to turn natural resources into market value, assuring broad benefits to stake holders and shareholders. In the following, the challenges facing the industry the industry offshore Northern Europe is examined on this background

  10. Contrasting pattern of hydrological changes during the past two millennia from central and northern India: Regional climate difference or anthropogenic impact?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, Praveen K.; Prasad, Sushma; Marwan, Norbert; Anoop, A.; Krishnan, R.; Gaye, Birgit; Basavaiah, N.; Stebich, Martina; Menzel, Philip; Riedel, Nils

    2018-02-01

    High resolution reconstructions of the India Summer Monsoon (ISM) are essential to identify regionally different patterns of climate change and refine predictive models. We find opposing trends of hydrological proxies between northern (Sahiya cave stalagmite) and central India (Lonar Lake) between 100 and 1300 CE with the strongest anti-correlation between 810 and 1300 CE. The apparently contradictory data raise the question if these are related to widely different regional precipitation patterns or reflect human influence in/around the Lonar Lake. By comparing multiproxy data with historical records, we demonstrate that only the organic proxies in the Lonar Lake show evidence of anthropogenic impact. However, evaporite data (mineralogy and δ18O) are indicative of precipitation/evaporation (P/E) into the Lonar Lake. Back-trajectories of air-mass circulation over northern and central India show that the relative contribution of the Bay of Bengal (BoB) branch of the ISM is crucial for determining the δ18O of carbonate proxies only in north India, whereas central India is affected significantly by the Arabian Sea (AS) branch of the ISM. We conclude that the δ18O of evaporative carbonates in the Lonar Lake reflects P/E and, in the interval under consideration, is not influenced by source water changes. The opposing trend between central and northern India can be explained by (i) persistent multidecadal droughts over central India between 810 and 1300 CE that provided an effective mechanism for strengthening sub-tropical westerly winds resulting in enhancement of wintertime (non-monsoonal) rainfall over northern parts of the Indian subcontinent, and/or (ii) increased moisture influx to northern India from the depleted BoB source waters.

  11. Gas-fired Power Generation in India: Challenges and opportunities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2006-07-01

    India's fast growing economy needs to add 100,000 MW power generating capacity between 2002-2012. Given limitations to the use of coal in terms of environmental considerations, quality and supply constraints, gas is expected to play an increasingly important role in India's power sector. This report briefs NMC Delegates on the potential for gas-fired power generation in India and describes the challenges India faces to translate the potential for gas-fired power generation into reality.

  12. Vignapandeyana (Fabaceae), a new species from northern Western Ghats, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaikwad, Sayajirao; Gore, Ramchandra; Randive, Sonali

    2015-01-01

    Vigna subg. Ceratotropis (Piper) Verdc. represents a homogenous and distinct group of species with highly specialized complex floral characters. It is most diverse in Asia. India, with 24 species, represents a secondary center of species diversity of the subgenus. A new species, Vignapandeyana RD Gore, SP Gaikwad & SD Randive, is described from hill slopes of the northern Western Ghats of India. It resembles Vignayadavii Gaikwad et al. and Vignadalzelliana (Kuntze) Verdc. but differs from the latter in its dimorphic shoots (some subterranean, with cleistogamous flowers) and densely hairy pods, from the former by its curved style, flattened style beak, foveolate seed coat and absence of standard protuberance and horn-like keel pocket in cleistogamous flowers.

  13. Energy alternatives for irrigation pumping: an economic analysis for northern India.

    OpenAIRE

    Bhatia R

    1984-01-01

    ILO pub-WEP pub. Working paper presenting an economic analysis of alternative energy sources for irrigation pumping in Northern India - considers economic and technical aspects of photovoltaic pumping systems, solar energy systems, electric power, dual-fuel and diesel engines, Biogas and wind power; discusses economic and social development aspects. Abbreviations, bibliography, glossary and tables.

  14. Reducing sexual risk behavior among high-risk couples in Northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Deborah; Bagga, Rashmi; Nehra, Ritu; Deepika; Sethi, Sunil; Walia, Kamini; Kumar, Mahendra; Villar-Loubet, Olga; Lopez, Maria; Weiss, Stephen M

    2013-09-01

    With a population of 1.1 billion, India is considered to be a country in which effective prevention interventions could contain the development of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic. Heterosexual transmission accounts for 85 % of the extant HIV infections. This study sought to assess the feasibility of conducting a group, culturally tailored behavioral intervention and its impact on sexual barrier use, self-efficacy, knowledge, conflict resolution, and coping among high-risk heterosexual couples in Northern India. This pilot study was conducted at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India from February 2008 to January 2009. Thirty sexually active high-risk couples were drawn from a convenience sample of PGIMER patients attending infectious disease and family planning clinics. Couples participated in 1 month of three weekly gender-concordant behavioral intervention groups and were individually administered assessments preintervention and post-intervention. The intervention was tailored to the Northern Indian context and addressed sexual barrier use, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/sexually transmitted infection transmission, and cognitive behavioral skill building focusing on sexual negotiation and communication. The participants had a mean age of 32 years (men) and 29 years (women), and the majority had at least 10 years of education. At baseline, the majority reported inconsistent condom use (knowledge, and women increased their use of positive coping tactics. The results highlight the potential to successfully utilize a group intervention to discuss sensitive issues such as sexual risk behavior among both men and women. Strategies to improve condom use and communication without increasing intimate partner violence in high-risk couples may be an important adjunct to preventing the development of a generalized epidemic in India.

  15. Challenges in conducting a community-based influenza vaccine trial in a rural community in northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Rakesh; Amarchand, Ritvik; Narayan, Venkatesh Vinayak; Saha, Siddhartha; Lafond, Kathryn E; Kapoor, Suresh K; Dar, Lalit; Jain, Seema; Krishnan, Anand

    2018-04-04

    Evidence on influenza vaccine effectiveness from low and middle countries (LMICs) is limited due to limited institutional capacities; lack of adequate resources; and lack of interest by ministries of health for influenza vaccine introduction. There are concerns that the highest ethical standards will be compromised during trials in LMICs leading to mistrust of clinical trials. These factors pose regulatory and operational challenges to researchers in these countries. We conducted a community-based vaccine trial to assess the efficacy of live attenuated influenza vaccine and inactivated influenza vaccine in rural north India. Key regulatory challenges included obtaining regulatory approvals, reporting of adverse events, and compensating subjects for trial-related injuries; all of which were required to be completed in a timely fashion. Key operational challenges included obtaining audio-visual consent; maintaining a low attrition rate; and administering vaccines during a narrow time period before the influenza season, and under extreme heat. We overcame these challenges through advanced planning, and sustaining community engagement. We adapted the trial procedures to cope with field conditions by conducting mock vaccine camps; and planned for early morning vaccination to mitigate threats to the cold chain. These lessons may help investigators to confront similar challenges in other LMICs.

  16. India: nuclear policy, opportunities and challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vaddevolu Balaji Nagendra Kumar

    2009-01-01

    India is not the proliferator of nuclear weapons technology. India FBRs will expand the life of a given consignment of uranium in the nuclear power reactors from 60 to about 211 years and the thorium based reactors to over 2000 years respectively. The Indo-US Nuclear deal has paved the way for uranium supplies to Indian reactors from the NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group) (comprising 45 countries). It is an opportunity for India to produce energy economically. The major challenge for India is to abstain from using the civilian nuclear reactors for military purpose and to strategically limit the fissile material in content and usage. There are parties interested in supplying Uranium to India and parties interested in imposing checks on the military use of nuclear reactors. In the former category we could place Governments and companies interested in supplying Uranium, companies interested in building and operating nuclear power reactors in India and academia. In the later category, we could place IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), US politicians and Pentagon. (Author)

  17. Exploring the relationship between meteorology and surface PM2.5 in Northern India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnell, J.; Naik, V.; Horowitz, L. W.; Paulot, F.; Ginoux, P. A.

    2017-12-01

    Northern India is one of the most polluted and densely populated regions in world. Accurately modeling pollution in the region is difficult due to the extreme conditions with respect to emissions, meteorology, and topography, but it is paramount in order to understand how future changes in emissions and climate may alter the region's pollution regime. We evaluate a developmental version of the new-generation NOAA GFDL Atmospheric Model, version 4 (AM4) in its ability to simulate observed wintertime PM2.5 and its relationship to meteorology over the Northern India (23°N-31°N, 68°E-90°E). We perform two simulations of the GFDL-AM4 nudged to observed meteorology for the period (1980-2016) with two emission inventories developed for CMIP5 and CMIP6 and compare results with observations from India's Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the period 1 October 2015 - 31 March 2016. Overall, our results indicate that the simulation with CMIP6 emissions has substantially reduced the low model bias in the region. The AM4, albeit biased low, generally simulates the magnitude and daily variability in observed total PM2.5. Ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate are the primary components of PM2.5 in the model, and although not directly observed, correlations of total observed PM2.5 and meteorology with the modeled individual PM2.5 components suggest the same for the observations. The model correctly reproduces the shape and magnitude of the seasonal cycle of PM2.5; but for the diurnal cycle, it misses the early evening rise and secondary maximum found in the observations. Observed PM2.5 abundances within the densely populated Indo-Gangetic Plain are by far the highest and are closely related to boundary layer meteorology, specifically relative humidity, wind speed, boundary layer height, and inversion strength. The GFDL-AM4 reproduces the observed pollution gradient over Northern India as well as the strength of the meteorology-PM2.5 relationship in most locations.

  18. A New Species of Murdannia Royle (Commelinaceae from Northern Western Ghats of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mayur Nandikar

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available A new species of Murdannia Royle (Commelinaceae, Murdannia brownii Nandikar & Gurav, is described and illustrated from northern Western Ghats of India. It differs from allied M. versicolor (Dalzell Bruckn. in having obovate, rose-red to flesh coloured petals, elliptic capsule and falsifoveate-glebulate seed surface.

  19. Birds of sacred groves of northern Kerala, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. M. Jyothi

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Sacred groves are patches of vegetation preserved due to  religious or cultural tradition.  They are protected through spiritual beliefs.  Sacred groves provide an excellent abode to the biodiversity of the region where they are located.   Scientific exploration of fauna from sacred groves of India is few and far between.  The present study was conducted to explore the bird diversity and abundance in 15 selected sacred groves of northern Kerala, eight from Kannur District and seven from Kasargod District each.  A total of 111 bird species were observed belonging to 49 families and 16 orders.  The sacred groves of northern Kerala support many of the ‘forest-birds’ such as the Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii, Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella, Tickell’s Blue-flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae, Malabar Trogon Harpactes fasciatus, Heart-spotted Woodpecker Hemicircus canente, Malabar Whistling-Thrush Myophonus horsfieldii, Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra, etc.  The sacred groves of northern Kerala also support two endemic bird species of the Western Ghats, such as the Malabar Grey Hornbill Ocyceros griseus and Rufous Babbler Turdoides subrufa. Five species of raptors and four owl species were reported from the sacred groves of north Kerala during the present study.  The breeding of the White-bellied Sea-Eagle has been reported at Edayilakadu Kavu, a sacred grove in Kasargod District.  The sacred groves of northern Kerala also supported 17 species of long distant migratory birds.  Thazhe Kavu, recorded the Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, a Near-Threatened bird according to IUCN. 

  20. Solar rooftop in India: Policies, challenges and outlook

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malti Goel

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Solar photovoltaic rooftop has emerged as a potential green technology to address climate change issues by reducing reliance on conventional fossil fuel based energy. With a strong commitment to increase the renewable sources based energy capacity to 175 GW by 2022, India has a target to install 100 GW of solar energy capacity. Of this 40 GW would be the share of grid connected solar PV rooftop. This paper examines global growth in solar energy, world's major rooftop installed capacity countries' policies and solar rooftop policy instruments in India. The current Indian goals, issues & challenges in achieving them and trends in further development are discussed. Keywords: Solar energy, India, Rooftop PV, Policies, Outlook

  1. Partner Country Series: Understanding Energy Challenges in India - Policies, Players and Issues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-07-01

    A combination of rapidly increasing energy demand and fuel imports plus growing concern about economic and environmental consequences is generating growing calls for effective and thorough energy governance in India. Numerous policy reforms over the past 20 years have shifted the country’s energy sector from a state-dominated system towards one that is based on market principles. However, with the reform process left unfinished, India now finds itself trapped halfway along the transition to an open and well-performing energy sector. India suffered from the largest power outage ever in late July 2012, affecting nearly half of the population. While this incident highlights the importance of modern and smart energy systems, it indicates that the country is increasingly unable to deliver a secure supply of energy to its population, a quarter of which still lacks access to electricity. Understanding Energy Challenges in India aims to provide an informative and holistic understanding of India’s energy sector to stakeholders in India as well as the broad public. The publication explores in detail the policies, players and issues of the country’s power, coal, oil and gas, renewables and nuclear sectors. It also highlights the key challenges India faces, challenges that must be resolved for the evolution of the fast-growing country’s energy sector towards a sustainable energy future and eventually critical for the prospects of the Indian and global economies.

  2. Hippobosca longipennis - a potential intermediate host of a species of Acanthocheilonema in dogs in northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irwin Peter J

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hippobosca longipennis (the 'dog louse fly' is a blood sucking ectoparasite found on wild carnivores such as cheetahs and lions and domesticated and feral dogs in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, including China. Known as an intermediate host for Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides and a transport host for Cheyletiella yasguri, it has also been suggested that H. longipennis may be a vector for other pathogens, including Acanthocheilonema sp.? nov., which was recently reported to infect up to 48% of dogs in northern India where this species of fly is known to commonly infest dogs. To test this hypothesis, hippoboscid flies feeding on dogs in Ladakh in northern India were collected and subjected to microscopic dissection. Results A total of 12 infective larvae were found in 10 out of 65 flies dissected; 9 from the head, 2 from the thorax and 1 from the abdomen. The larvae averaged 2, 900 (± 60 μm in length and 34 (± 5 μm in width and possessed morphological features characteristic of the family Onchocercidae. Genetic analysis and comparison of the 18S, ITS-2, 12S and cox-1 genes confirmed the identity of the larvae as the Acanthocheilonema sp.? nov. reported in dogs in Ladakh. Conclusion This study provides evidence for a potential intermediate host-parasite relationship between H. longipennis and the canine Acanthocheilonema sp.? nov. in northern India.

  3. Impacts of Aerosol-Monsoon Interaction on Rainfall and Circulation over Northern India and the Himalaya Foothills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, William K. M.; Kim, Kyu-Myong; Shi, Jainn-Jong; Matsui, T.; Chin, M.; Tan, Qian; Peters-Lidard, C.; Tao, W. K.

    2016-01-01

    The boreal summer of 2008 was unusual for the Indian monsoon, featuring exceptional heavy loading of dust aerosols over the Arabian Sea and northern-central India, near normal all- India rainfall, but excessive heavy rain, causing disastrous flooding in the Northern Indian Himalaya Foothills (NIHF) regions, accompanied by persistent drought conditions in central and southern India. Using NASA Unified-physics Weather Research Forecast (NUWRF) model with fully interactive aerosol physics and dynamics, we carried out three sets of 7-day ensemble model forecast experiments: 1) control with no aerosol, 2) aerosol radiative effect only and 3) aerosol radiative and aerosol-cloud-microphysics effects, to study the impacts of aerosol monsoon interactions on monsoon variability over the NIHF during the summer of 2008. Results show that aerosol-radiation interaction (ARI), i.e., dust aerosol transport, and dynamical feedback processes induced by aerosol-radiative heating, plays a key role in altering the large scale monsoon circulation system, reflected by an increased north-south tropospheric temperature gradient, a northward shift of heavy monsoon rainfall, advancing the monsoon onset by 1-5 days over the HF, consistent with the EHP hypothesis (Lau et al. 2006). Additionally, we found that dust aerosols, via the semi-direct effect, increase atmospheric stability, and cause the dissipation of a developing monsoon onset cyclone over northeastern India northern Bay of Bengal. Eventually, in a matter of several days, ARI transforms the developing monsoon cyclone into mesoscale convective cells along the HF slopes. Aerosol-Cloud-microphysics Interaction (ACI) further enhances the ARI effect in invigorating the deep convection cells and speeding up the transformation processes. Results indicate that even in short-term (up to weekly) numerical forecasting of monsoon circulation and rainfall, effects of aerosol-monsoon interaction can be substantial and cannot be ignored.

  4. Wind power policy: Issues and challenges in India

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lad, C.J. [TMES Institute of Business Management and Computer Studies, Mandvi, Gujarat (India); Mistry, S.H. [C. K. Pithawalla Institute of Management, Surat, Gujarat (India)

    2012-07-01

    The energy policy of India is much concerned with the country's ever increasing energy deficit and increased focus on developing alternative sources of energy, particularly nuclear, solar and wind energy. About 70% of country's energy generation capacity is from fossil fuels. Our nation is heavily dependent on fossil fuel imports to meet its energy demands. It is estimated that by 2030; India's dependence on energy imports is expected to exceed 53% of the country's total energy consumption. So, renewable energy usage can be sustainable alternative to country's energy demand. India has the world's fifth largest wind power market. To promote the usage of wind energy, government have declared tax incentives and other incentives but still the most of the estimated wind potential is not realized for energy need of country. In this paper author tries to identify the issues and challenges for promotion of wind power promotion in India and will suggest for the correction in the existing energy policy. (Author)

  5. Pattern of Ocular Morbidity in the Elderly Population of Northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldev, Vibha Florence; Chopra, Rupali; Batra, Nitin; Singh, Shavinder

    2017-08-01

    The frequency of eye diseases has been suggested to start increasing around 40 years of age, with an even steeper increase beginning around 60 years of age. Health promotions and curative and rehabilitative services for the visually impaired elderly population should therefore be a priority in the coming years especially in low and middle income countries. To examine the changing pattern of ocular morbidity in the elderly population of Northern India and to determine the socioeconomic status in relation to ocular morbidities. A team from the Department of Ophthalmology and Department of Community Medicine, conducted house visits and did a complete eye examination of 450 elderly subjects. They were selected by systematic random sampling from the data base available in the Department of Community Medicine. A total of 900 eyes were examined. Visual impairment and blindness was seen in 135 (30%) and 36 (8%) individuals respectively. The most common cause of blindness was cataract, followed by corneal opacity, glaucoma, refractive error, diabetic retinopathy, macular scar, age related macular degeneration, retinal detachment, retinitis pigmentosa. Visual impairment was more in individuals with low socioeconomic status. The results of this study suggest that though cataract remains the main cause of blindness, there is an increase in blindness and visual impairment due to corneal diseases and glaucoma which was not seen earlier. The availability and accessibility to eye care facilities particularly for corneal diseases and glaucoma should be increased to reduce blindness in Northern India.

  6. Prospective registration of clinical trials in India: strategies, achievements & challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tharyan, Prathap

    2009-02-01

    This paper traces the development of the Clinical Trial Registry-India (CTRI) against the backdrop of the inequities in healthcare and the limitations in the design, conduct, regulation, oversight and reporting of clinical trials in India. It describes the scope and goals of the CTRI, the data elements it seeks and the process of registering clinical trials. It reports progress in trial registration in India and discusses the challenges in ensuring that healthcare decisions are informed by all the evidence. A descriptive survey of developments in clinical trial registration in India from publications in the Indian medical literature supplemented by first hand knowledge of these developments and an evaluation of how well clinical trials registered in the CTRI up to 10 January, 2009 comply with the requirements of the CTRI and the World Health Organization's International Clinical Trial Registry (WHO ICTRP). Considerable inequities exist within the Indian health system. Deficiencies in healthcare provision and uneven regulation of, and access to, affordable healthcare co-exists with a large private health system of uneven quality. India is now a preferred destination for outsourced clinical trials but is plagued by poor ethical oversight of the many trial sites and scant information of their existence. The CTRI's vision of conforming to international requirements for transparency and accountability but also using trial registration as a means of improving trial design, conduct and reporting led to the selection of registry-specific dataset items in addition to those endorsed by the WHO ICTRP. Compliance with these requirements is good for the trials currently registered but these trials represent only a fraction of the trials in progress in India. Prospective trial registration is a reality in India. The challenges facing the CTRI include better engagement with key stakeholders to ensure increased prospective registration of clinical trials and utilization of

  7. Challenges and opportunities associated with waste management in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sunil; Smith, Stephen R.; Fowler, Geoff; Velis, Costas; Kumar, S. Jyoti; Arya, Shashi; Rena; Kumar, Rakesh

    2017-01-01

    India faces major environmental challenges associated with waste generation and inadequate waste collection, transport, treatment and disposal. Current systems in India cannot cope with the volumes of waste generated by an increasing urban population, and this impacts on the environment and public health. The challenges and barriers are significant, but so are the opportunities. This paper reports on an international seminar on ‘Sustainable solid waste management for cities: opportunities in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries’ organized by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and the Royal Society. A priority is to move from reliance on waste dumps that offer no environmental protection, to waste management systems that retain useful resources within the economy. Waste segregation at source and use of specialized waste processing facilities to separate recyclable materials has a key role. Disposal of residual waste after extraction of material resources needs engineered landfill sites and/or investment in waste-to-energy facilities. The potential for energy generation from landfill via methane extraction or thermal treatment is a major opportunity, but a key barrier is the shortage of qualified engineers and environmental professionals with the experience to deliver improved waste management systems in India. PMID:28405362

  8. Challenges and opportunities associated with waste management in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sunil; Smith, Stephen R; Fowler, Geoff; Velis, Costas; Kumar, S Jyoti; Arya, Shashi; Rena; Kumar, Rakesh; Cheeseman, Christopher

    2017-03-01

    India faces major environmental challenges associated with waste generation and inadequate waste collection, transport, treatment and disposal. Current systems in India cannot cope with the volumes of waste generated by an increasing urban population, and this impacts on the environment and public health. The challenges and barriers are significant, but so are the opportunities. This paper reports on an international seminar on 'Sustainable solid waste management for cities: opportunities in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries' organized by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and the Royal Society. A priority is to move from reliance on waste dumps that offer no environmental protection, to waste management systems that retain useful resources within the economy. Waste segregation at source and use of specialized waste processing facilities to separate recyclable materials has a key role. Disposal of residual waste after extraction of material resources needs engineered landfill sites and/or investment in waste-to-energy facilities. The potential for energy generation from landfill via methane extraction or thermal treatment is a major opportunity, but a key barrier is the shortage of qualified engineers and environmental professionals with the experience to deliver improved waste management systems in India.

  9. Challenges and Concerns for Library and Information Science (LIS) Education in India and South Asia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Trishanjit

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents some of the challenges and concerns for library and information science (LIS) education in India. In order to provide context for these challenges, the paper begins with a brief overview of higher education in India in general and then discusses the beginning of LIS education. It briefly summarizes LIS education in South Asia…

  10. Challenges in assessing food environments in northern and remote communities in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skinner, Kelly; Burnett, Kristin; Williams, Patricia; Martin, Debbie; Stothart, Christopher; LeBlanc, Joseph; Veeraraghavan, Gigi; Sheedy, Amanda

    2016-06-09

    Effective tools for retail food environments in northern and remote communities are lacking. This paper examines the challenges of conducting food environment assessments in northern and remote communities in Canada encountered during our experience with a food costing project. One of the goals of the Paying for Nutrition in the North project is to develop guidelines to improve current food costing tools for northern Canada. Paying for Nutrition illustrates the complex context of measuring food environments in northern and remote communities. Through the development of a food costing methodology guide to assess northern food environments, several contextual issues emerged, including retail store oligopolies in communities; the importance of assessing food quality; informal social food economies; and the challenge of costing the acquisition and consumption of land- and water-based foods. Food environment measures designed for northern and remote communities need to reflect the geographic context in which they are being employed and must include input from local residents.

  11. Aspiring Pain Practitioners in India: Assessing Challenges and Building Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhatnagar, Sushma; Patel, Anuradha; Raja, Srinivasa N

    2018-01-01

    Background: Pain medicine is a developing specialty, aimed at relieving pain and suffering, enhancing function, and improving the quality of life of patients. Pain is often ignored, under-reported and mismanaged by health-care providers. Aspiring pain physicians in India face many challenges and barriers in advancing their specialty. Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the challenges in establishing a pain practice in India and to discuss the opportunities and strategies to overcome these barriers. Subjects and Methods: Face-to-face interactive sessions were held with 60 aspiring pain physicians of India who were chosen as registrants to an International Association for the Study of Pain-Indian Society for Study of Pain multidisciplinary evidence-based pain management program conducted at Delhi and Mumbai. The available opportunities, practical issues and the hurdles in becoming a pain specialist were analyzed and summarized in this commentary. Results: The major barriers identified were: (1) Inadequate knowledge and absence of structured, educational and training courses, (2) bureaucratic hurdles, and (3) concerns of opioid misuse and addiction. The opportunities for personal growth and that of the specialty that could be utilized include the creation of a pain resource team, increasing community awareness, changing attitudes of other physicians toward pain specialty, and research and evidence building of the effectiveness of pain management strategies. Conclusion: India needs a structured teaching and training program in the area of pain medicine that is affiliated by the Medical Council of India or other reputed boards of medical education and certification. There is an urgent need to include pain management in the undergraduate and postgraduate medical curriculum. Enhancing community level awareness by public health education campaigns, developing networks of pain physicians, and appropriate marketing of the specialty is needed to make pain

  12. Aspiring Pain Practitioners in India: Assessing Challenges and Building Opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhatnagar, Sushma; Patel, Anuradha; Raja, Srinivasa N

    2018-01-01

    Pain medicine is a developing specialty, aimed at relieving pain and suffering, enhancing function, and improving the quality of life of patients. Pain is often ignored, under-reported and mismanaged by health-care providers. Aspiring pain physicians in India face many challenges and barriers in advancing their specialty. The objective of this study is to determine the challenges in establishing a pain practice in India and to discuss the opportunities and strategies to overcome these barriers. Face-to-face interactive sessions were held with 60 aspiring pain physicians of India who were chosen as registrants to an International Association for the Study of Pain-Indian Society for Study of Pain multidisciplinary evidence-based pain management program conducted at Delhi and Mumbai. The available opportunities, practical issues and the hurdles in becoming a pain specialist were analyzed and summarized in this commentary. The major barriers identified were: (1) Inadequate knowledge and absence of structured, educational and training courses, (2) bureaucratic hurdles, and (3) concerns of opioid misuse and addiction. The opportunities for personal growth and that of the specialty that could be utilized include the creation of a pain resource team, increasing community awareness, changing attitudes of other physicians toward pain specialty, and research and evidence building of the effectiveness of pain management strategies. India needs a structured teaching and training program in the area of pain medicine that is affiliated by the Medical Council of India or other reputed boards of medical education and certification. There is an urgent need to include pain management in the undergraduate and postgraduate medical curriculum. Enhancing community level awareness by public health education campaigns, developing networks of pain physicians, and appropriate marketing of the specialty is needed to make pain medicine recognized and utilized as a valuable specialty.

  13. Aspiring pain practitioners in India: Assessing challenges and building opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sushma Bhatnagar

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Pain medicine is a developing specialty, aimed at relieving pain and suffering, enhancing function, and improving the quality of life of patients. Pain is often ignored, under-reported and mismanaged by health-care providers. Aspiring pain physicians in India face many challenges and barriers in advancing their specialty. Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the challenges in establishing a pain practice in India and to discuss the opportunities and strategies to overcome these barriers. Subjects and Methods: Face-to-face interactive sessions were held with 60 aspiring pain physicians of India who were chosen as registrants to an International Association for the Study of Pain-Indian Society for Study of Pain multidisciplinary evidence-based pain management program conducted at Delhi and Mumbai. The available opportunities, practical issues and the hurdles in becoming a pain specialist were analyzed and summarized in this commentary. Results: The major barriers identified were: (1 Inadequate knowledge and absence of structured, educational and training courses, (2 bureaucratic hurdles, and (3 concerns of opioid misuse and addiction. The opportunities for personal growth and that of the specialty that could be utilized include the creation of a pain resource team, increasing community awareness, changing attitudes of other physicians toward pain specialty, and research and evidence building of the effectiveness of pain management strategies. Conclusion: India needs a structured teaching and training program in the area of pain medicine that is affiliated by the Medical Council of India or other reputed boards of medical education and certification. There is an urgent need to include pain management in the undergraduate and postgraduate medical curriculum. Enhancing community level awareness by public health education campaigns, developing networks of pain physicians, and appropriate marketing of the specialty is

  14. Aerosol pollution over Northern India and Bangladesh

    Science.gov (United States)

    2002-01-01

    The skies over Northern India are filled with a thick soup of aerosol particles all along the southern edge of the Himalayan Mountains, and streaming southward over Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal. Notice that the air over the Tibetan Plateau to the north of the Himalayas is very clear, whereas the view of the land surface south of the mountains is obstructed by the brownish haze. Most of this air pollution comes from human activities. The aerosol over this region is notoriously rich in sulfates, nitrates, organic and black carbon, and fly ash. These particles not only represent a health hazard to those people living in the region, but scientists have also recently found that they can have a significant impact on the region's hydrological cycle and climate (click to read the relevant NASA press release). This true-color image was acquired on December 4, 2001, by the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), flying aboard NASA's Terra satellite. It is interesting to compare the image above with this earlier MODIS image over the region, acquired on October 23, 2001. Notice the difference in the clarity of the air over the region in the earlier image. Under the thick plume of aerosol, the Brahmaputra (upper right) and Ganges Rivers are still visible. The many mouths of the Ganges have turned the northern waters of the Bay of Bengal a murky brown as they empty their sediment-laden waters into the bay. Toward the upper lefthand corner of the image, there appears to be a fresh swath of snow on the ground just south of the Himalayas.

  15. Enabling Access for the Mentally Challenged (India) | CRDI - Centre ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The number of children with mental challenges is large and growing at an alarming rate in India. Approximately 1% of children have an Autism Spectrum Disorder, while an estimated 2-5% have an auditory processing disorder. Such children face obstacles to communication, and this makes it more difficult for doctors to treat ...

  16. Trends of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance pattern in new cases and previously treated cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases in referral hospitals in northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A K Maurya

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Drug-resistant tuberculosis is one of major current challenges to global public health. The transmission of resistant strains is increasing as a burden of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB patients in extra pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB cases in India. Aim and Objectives: The aim was to study trends of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance pattern in new cases and previously treated cases of EPTB in referral hospitals in northern India. Study Design and Setting: A prospectively observational study and referral medical institutions in northern India. Materials and Methods: All EPTB specimens were processed for Ziehl Neelsen staining, BACTEC culture and BACTEC NAP test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. All M. tuberculosis complex isolates were performed for radiometric-based drug susceptibility pattern against streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol using the 1% proportion method. Results: We found that 165/756 (20.5% isolates were identified as M. tuberculosis complex by the NAP test. We observed that 39.9% were resistant to first-line antitubercular drugs. The resistance rate was higher in previously treated patients: H (30.3%, R (16.3%, E (15.7% and S (16.3%. MDR-TB was observed in 13.4%, but, in new cases, this was 11.4% and 19.1% of the previously treated patients (P<0.05. Conclusion: MDR-TB is gradually increased in EPTB cases and predominant resistance to previous treated cases of EPTB. The molecular drug sensitivity test (DST method can be an early decision for chemotherapy in MDR-TB patients. The International Standards of TB Care need to be used by the RNTCP and professional medical associations as a tool to improve TB care in the country.

  17. Clinical Research Environment in India: Challenges and Proposed Solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burt, Tal; Sharma, Pooja; Dhillon, Savita; Manchanda, Mukul; Mittal, Sanjay; Trehan, Naresh

    2014-11-01

    India has compelling need and keen aspirations for indigenous clinical research. Notwithstanding this need and previously reported growth the expected expansion of Indian clinical research has not materialized. We reviewed the scientific literature, lay press reports, and ClinicalTrials.gov data for information and commentary on projections, progress, and impediments associated with clinical trials in India. We also propose targeted solutions to identified challenges. The Indian clinical trial sector grew by (+) 20.3% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) between 2005 and 2010 and contracted by (-) 14.6% CAGR between 2010 and 2013. Phase-1 trials grew by (+) 43.5% CAGR from 2005-2013, phase-2 trials grew by (+) 19.8% CAGR from 2005-2009 and contracted by (-) 12.6% CAGR from 2009-2013, and phase-3 trials grew by (+) 13.0% CAGR from 2005-2010 and contracted by (-) 28.8% CAGR from 2010-2013. This was associated with a slowing of the regulatory approval process, increased media coverage and activist engagement, and accelerated development of regulatory guidelines and recuperative initiatives. We propose the following as potential targets for restorative interventions: Regulatory overhaul (leadership and enforcement of regulations, resolution of ambiguity in regulations, staffing, training, guidelines, and ethical principles [e.g., compensation]).Education and training of research professionals, clinicians, and regulators.Public awareness and empowerment. After a peak in 2009-2010, the clinical research sector in India appears to be experiencing a contraction. There are indications of challenges in regulatory enforcement of guidelines; training of clinical research professionals; and awareness, participation, partnership, and the general image amongst the non-professional media and public. Preventative and corrective principles and interventions are outlined with the goal of realizing the clinical research potential in India.

  18. Population-based estimate of urinary stones from Ballabgarh, northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lohiya, Ayush; Kant, Shashi; Kapil, Arti; Gupta, Sanjeev Kumar; Misra, Puneet; Rai, Sanjay K

    2017-01-01

    Stones in the urinary tract are a common condition but there is paucity of data on their population-based estimates in India. We describe our findings of the burden of urinary stones during a cross-sectional study with another primary goal. We conducted the study at Ballabgarh Health and Demographic Surveillance System, Haryana, among residents aged 18 years or above. We used simple random sampling to enrol participants. Self-reported history of urinary stones was elicited through an interview schedule. Results of the descriptive analysis were described as proportions with 95% confidence intervals (CI) or as mean wherever applicable. Bivariate analysis was done using t-test and chi-square test as applicable. The response rate for our study was 86.6%; lifetime prevalence (95% CI) of urinary stones was 7.9% (5.7, 10.8). In a majority of participants, urinary stones were diagnosed at an age of 20-40 years (55.9%), mostly by an ultrasonography examination (94.1%). A high burden of urinary stones is indicated in the working-age population in northern India at the community level. Untreated urinary stones can lead to an acute emergency (colic) or may have long-term adverse consequences, e.g. hydronephrosis, which have implications for the healthcare delivery system.

  19. Diabetes mellitus: Trends in northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manish Gutch

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Diabetes mellitus is becoming a global health issue with more than 80% diabetics living in developing countries. India accounts for 62.4 million diabetics (2011. Indian Council of Medical Research India Diabetes Study (ICMR-INDIAB study showed highest weighted prevalence rate in the north India among all studied regions. Diabetes in north India has many peculiarities in all aspects from risk factors to control programmers. North Indians are becoming more prone for diabetes and dyslipidemia because rapid westernization of living style and diet due rapid migration to metropolitan cities for employment. North Indian diabetes is plagued with gender bias against females, poor quality of health services, myths, and lack of disease awareness compounded with small number of prevention and awareness programmers that too are immature to counteract the growing pandemic.

  20. Strategies being followed in India to face challenge of drug ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. Strategies being followed in India to face challenge of drug resistance in tuberculosis. Increasing the coverage with DOTS. Operational research to monitor the trends in drug resistance. Research in methods for rapid detection of drug resistance. Improving methods/ ...

  1. Ethical challenge of desertification in Northern Nigeria | Ikeke ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    If desertification is not stopped it impedes development and sustainability. This paper uses a critical analytic method, to examine the ethical challenges that desertification poses. It makes a conceptual analysis of the main concepts such as ethics, desertification and Northern Nigeria. It looks at how desertification is an ethical ...

  2. Lesser Himalayan sequences in Eastern Himalaya and their deformation: Implications for Paleoproterozoic tectonic activity along the northern margin of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilip Saha

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Substantial part of the northern margin of Indian plate is subducted beneath the Eurasian plate during the Caenozoic Himalayan orogeny, obscuring older tectonic events in the Lesser Himalaya known to host Proterozoic sedimentary successions and granitic bodies. Tectonostratigraphic units of the Proterozoic Lesser Himalayan sequence (LHS of Eastern Himalaya, namely the Daling Group in Sikkim and the Bomdila Group in Arunachal Pradesh, provide clues to the nature and extent of Proterozoic passive margin sedimentation, their involvement in pre-Himalayan orogeny and implications for supercontinent reconstruction. The Daling Group, consisting of flaggy quartzite, meta-greywacke and metapelite with minor mafic dyke and sill, and the overlying Buxa Formation with stromatolitic carbonate-quartzite-slate, represent shallow marine, passive margin platformal association. Similar lithostratigraphy and broad depositional framework, and available geochronological data from intrusive granites in Eastern Himalaya indicate strikewise continuity of a shallow marine Paleoproterozoic platformal sequence up to Arunachal Pradesh through Bhutan. Multiple fold sets and tectonic foliations in LHS formed during partial or complete closure of the sea/ocean along the northern margin of Paleoproterozoic India. Such deformation fabrics are absent in the upper Palaeozoic–Mesozoic Gondwana formations in the Lesser Himalaya of Darjeeling-Sikkim indicating influence of older orogeny. Kinematic analysis based on microstructure, and garnet composition suggest Paleoproterozoic deformation and metamorphism of LHS to be distinct from those associated with the foreland propagating thrust systems of the Caenozoic Himalayan collisional belt. Two possibilities are argued here: (1 the low greenschist facies domain in the LHS enveloped the amphibolite to granulite facies domains, which were later tectonically severed; (2 the older deformation and metamorphism relate to a Pacific type

  3. Analysis of Challenges for Management Education in India Using Total Interpretive Structural Modelling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahajan, Ritika; Agrawal, Rajat; Sharma, Vinay; Nangia, Vinay

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify challenges for management education in India and explain their nature, significance and interrelations using total interpretive structural modelling (TISM), an innovative version of Warfield's interpretive structural modelling (ISM). Design/methodology/approach: The challenges have been drawn from…

  4. Trick or treat? Muslim Thangals, psychologisation and pragmatic realism in northern Kerala, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lang, Claudia

    2014-12-01

    Thangals are an endogamous community in Kerala, India, of Yemeni heritage who claim direct descent from the Prophet Muhammad's family. Due to their sacrosanct status, many thangals work as religious healers and thus are part of the informal mental health care system in Northern Kerala. Using the case of one thangal healer as an illustration of the many ritual healers in Kerala who engage the modern discourse of psychology in their practices, I argue that the psychologisation of ritual healing is part of a wider trend: the increasing rationalisation and scientification of traditional medical practices, whereby an increasing number of traditional healers negotiate science, modernity and religion and position their practice within these contested fields. Based on the analysis of this thangal's healing practice in the local context of Northern Kerala, I further argue that in order to understand "ritual" healing, scholars should emphasise pragmatic realism more than doctrinal purity. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  5. Challenges in India and Bhutan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaman, W

    1997-12-01

    While India is making overall progress in maternal and child health and reproductive health (MCH/RH), all states are not moving ahead. In fact, it is the states with the larger populations which are lagging behind. Primary education, women's status, and literacy remain problematic. UNFPA has worked in India for a long time, helping to realize the decline in total fertility rate from 6 to 3.5 over the past 20-30 years. India's population, however, is still growing at the annual rate of 1.8%. UNFPA's program in India for the period 1997-2001 will stress women's health as a matter of overall reproductive health, a new approach in India which has long relied upon sterilization. Attention must be given to meeting the needs of the poor in India as the country continues to grow in size and wealth. While Bhutan's estimated population is just over 1 million, the annual population growth rate of 3.1% threatens development over the long term. With a mountainous terrain and a low resource base, Bhutan cannot sustain a high population growth rate. Significant improvements have been made and women's status is good, the infant mortality rate has been reduced, and the health infrastructure is not bad. UNFPA's 5-year program beginning in 1998 will mainly address RH, especially adolescent RH.

  6. Challenges of the Oral Cancer Burden in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coelho, Ken Russell

    2012-01-01

    Oral cancer ranks in the top three of all cancers in India, which accounts for over thirty per cent of all cancers reported in the country and oral cancer control is quickly becoming a global health priority. This paper provides a synopsis of the incidence of oral cancer in India by focusing on its measurement in cancer registries across the country. Based on the International Classification of Disease case definition adopted by the World Health Organisation, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, this review systematically examines primary and secondary data where the incidence or prevalence of oral cancer is known to be directly reported. Variability in age-adjusted incidence with crude incidence is projected to increase by 2030. Challenges focus on measurement of disease incidence and disease-specific risk behavior, predominantly, alcohol, and tobacco use. Future research should be aimed at improving quality of data for early detection and prevention of oral cancer. PMID:23093961

  7. Challenges of the Oral Cancer Burden in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coelho, K. R.; Coelho, K. R.

    2012-01-01

    Oral cancer ranks in the top three of all cancers in India, which accounts for over thirty per cent of all cancers reported in the country and oral cancer control is quickly becoming a global health priority. This paper provides a synopsis of the incidence of oral cancer in India by focusing on its measurement in cancer registries across the country. Based on the International Classification of Disease case definition adopted by the World Health Organisation, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, this review systematically examines primary and secondary data where the incidence or prevalence of oral cancer is known to be directly reported. Variability in age-adjusted incidence with crude incidence is projected to increase by 2030. Challenges focus on measurement of disease incidence and disease-specific risk behavior, predominantly, alcohol, and tobacco use. Future research should be aimed at improving quality of data for early detection and prevention of oral cancer.

  8. Northern pipelines : challenges and needs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dean, D.; Brownie, D. [ProLog Canada Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada); Fafara, R. [TransCanada PipeLines Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada)

    2007-07-01

    Working Group 10 presented experiences acquired from the operation of pipeline systems in a northern environment. There are currently 3 pipelines operating north of 60, notably the Shiha gas pipeline near Fort Liard, the Ikhil gas pipeline in Inuvik and the Norman Wells oil pipeline. Each has its unique commissioning, operating and maintenance challenges, as well as specific training and logistical support requirements for the use of in-line inspection tools and other forms of integrity assessment. The effectiveness of cathodic protection systems in a permafrost northern environment was also discussed. It was noted that the delay of the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline Project by two to three years due to joint regulatory review may lead to resource constraints for the project as well as competition for already scarce human resources. The issue of a potential timing conflict with the Alaskan Pipeline Project was also addressed as well as land use issues for routing of supply roads. Integrity monitoring and assessment issues were outlined with reference to pipe soil interaction monitoring in discontinuous permafrost; south facing denuded slope stability; base lining projects; and reclamation issues. It was noted that automatic welding and inspection will increase productivity, while reducing the need for manual labour. In response to anticipated training needs, companies are planning to involve and train Aboriginal labour and will provide camp living conditions that will attract labour. tabs., figs.

  9. An Overview of Uranium Exploration Strategy in India

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chaki, A., E-mail: director.amd@gov.in [Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Hyderabad (India)

    2014-05-15

    Uranium exploration in India dates back from 1949 and the first mineralized area was located in the early 1950s in Singhbhum Shear Zone (SSZ), eastern India. Since then, a number of potential and promising uranium provinces have been established in India. The potential uranium provinces include SSZ, Dongargarh, Aravalli, Siwalik belt, Mahadek basin, south-western and northern parts of Cuddapah basin, North Delhi Fold Belt, Bhima and Kaladgi basins. The promising uranium provinces are Proterozoic Chhattisgarh, Indravati, Gwalior, Vindhyan, Shillong basins, Gondwana basins of Central India and semi-arid regions of western Rajasthan. With the establishment of large tonnage-high grade Lower-middle Proterozoic unconformity deposits in Canada and Australia, there was a paradigm shift in the exploration strategy towards the Proterozoic basins of India. The discovery of unconformity related uranium mineralisation in the northern part of Proterozoic Cuddapah basin in southern India in 1991 and discovery of few deposits in the province has opened the avenues for finding of similar deposits in Cuddapah and other 13 Proterozoic basins in India. As a sequel, Proterozoic Bhima basin in southern India has been recognized as a potential target for uranium mineralization, where a low tonnage medium grade deposit has been established and mine development works are in progress. Sustained exploration efforts in other Proterozoic basins have yielded success in a few basins such as Deshnur area in Kaladgi Basin of southern India. Considerable uranium resources have been established in Proterozoic Cuddapah and Bhima basins. Apart from northern parts of Cuddapah and Bhima basins, areas in the southwestern part of Cuddapah basin for stratabound type, where a mine is under construction; Proterozoic Kaladgi basin for vein type; Cretaceous Mahadek basin for sandstone type and the North Delhi Fold belt for vein type of mineralization have been prioritized as potential areas for exploration

  10. CEPF Western Ghats Special Series: Fish fauna of Indrayani River, northern Western Ghats, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neelesh Dahanukar

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The freshwater fish fauna of the Indrayani River, a northern tributary of the Krishna River system in the Western Ghats of India was studied. A total of 57 species of freshwater fish belonging to 18 families and 39 genera were recorded. However, based on the previous literature it is possible that the Indrayani River harbours around 67 species. Out of the 57 species in the present collection, 12 are endemic to the Western Ghats while six are endemic to the Krishna River system. Neotropius khavalchor, an endemic fish of the Krishna River system, was recorded for the first time from the northern tributaries. The fish fauna of the Indrayani River is threatened due to seven introduced species and anthropogenic activities such as deforestation leading to siltation, tourism, sand mining, over fishing and organic and inorganic pollution. Since the Indrayani River hosts endemic and threatened species, including Glyptothorax poonaensis, conservation measures to ensure habitat protection in the river are essential.

  11. Radioactive waste management practices in India: achievements and challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wattal, P.K.; Basu, S.

    2013-01-01

    Safe and effective management of radioactive waste has been given utmost importance from the very inception of nuclear industry in India. This article gives an account of the basic principles, practices being followed in our country to achieve this objective. A brief description of the existing methods for management of diverse kinds of radioactive wastes including high level radioactive waste and also the research and development activities to address the future challenges is presented in the article. (author)

  12. Public health engineering education in India: current scenario, opportunities and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, Mohammad Akhtar; Sharma, Kavya; Zodpey, Sanjay

    2011-01-01

    Public health engineering can play an important and significant role in solving environmental health issues. In order to confront public health challenges emerging out of environmental problems we need adequately trained public health engineers / environmental engineers. Considering the current burden of disease attributable to environmental factors and expansion in scope of applications of public health / environmental engineering science, it is essential to understand the present scenario of teaching, training and capacity building programs in these areas. Against this background the present research was carried out to know the current teaching and training programs in public health engineering and related disciplines in India and to understand the potential opportunities and challenges available. A systematic, predefined approach was used to collect and assemble the data related to various teaching and training programs in public health engineering / environmental engineering in India. Public health engineering / environmental engineering education and training in the country is mainly offered through engineering institutions, as pre-service and in-service training. Pre-service programs include diploma, degree (graduate) and post-graduate courses affiliated to various state technical boards, institutes and universities, whereas in-service training is mainly provided by Government of India recognized engineering and public health training institutes. Though trainees of these programs acquire skills related to engineering sciences, they significantly lack in public health skills. The teaching and training of public health engineering / environmental engineering is limited as a part of public health programs (MD Community Medicine, MPH, DPH) in India. There is need for developing teaching and training of public health engineering or environmental engineering as an interdisciplinary subject. Public health institutes can play an important and significant role in this

  13. Multiple sclerosis in India: Iceberg or volcano.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahoor, Insha; Haq, Ehtishamul

    2017-06-15

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) 1 is a chronic neurodegenerative disease involving destruction of the myelin sheath around axons of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerve. There has been a tremendous transformation in its perspective across globe. In recent years, its prevalence has changed dramatically worldwide and India is no exception. Initially, MS was believed to be more common in the Caucasians of Northern Europe and United States; however, it has been found to be present in Indian subcontinent as well. There has been a considerable shift in MS prevalence in India and this has really changed the notion of considering India as a low risk zone for MS. In this review, a concise overview and latest update on changing scenario of MS in India is presented along with some major challenges regarding it persisting across globe even today. In India, remarkable upsurge is needed in carrying out large scale population-based epidemiological studies to get an idea about the true incidence and prevalence rates of MS viz a viz disease burden. Through this review, we have probably tried to identify the actual picture of MS prevalence in India and this could serve as harbinger for upcoming research and at the same time it would definitely aid in working out future strategies for MS management in the country. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. WATER: EMERGING CHALLENGE FOR INDIA'S BRIGHTEST A ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    T. N. Narasimhan

    2009-08-25

    Aug 25, 2009 ... of science, technology, and management will lead the way. • Justifiably so. Alumni of ... INDIA'S WATER CRISIS. • Water availability in India is ... developments stress India's already stressed water systems. • Economy drives ...

  15. Regenerative medicine in India: trends and challenges in innovation and regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiwari, Shashank S; Raman, Sujatha; Martin, Paul

    2017-10-01

    The government of India has heavily promoted research and development in regenerative medicine together with domestic innovation and business development initiatives. Together, these promise a revolution in healthcare and public empowerment in India. Several national and transnational linkages have emerged to develop innovative capacity, most prominently in stem cell and cord blood banking, as well as in gene therapy, tissue engineering, biomaterials and 3D printing. However, challenges remain of achieving regulatory oversight, viable outputs and equitable impacts. Governance of private cord blood banking, nanomaterials and 3D bioprinting requires more attention. A robust social contract is also needed in healthcare more generally, so that participation in research and innovation in regenerative medicine is backed up by treatments widely accessible to all.

  16. Occurrence of concurrent infections with multiple serotypes of dengue viruses during 2013–2015 in northern Kerala, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manchala Nageswar Reddy

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background Dengue is a global human public health threat, causing severe morbidity and mortality. The occurrence of sequential infection by more than one serotype of dengue virus (DENV is a major contributing factor for the induction of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS, two major medical conditions caused by DENV infection. However, there is no specific drug or vaccine available against dengue infection. There are reports indicating the increased incidence of concurrent infection of dengue in several tropical and subtropical regions. Recently, increasing number of DHF and DSS cases were reported in India indicating potential enhancement of concurrent DENV infections. Therefore, accurate determination of the occurrence of DENV serotype co-infections needs to be conducted in various DENV prone parts of India. In this context, the present study was conducted to analyse the magnitude of concurrent infection in northern Kerala, a southwest state of India, during three consecutive years from 2013 to 2015. Methods A total of 120 serum samples were collected from the suspected dengue patients. The serum samples were diagnosed for the presence of dengue NS1 antigen followed by the isolation of dengue genome from NS1 positive samples. The isolated dengue genome was further subjected to RTPCR based molecular serotyping. The phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the sequence of PCR amplified products. Results Out of the total number of samples collected, 100 samples were positive for dengue specific antigen (NS1 and 26 of them contained the dengue genome. The RTPCR based molecular serotyping of the dengue genome revealed the presence of all four serotypes with different combinations. However, serotypes 1 and 3 were predominant combinations of concurrent infection. Interestingly, there were two samples with all four serotypes concurrently infected in 2013. Discussion All samples containing dengue genome showed the presence of

  17. Impacts of Energy Sector Emissions on PM2.5 Air Quality in Northern India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karambelas, A. N.; Kiesewetter, G.; Heyes, C.; Holloway, T.

    2015-12-01

    India experiences high concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and several Indian cities currently rank among the world's most polluted cities. With ongoing urbanization and a growing economy, emissions from different energy sectors remain major contributors to air pollution in India. Emission sectors impact ambient air quality differently due to spatial distribution (typical urban vs. typical rural sources) as well as source height characteristics (low-level vs. high stack sources). This study aims to assess the impacts of emissions from three distinct energy sectors—transportation, domestic, and electricity—on ambient PM2.5­­ in northern India using an advanced air quality analysis framework based on the U.S. EPA Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Present air quality conditions are simulated using 2010 emissions from the Greenhouse Gas-Air Pollution Interaction and Synergies (GAINS) model. Modeled PM2.5 concentrations are compared with satellite observations of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) for 2010. Energy sector emissions impacts on future (2030) PM2.5 are evaluated with three sensitivity simulations, assuming maximum feasible reduction technologies for either transportation, domestic, or electricity sectors. These simulations are compared with a business as usual 2030 simulation to assess relative sectoral impacts spatially and temporally. CMAQ is modeled at 12km by 12km and include biogenic emissions from the Community Land Model coupled with the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols in Nature (CLM-MEGAN), biomass burning emissions from the Global Fires Emissions Database (GFED), and ERA-Interim meteorology generated with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for 2010 to quantify the impact of modified anthropogenic emissions on ambient PM2.5 concentrations. Energy sector emissions analysis supports decision-making to improve future air quality and public health in

  18. India's nuclear energy programme: prospects and challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, Arvind

    2011-01-01

    India has announced ambitious plans to expand its nuclear energy programme nearly 15 fold in the next 20 years, from the current 4,500 MWe to about 62,000 MWe by 2032. By 2020, India's Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) plans to install 20,000 MWe of nuclear power generation capacity (the fifth largest in the world). The department has plans beyond 2030 too. According to these plans India will have the capacity to produce 275 GWe (Giga Watt of electricity) of nuclear power by the year 2052. The DAE's projections are summarised. This is a truly ambitious plan. Without sufficient quantities of energy, India cannot hope to become a global power. Its dream of registering eight to nine per cent economic growth per annum will remain just that, a dream. Even with such ambitious plans on the nuclear energy front, the share of nuclear power in the overall energy mix will remain small. Currently nuclear energy constitutes only about three per cent of the total energy consumed in India. If the current projections are realised, the share of nuclear energy in the total energy output will still be about 20 per cent. India takes pride in its nuclear programme. Over the years, successive governments have fully supported the DAE's plans. This support is likely to continue in the future. In fact, following the Indo-US civil nuclear deal and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) waiver in 2008, the mood in India has turned upbeat. India is now getting integrated into the global nuclear regime even though it has not signed the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NNPT). The NSG waiver has, however, allowed India to enter into civil nuclear cooperation with several countries

  19. Prevalence of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria among Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Cases in Tertiary Care Centers in Northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. K. Maurya

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The reports of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM associated with extrapulmonary diseases are increasing in tertiary care hospitals. Despite a significant increase in knowledge about NTM infections, they still represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The aim of this study is to know the prevalence of NTN among extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases in tertiary care centers in Northern India. A total of 227 culture positive isolates from 756 cases were tested for niacin production and catalase assay. BIO-LINE SD Ag MPT64 TB test and final identification and differentiation between MTBC and different species of NTM were further confirmed by GenoType Mycobacterium CM/AS assay. 71 cases (9.3% were positive for AFB by ZN staining and 227 cases (30.1% were positive for mycobacteria by culture. Niacin production and catalase activity were negative in 62/227 (27.4% strains and after using a panel of different biochemicals and final confirmation by GenoType Mycobacterium CM assay. Out of 227 cultures tested, 165 (72.6% strains were confirmed as M. tuberculosis complex, and 62 (27.4% were confirmed as NTM. The most common NTM species identified were M. fortuitum 17 (27.5% and M. intracellulare 13 (20.9%. The rapid identification of NTM species may help in targeted therapy and management of the diseases.

  20. Predictability of Western Himalayan river flow: melt seasonal inflow into Bhakra Reservoir in northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Pal

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Snowmelt-dominated streamflow of the Western Himalayan rivers is an important water resource during the dry pre-monsoon spring months to meet the irrigation and hydropower needs in northern India. Here we study the seasonal prediction of melt-dominated total inflow into the Bhakra Dam in northern India based on statistical relationships with meteorological variables during the preceding winter. Total inflow into the Bhakra Dam includes the Satluj River flow together with a flow diversion from its tributary, the Beas River. Both are tributaries of the Indus River that originate from the Western Himalayas, which is an under-studied region. Average measured winter snow volume at the upper-elevation stations and corresponding lower-elevation rainfall and temperature of the Satluj River basin were considered as empirical predictors. Akaike information criteria (AIC and Bayesian information criteria (BIC were used to select the best subset of inputs from all the possible combinations of predictors for a multiple linear regression framework. To test for potential issues arising due to multicollinearity of the predictor variables, cross-validated prediction skills of the best subset were also compared with the prediction skills of principal component regression (PCR and partial least squares regression (PLSR techniques, which yielded broadly similar results. As a whole, the forecasts of the melt season at the end of winter and as the melt season commences were shown to have potential skill for guiding the development of stochastic optimization models to manage the trade-off between irrigation and hydropower releases versus flood control during the annual fill cycle of the Bhakra Reservoir, a major energy and irrigation source in the region.

  1. Demographic and socio-economic determinants of post-neonatal deaths in a special project area of rural northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kabir, Zubair

    2003-07-01

    The demographic and socio-economic determinants of post-neonatal deaths (n = 475) in a special project area of rural northern India (Ballabgarh) were ascertained from 1991 to 1999 using the electronic database system of the project area for data extraction, and were compared with the eligible living children of the same age using a matched population-based case-control study design. Similar determinants were also ascertained in neonatal deaths (n = 212) using the same study design. After controlling for the potential confounders using conditional logistic regression analyses, lower caste (a proxy measure for low socio-economic conditions in rural India) was found to be significantly associated with higher post-neonatal deaths (OR = 2.21). Higher maternal age (>30 years) and fathers' lower educational levels were significantly associated with higher neonatal deaths, in addition to higher post-neonatal deaths in the same area.

  2. Universal coverage challenges require health system approaches; the case of India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duran, Antonio; Kutzin, Joseph; Menabde, Nata

    2014-02-01

    This paper uses the case of India to demonstrate that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is about not only health financing; personal and population services production issues, stewardship of the health system and generation of the necessary resources and inputs need to accompany the health financing proposals. In order to help policy makers address UHC in India and sort out implementation issues, the framework developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the World Health Report 2000 and its subsequent extensions are advocated. The framework includes final goals, generic intermediate objectives and four inter-dependent functions which interact as a system; it can be useful by diagnosing current shortcomings and facilitating the filling up of gaps between functions and goals. Different positions are being defended in India re the preconditions for UHC to succeed. This paper argues that more (public) money will be important, but not enough; it needs to be supplemented with broad interventions at various health system levels. The paper analyzes some of the most important issues in relation to the functions of service production, generation of inputs and the necessary stewardship. It also pays attention to reform implementation, as different from its design, and suggests critical aspects emanating from a review of recent health system reforms. Precisely because of the lack of comparative reference for India, emphasis is made on the need to accompany implementation with analysis, so that the "solutions" ("what to do?", "how to do it?") are found through policy analysis and research embedded into flexible implementation. Strengthening "evidence-to-policy" links and the intelligence dimension of stewardship/leadership as well as accountability during implementation are considered paramount. Countries facing similar challenges to those faced by India can also benefit from the above approaches. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The dire need for primary care specialization in India: Concerns and challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nafis Faizi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Primary health care is an evidence-based priority, but it is still inadequately supported in many countries. Ironically, on one hand, India is a popular destination for medical tourism due to the affordability of high quality of health care and, on the other hand, ill health and health care are the main reasons for becoming poor through medical poverty traps. Surprisingly, this is despite the fact that India was committed to 'Health for All by 2000' in the past, and is committed to 'Universal Health Coverage' by 2022! Clearly, these commitments are destined to fail unless something is done to improve the present state of affairs. This study argues for the need to develop primary care as a specialization in India as a remedial measure to reform its health care in order to truly commit to the commitments. Three critical issues for this specialization are discussed in this review: (1 The dynamic and distinct nature of primary care as opposed to other medical specializations, (2 the intersection of primary care and public health which can be facilitated by such a specialization, and (3 research in primary care including the development of screening and referral tools for early diagnosis of cancers, researches for evidence-based interventions via health programs, and primary care epidemiology. Despite the potential challenges and difficulties, India is a country in dire need for primary care specialization. India's experience in providing low-cost and high quality healthcare for medical tourism presages a more cost-effective and efficient primary care with due attention and specialization.

  4. The dire need for primary care specialization in India: Concerns and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faizi, Nafis; Khalique, Najam; Ahmad, Anees; Shah, Mohammad Salman

    2016-01-01

    Primary health care is an evidence-based priority, but it is still inadequately supported in many countries. Ironically, on one hand, India is a popular destination for medical tourism due to the affordability of high quality of health care and, on the other hand, ill health and health care are the main reasons for becoming poor through medical poverty traps. Surprisingly, this is despite the fact that India was committed to 'Health for All by 2000' in the past, and is committed to 'Universal Health Coverage' by 2022! Clearly, these commitments are destined to fail unless something is done to improve the present state of affairs. This study argues for the need to develop primary care as a specialization in India as a remedial measure to reform its health care in order to truly commit to the commitments. Three critical issues for this specialization are discussed in this review: (1) The dynamic and distinct nature of primary care as opposed to other medical specializations, (2) the intersection of primary care and public health which can be facilitated by such a specialization, and (3) research in primary care including the development of screening and referral tools for early diagnosis of cancers, researches for evidence-based interventions via health programs, and primary care epidemiology. Despite the potential challenges and difficulties, India is a country in dire need for primary care specialization. India's experience in providing low-cost and high quality healthcare for medical tourism presages a more cost-effective and efficient primary care with due attention and specialization.

  5. STUDY ON NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN INDIA VARIATIONS OF HUMAN SKULL- A SECONDARY RESEARCH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jameskutty Baby Jacob Kaithackal

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Identity of a human being with regard to sex, race, age etc. can be revealed if the skull is suitably examined. The general concept of ethnic and geographic variations being reflected in the body as variations in size, shape, etc. can be checked for in the case of skeleton also. This article is formed out of a term paper study submitted by myself in 2016 to the Yenepoya University, Mangalore, Karnataka, as part of the postgraduate diploma course in Forensic Anthropology. The research was based on a question whether there is a significant difference between human skulls from North and South India. The aims/objectives were bi-fold: to analyse the difference in male and female skull from North Indian and South Indian regions from review of scholarly literature and to explore the possibility identification of individuals from cranial features unique to North and South India. MATERIALS AND METHODS The original articles available on this type of work were extensively reviewed to recognise any traits that differentiated the skulls with regard to their regional variation. RESULTS At the end of the scrutiny of such papers, a summary of the features that distinguished skulls as belonging to northern or southern parts of India was tried. The Indian cranial series, though varied widely in shape, the absence of any statistically significant difference between them made it unreliable to predict skull as male or female by morphometric estimation. The studies by different scholars did not propose for a uniform distinctiveness between north and south Indian skulls. CONCLUSION It was concluded that analysing a single specimen to be of a distinct geographic origin should be done more cautiously when compared to a setting of series analysis where variability might be there of course.

  6. AREVA in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-01-01

    India is the sixth largest energy consumer in the world and its demand is rising rapidly. To support its economic growth, estimated to be 8% on average over the last three years and to ensure access to electricity for all, the country foresees massive investments in its power sector over the next five years. India is therefore an essential market for the AREVA Group, where its Transmission and Distribution division plays a leading role on the strategic grid modernization market. This document presents: 1 - the economic situation in India: Key figures, Growth, India's growing need for electricity, India's energy sources and policy: current mix, driving role of the State, the financial reorganization of the SEBs, the 'Mega-Power' projects, the electricity act, the rural electrification program, the Investments. 2 - Civil nuclear energy: a strong potential for development; 3 - India's transmission and distribution network: the power challenge of the transmission network, the efficiency challenge of the distribution network. 4 - AREVA T and D in India: AREVA T and D profile, Areva's presence in India, market share, T and D customers and flagship projects

  7. Evolution of nuclear reactor containments in India: Addressing the present day challenges

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kakodkar, Anil, E-mail: kakodkar@barc.gov.in

    2014-04-01

    Indigenously developed Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) that form the backbone of current stage of nuclear power development in India have seen continuous evolution of their containment systems. This evolution that has taken place over implementation of 18 PHWRs (200/220/540 MWe) has encompassed all aspects of containment design, viz. the structural system, energy management system, radio-activity management and hydrogen management system. As a part of ongoing efforts toward strengthening of safety performance, India is also ready with the design of Advance Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR), which represents a technology demonstrator for advanced reactor systems and for thorium utilization. This reactor has a number of improved passive safety features and it is capable of meeting the demanding safety challenges that future reactor system would be expected to meet as a result of emerging expectations in the background of accidents over the past three decades viz. those at Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986) and most recently at Fukushima (2011). In this lecture I shall focus on the evolution of nuclear reactor containments in India and highlight the design, associated structural and thermal hydraulics safety assessment made over the years for the improvement of containment performance.

  8. Tree species diversity in the Eastern Ghats of northern Andhra Pradesh, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Tarakeswara Naidu

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The present study was conducted to analyze tree species diversity in the tropical forests of the Eastern Ghats of northern Andhra Pradesh, India.  A total of 270 species of trees (≥15cm girth at breast height pertaining to 177 genera belonging to 55 families were recorded.  Among the 270 species, 141 species were observed to be common, 78 were occasional and 51 species were rare in the study area.  Fabaceae was the dominant family with 33 species followed by Rubiaceae with 15 species and Malvaceae, Moraceae and Phyllanthaceae with 13 species each.  The genera with the highest number of species include Ficus (12 species, Diospyros (8 species, Albizia and Grewia (6 species each, Acacia and Bauhinia (5 species each.  Forty-five percent of the species were indigenous. This illustrates the diversity of the tree species in the studied area of the Eastern Ghats and also emphasizes the need for their conservation. 

  9. National rural drinking water monitoring: progress and challenges with India's IMIS database

    OpenAIRE

    Wescoat, James; Fletcher, Sarah Marie; Novellino, Marianna

    2015-01-01

    National drinking water programs seek to address monitoring challenges that include self-reporting, data sampling, data consistency and quality, and sufficient frequency to assess the sustainability of water systems. India stands out for its comprehensive rural water database known as Integrated Management Information System (IMIS), which conducts annual monitoring of drinking water coverage, water quality, and related program components from the habitation level to the district, state, and n...

  10. Genotypic analysis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis isolates from extra pulmonary tuberculosis cases in tertiary care centers in Northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anand K Maurya

    2016-01-01

    Conclusion: The prevalence (13.4% of MDR-TB among EPTB was high, and the most prominent mutations in rpoB, katG, and inhA genes were S531L (67.3%, S315T1 (94.5%, and C15T (20%, respectively. Beijing stains are significantly associated with MDR-TB among EPTB in this region. We found that the transmission of prominent mutations contributes to an unexpected increase in primary resistance, including MDR-TB cases in Northern India.

  11. Key challenges of human resources for health in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priya Sinha

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective Since independence the efforts have been to strengthen the health infrastructure, its accessibility and coverage. The human resources for health have been an important determinant for system but it has received significance recently. Even government expenditure on health has remained at not more than 1% of Gross Domestic Product which is very less as compared to world standard. Now the biggest challenge is the shortage of skilled human resource for health at all levels in the healthcare delivery system. The article aimed at understanding the current status of human resources for health and initiatives adopted to deal with existing shortage and to highlight factors leading to further shortage and to bring to notice the use of talent management strategy as a retention tool. Review Methodology The review used descriptive research design using secondary sources from journals-articles using key words. The study also used exclusion and inclusion criteria to select the articles. The study was done using extensive review of literature on health sector, health workforce, its availability and scarcity due to attrition/emigration in India. The critical review helped in setting objective for the study. Findings The review of articles provided insight into the current status of health workforce in India. The earlier studies emphasized that gap between demand and supply of human resource for health is mainly due to increasing population and burden of diseases. Studies have now identified other factors leading to further shortage as attrition/emigration of skilled health workforce. Most of the initiatives are mainly directed towards increasing supply of human resources for health to deal with the scarcity and less emphasis to control attrition. Few studies highlighted the use of talent management strategy to deal with the challenges of attrition and emigration that helps in retention and controlling further shortage. Recommendations

  12. Health insurance--a challenge in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Presswala, R G

    2004-01-01

    In India, indemnity health insurance started about 3 decades ago. Mediclaim was the most popular product. Indian insurers and multinational companies have not been enthusiastic about starting health insurance in spite of the availability of a good market because health insurers have historically incurred losses. Losses have been caused by poor administration. Because it is a small portion of their total businesses, insurers have never tried sincerely to improve deficiencies or taken special interest. Hospital management and medical specialists have the spirit of entrepreneurship and are prepared to learn quickly and follow managed care principles, though they are not currently practiced in India. Actuarial data from the health insurance industry is sparse, but data from alternative sources will be helpful for starting managed healthcare. In my opinion, if properly administered, a "limited" managed care product with appropriate precautions and premium levels will be successful and profitable and will compete with present indemnity products in India.

  13. A REVIEW OF SELF HELP GROUPS: ISSUE AND CHALLENGES IN INDIA

    OpenAIRE

    Anoop Dixit *, Dr. S. K. Sharma

    2017-01-01

    Basic purpose of this study is to review the challenges and issues faced by SHGs in India. It was found that SHG’s facilitated the members to become self dependent for solving their social & economic problems and enhances the social status of members by virtue of their being members to the group. Self help groups are small informal association of the poor created at the grass root level for the purpose of enabling members to reap economic benefits out of mutual help solidarity and joint respo...

  14. The Challenges of Skill Development in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kajari MUKHERJEE

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available India’s demographic dividend has been a matter of anticipation, aspirations, and ridicule, all at the same time. The government of India has been trying hard for over a decade now to enhance the skill level of this demographic bulge. The present paper is an attempt to evaluate all such attempts critically. After taking stock of the skill situation of India, the paper asserts that skilling initiatives in India have more to do with the number of people trained rather than quality and relevance of training. The paper cites relevant data to prove that vocational skilling initiatives have failed to meet the objectives. The scope of this paper is limited to skill creation for wage employment

  15. Missing female fetus: a micro level investigation of sex determination in a periurban area of Northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Rohini; Sharma, Arun Kumar

    2012-01-01

    A micro-level investigation of 983 pregnant women (aged 15-49 years) regarding sex determination and associated factors was carried out in a periurban region of Northern India. Among the women surveyed, 183 chose to use sex determination. The highest percentage of sex determination was among 30-39-year-old women, and general caste and family size were two risk factors associated with sex determination. Correcting imbalances in sex ratios at birth is a complex issue without easy answers, especially in patriarchal societies. Apart from raising awareness among decisionmakers, property rights in favor of women and strict vigilance and record of registration of ultrasound machines are necessary.

  16. Ensemble models on palaeoclimate to predict India's groundwater challenge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Partha Sarathi Datta

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available In many parts of the world, freshwater crisis is largely due to increasing water consumption and pollution by rapidly growing population and aspirations for economic development, but, ascribed usually to the climate. However, limited understanding and knowledge gaps in the factors controlling climate and uncertainties in the climate models are unable to assess the probable impacts on water availability in tropical regions. In this context, review of ensemble models on δ18O and δD in rainfall and groundwater, 3H- and 14C- ages of groundwater and 14C- age of lakes sediments helped to reconstruct palaeoclimate and long-term recharge in the North-west India; and predict future groundwater challenge. The annual mean temperature trend indicates both warming/cooling in different parts of India in the past and during 1901–2010. Neither the GCMs (Global Climate Models nor the observational record indicates any significant change/increase in temperature and rainfall over the last century, and climate change during the last 1200 yrs BP. In much of the North-West region, deep groundwater renewal occurred from past humid climate, and shallow groundwater renewal from limited modern recharge over the past decades. To make water management to be more responsive to climate change, the gaps in the science of climate change need to be bridged.

  17. Climate policies in China, India and Brazil: current issues and future challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bellevrat, Elie

    2012-07-01

    Emerging countries will have to tackle different social and economic development challenges in the future, which translate nationally into the concepts of 'harmonious society' in China and 'inclusive growth' in India, and into the Brazilian slogan 'a wealthy country is a country without poverty'. Per capita (current US$), Brazil is more than two times richer than China, which in turn is three times richer than India. This graduation explains the variety of priorities of those countries: reducing inequalities and achieving the development processes in China and Brazil, alleviating poverty and enhancing energy access in India. Furthermore, these countries are increasingly linked internationally, along with the globalization process. Energy security is a key issue for China and India, while Brazil aims at playing a key role on future international energy markets. Emerging economies are progressively laying the foundations for low-carbon development strategies that will depend on their national contexts and priorities. Investments in building and transport infrastructures are increasingly important in all those countries, creating the conditions today for tomorrow's low-carbon economic development. China recently made important resolutions in the framework of its 12. Five-Year Plan, decoupling economic growth from GHG emissions. India has developed eight 'National Missions' on climate change and is now exploring future low-carbon strategies. And Brazil is affirming its position internationally, pushing for innovative 'green growth' concepts, within the framework of the Rio+20 Conference. All countries have already implemented several energy and climate policies and plan to develop them further, through innovative policy institutions and instruments. They are switching progressively from command- and-control to economic instruments. In particular, market-based mechanisms are increasingly used in all countries: mandatory pilot Emission Trading Systems (ETS) in China

  18. Precipitation stable isotope records from the northern Hengduan Mountains in China capture signals of the winter India-Burma Trough and the Indian Summer Monsoon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Wusheng; Tian, Lide; Yao, Tandong; Xu, Baiqing; Wei, Feili; Ma, Yaoming; Zhu, Haifeng; Luo, Lun; Qu, Dongmei

    2017-11-01

    This project reports results of the first precipitation stable isotope (δ18 O and δD) time series produced for Qamdo in the northern Hengduan Mountains in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. The data showed that the fluctuations of precipitation stable isotopes at Qamdo during the different seasons revealed various moisture sources. The westerlies and local recycling moisture dominated at the study area before the pre-monsoon and after the post-monsoon seasons, which resulted in similar trends of both precipitation stable isotopes and temperature. The marine moisture was transported to the northern Hengduan Mountains by the winter India-Burma Trough combined with convection. Consequently, stable isotopes in subsequent precipitation were occasionally observed to decrease suddenly. However, δ18 O and δD values of precipitation at Qamdo were lower during the monsoon period and the duration of those low values was longer because of the effects of the Indian Summer Monsoon and the strengthening convection. Our findings indicate that the effects of seasonal precipitation differences caused by various climate systems, including the winter India-Burma Trough and Indian Summer Monsoon, need to be considered when attempting to interpret tree-ring and ice core records for the Hengduan Mountains.

  19. Transforming public health education in India through networking and collaborations: opportunities and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Anjali; Zodpey, Sanjay P

    2013-01-01

    A competent and motivated health workforce is indispensable to achieve the best health outcomes possible through given available resources and circumstances. However, apart from the shortages and unequal distribution, the workforce has fallen short of responding to the public health challenges of 21 st century also because of primarily the traditional training of health professionals. Although, health professionals have made enormous contributions to health and development over the past century, the 20 th century educational strategies are unfit to tackle 21 st century challenges. One of the key recommendations of the Lancet Commission on Education of Health Professionals is to improve health through reforms of professional education by establishing networks and partnerships which takes advantage of information and communication linkages. The primary goal of this manuscript is to highlight the potential of networks and partnerships in advancing the agenda of educational reforms to revitalize public health education in India. It outlines the current status and expanding scope of public health education in India, existing networks of public health professionals and public health education institutions in the country, and opportunities, advantages and challenges for such networks. Although, we have networks of individuals and institutions in the country, there potential to bring about change has still not being utilized fully and effectively. Immediate collaborative efforts could be directed towards designing and adaptation of competency driven curriculum frameworks suitable of addressing public health challenges of 21 st century, shifting the current focus of curriculum to multidisciplinary public health outlook, developing accreditation mechanisms for both the programs and institutions, engaging in creating job opportunities and designing career pathways for public health professionals in public and private sector. These efforts could certainly be facilitated

  20. Interlinking of Rivers in India: Issues & Challenges

    OpenAIRE

    MEHTA, Dharmendra; MEHTA, Naveen K.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract. The rivers in India are truly speaking not only life-line of masses but also for wild-life. The rivers play a vital role in the lives of the Indian people. The river systems help us in irrigation, potable water, cheap transportation, electricity as well as a source of livelihood for our ever increasing population. Some of the major cities of India are situated at the banks of holy rivers. Proper management of river water is the need of the hour. Indian agriculture largely d...

  1. India : the new China?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nanavaty, K. [Reliance Industries Ltd., Mumbai (India). Cracker and Polymer Div.

    2006-07-01

    India is emerging as a strong force in the global economy. The population of China is 1.2 times that of India, and its gross domestic product is 2.5 times that of India. However, analyses of per capita gross domestic product (GDP) indicate that if India continues its rate of growth, its' consumption and production will reach China's current levels in less than 15 years. This represents a significant investment opportunity in basic industry, particularly since a growing middle class will ensure a boom in consumer products consumption. This presentation compared India and China, in terms of economic approaches and challenges for India. Implications for the petrochemical industry were also discussed with reference to Reliance Industries Ltd. and its full integration in the value chain with petroleum refining. Reliance Industries Ltd. claims that India's captive utilities and labour productivity provide the company with conversion costs that are among the lowest in the industry. In terms of agriculture, India is one of the largest producers of agricultural commodities in the world and is well supported by varying agro-climates and fertile land. This presentation also included an agro-commodities yield comparison for rice, wheat and cereal. The Indian manufacturing industry is also competitive, focusing on cutting cost, increasing productivity and innovation. It was noted that although China has the advantage of a well established infrastructure on a global and domestic scale as well as job opportunities and quick policy implementation, it has lax labour laws, poor pollution laws and a challenging banking system. In contrast, India has the entrepreneurial advantage as well as global scale information technology, a globally competitive manufacturing industry, an independent regulatory framework and world class capital markets and banking system. India's challenge lies in its lack of a world-class infrastructure, complicated tax structure and slow

  2. Evolving legal framework of corporate governance in India – issues and challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pankaj Kumar GUPTA

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Investors now started considering corporate governance as very essential factor before investment especially in view of the unstable environment in the securities market. It is considered that good corporate governance inspires, strengthens and maintains investor’s confidence by ensuring company’s commitment to higher growth and profits. Corporate Governance has become a major concern for global economies particularly the transition world. Sound corporate governance is extremely important for transition economies for creation of the key institutions, the private corporations, which drive the successful economic transformation to a market based economy, effective allocation of capital and development of financial markets, attracting foreign investment and making a contribution to the process of national development. The Corporate Governance issue has emerged primarily because of the growing importance of corporations in the national economies and their interaction with the international agencies and institutions. This paper presents the current scenario of corporate governance in India, the evolving legal framework and identified the major issues and challenges that need to be addressed to implement an effective system of corporate governance in India.

  3. Late Triassic sedimentary records in the northern Tethyan Himalaya: Tectonic link with Greater India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huawen Cao

    2018-01-01

    strata. The Tethyan Himalaya was part of the northern passive margin and was not an exotic terrane separated from India during the Permian to Early Cretaceous. This evidence suggests that the Neo-Tethyan ocean opened prior to the Late Triassic and that the Upper Triassic deposits were derived from continental crustal fragments adjacent to the northern passive continental margin of Greater India.

  4. India-EU relations in health services: prospects and challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background India and the EU are currently negotiating a Trade and Investment Agreement which also covers services. This paper examines the opportunities for and constraints to India-EU relations in health services in the context of this agreement, focusing on the EU as a market for India's health services exports and collaboration. The paper provides an overview of key features of health services in the EU and India and their bearing on bilateral relations in this sector. Methods Twenty six semi-structured, in-person, and telephonic interviews were conducted in 2007-2008 in four Indian cities. The respondents included management and practitioners in a variety of healthcare establishments, health sector representatives in Indian industry associations, health sector officials in the Indian government, and official representatives of selected EU countries and the European Commission based in New Delhi. Secondary sources were used to supplement and corroborate these findings. Results The interviews revealed that India-EU relations in health services are currently very limited. However, several opportunity segments exist, namely: (i) Telemedicine; (ii) Clinical trials and research in India for EU-based pharmaceutical companies; (iii) Medical transcriptions and back office support; (iv) Medical value travel; and (v) Collaborative ventures in medical education, research, training, staff deployment, and product development. However, various factors constrain India's exports to the EU. These include data protection regulations; recognition requirements; insurance portability restrictions; discriminatory conditions; and cultural, social, and perception-related barriers. The interviews also revealed several constraints in the Indian health care sector, including disparity in domestic standards and training, absence of clear guidelines and procedures, and inadequate infrastructure. Conclusions The paper concludes that although there are several promising areas for India

  5. India-EU relations in health services: prospects and challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chanda Rupa

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background India and the EU are currently negotiating a Trade and Investment Agreement which also covers services. This paper examines the opportunities for and constraints to India-EU relations in health services in the context of this agreement, focusing on the EU as a market for India's health services exports and collaboration. The paper provides an overview of key features of health services in the EU and India and their bearing on bilateral relations in this sector. Methods Twenty six semi-structured, in-person, and telephonic interviews were conducted in 2007-2008 in four Indian cities. The respondents included management and practitioners in a variety of healthcare establishments, health sector representatives in Indian industry associations, health sector officials in the Indian government, and official representatives of selected EU countries and the European Commission based in New Delhi. Secondary sources were used to supplement and corroborate these findings. Results The interviews revealed that India-EU relations in health services are currently very limited. However, several opportunity segments exist, namely: (i Telemedicine; (ii Clinical trials and research in India for EU-based pharmaceutical companies; (iii Medical transcriptions and back office support; (iv Medical value travel; and (v Collaborative ventures in medical education, research, training, staff deployment, and product development. However, various factors constrain India's exports to the EU. These include data protection regulations; recognition requirements; insurance portability restrictions; discriminatory conditions; and cultural, social, and perception-related barriers. The interviews also revealed several constraints in the Indian health care sector, including disparity in domestic standards and training, absence of clear guidelines and procedures, and inadequate infrastructure. Conclusions The paper concludes that although there are several

  6. Relative Contribution of Monsoon Precipitation and Pumping to Changes in Groundwater Storage in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asoka, Akarsh; Gleeson, Tom; Wada, Yoshihide; Mishra, Vimal

    2017-01-01

    The depletion of groundwater resources threatens food and water security in India. However, the relative influence of groundwater pumping and climate variability on groundwater availability and storage remains unclear. Here we show from analyses of satellite and local well data spanning the past decade that long-term changes in monsoon precipitation are driving groundwater storage variability in most parts of India either directly by changing recharge or indirectly by changing abstraction. We find that groundwater storage has declined in northern India at the rate of 2 cm/yr and increased by 1 to 2 cm/yr in southern India between 2002 and 2013. We find that a large fraction of the total variability in groundwater storage in north-central and southern India can be explained by changes in precipitation. Groundwater storage variability in northwestern India can be explained predominantly by variability in abstraction for irrigation, which is in turn influenced by changes in precipitation. Declining precipitation in northern India is linked to Indian Ocean warming, suggesting a previously unrecognized teleconnection between ocean temperatures and groundwater storage.

  7. Carbonaceous aerosol characteristics over Delhi in Northern India: Seasonal variability and possible sources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, Atul Kumar; Bisht, Ds; Tiwari, S.

    Carbonaceous aerosols have been the focus of extensive studies during the last decade due to its significant impacts on human health, visibility and climate change. As per Asian regions are concerned, aerosols in south-Asia are gaining considerable importance because of their potential impacts on regional climate, yet their possible sources are poorly understood. Semi-continuous measurements of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) and continuous measurements of black carbon (BC) aerosols were conducted simultaneously at Delhi during the period from January 2011 to May 2012. Delhi is the capital city of India and one of the densely populated and industrialized urban megacities in Asia, located at the Ganga basin in the northern part of India. Being highly polluted region, mass concentrations of OC, EC and BC over Delhi were found to vary from about 6-92 mug m (-3) (mean: 23±16 mug m (-3) ), 3-38 mug m (-3) (mean: 11±7 mug m (-3) ) and 1-24 mug m (-3) (mean: 7±5 mug m (-3) ), respectively during the entire measurement period, with about two times higher concentration during winter as compared to summer. A significant correlation between OC and EC (R=0.95, n=232) and relatively lower OC/EC ratio (range: 1.0-3.6; mean: 2.2±0.5) suggest fossil fuel emission as a dominant source of carbonaceous aerosols over the station. The average mass concentration of EC was found about 38% higher than BC during the study period, which is interestingly different as reported at other locations over Ganga basin. We also determined the associated optical properties of carbonaceous species (e.g. absorption coefficient and mass absorption efficiency) over the station. Significant loading of carbonaceous species over such regions emphasize an urgent need to focus on air quality management and proper impact assessment on health perspective.

  8. Barriers for domestic surrogacy and challenges of transnational surrogacy in the context of Australians undertaking surrogacy in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Louise; Blyth, Eric; Hammarberg, Karin

    2014-09-01

    The ethical, social, psychological, legal and financial complexities associated with cross-border travel for reproductive services are gaining attention internationally. Travel abroad for surrogacy, and the transfer of gametes or embryos between countries for use in a surrogacy arrangement, can create conflict in relation to the rights of the parties involved: commissioning parents, surrogates and their families, gamete and embryo donors, and children born as a result of the arrangement. Australian surrogacy laws are restrictive and limit access to domestic surrogacy. Despite the introduction of laws in some Australian jurisdictions that penalise residents entering into international commercial surrogacy arrangements, hundreds of Australians resort to surrogacy arrangements in India and other countries each year. This article discusses legislation, policy and practice as they relate to Australians' use of surrogacy in India. It reviews current surrogacy-related legislation and regulation in Australia and India and existing evidence about the challenges posed by transnational surrogacy, and considers how restrictive Australian legislation may contribute to the number of Australians undertaking surrogacy in India.

  9. Preferences for infant delivery site among pregnant women and new mothers in Northern Karnataka, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruce, Sharon G; Blanchard, Andrea K; Gurav, Kaveri; Roy, Anuradha; Jayanna, Krishnamurthy; Mohan, Haranahalli L; Ramesh, Banadakoppa M; Blanchard, James F; Moses, Stephen; Avery, Lisa

    2015-02-27

    The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) of India aims to increase the uptake of safe and institutional delivery among rural communities to improve maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) outcomes. Previous studies in India have found that while there have been increasing numbers of institutional deliveries there are still considerable barriers to utilization and quality of services, particularly in rural areas, that may mitigate improvements achieved by MNCH interventions. This paper aims to explore the factors influencing preference for home, public or private hospital delivery among rural pregnant and new mothers in three northern districts of Karnataka state, South India. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted in 2010 among 110 pregnant women, new mothers (infants born within past 3 months), their husbands and mothers-in-law. Interviews were conducted in the local language (Kannada) and then translated to English for analysis. The interviews of pregnant women and new mothers were used for analysis to ultimately develop broader themes around definitions of quality care from the perspective of service users, and the influence this had on their delivery site preferences. Geographical and financial access were important barriers to accessing institutional delivery services in all districts, and among those both above and below the poverty line. Access issues of greatest concern were high costs at private institutions, continuing fees at public hospitals and the inconsistent receipt of government incentives. However, views on quality of care that shaped delivery site preferences were deeply rooted in socio-cultural expectations for comfortable, respectful and safe care that must ultimately be addressed to change negative perceptions about institutional, and particularly public hospital, care at delivery. In the literature, quality of care beyond access has largely been overlooked in favour of support for incentives on the demand side, and more trained

  10. Soil Degradation in India: Challenges and Potential Solutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ranjan Bhattacharyya

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Soil degradation in India is estimated to be occurring on 147 million hectares (Mha of land, including 94 Mha from water erosion, 16 Mha from acidification, 14 Mha from flooding, 9 Mha from wind erosion, 6 Mha from salinity, and 7 Mha from a combination of factors. This is extremely serious because India supports 18% of the world’s human population and 15% of the world’s livestock population, but has only 2.4% of the world’s land area. Despite its low proportional land area, India ranks second worldwide in farm output. Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries account for 17% of the gross domestic product and employs about 50% of the total workforce of the country. Causes of soil degradation are both natural and human-induced. Natural causes include earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, avalanches, landslides, volcanic eruptions, floods, tornadoes, and wildfires. Human-induced soil degradation results from land clearing and deforestation, inappropriate agricultural practices, improper management of industrial effluents and wastes, over-grazing, careless management of forests, surface mining, urban sprawl, and commercial/industrial development. Inappropriate agricultural practices include excessive tillage and use of heavy machinery, excessive and unbalanced use of inorganic fertilizers, poor irrigation and water management techniques, pesticide overuse, inadequate crop residue and/or organic carbon inputs, and poor crop cycle planning. Some underlying social causes of soil degradation in India are land shortage, decline in per capita land availability, economic pressure on land, land tenancy, poverty, and population increase. In this review of land degradation in India, we summarize (1 the main causes of soil degradation in different agro-climatic regions; (2 research results documenting both soil degradation and soil health improvement in various agricultural systems; and (3 potential solutions to improve soil health in different regions using a

  11. Determinants of Prelacteal Feeding in Rural Northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manas Pratim Roy

    2014-01-01

    Conclusions: The problem of prelacteal feeding is still prevalent in rural India. Age, caste, and place of delivery were associated with the problem. For ensuring neonatal health, the problem should be addressed with due gravity, with emphasis on exclusive breast feeding.

  12. Boys in India challenge gender stereotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-01-01

    This article discusses CEDPA's Better Life Options Program in India. The program was initiated in 1987 to challenge gender inequities. The program offers over 400,000 girls a chance to develop skills and self-confidence for increasing their options in education, social mobility, work, health, and family and community roles. CEDPA's partner, Prerana, offers an integrated program that provides literacy training, vocational skills, after-school tutoring, health education, and family life education for about 600 girls/year. Vocational training includes nontraditional skills, such as video production and electronics. Prerana established a parallel program in 1994 for boys and young men that aims to change attitudes about girls and women and traditional gender roles. The program offers vocational skills, such as cooking and candle-making. Family life education teaches gender awareness and provides counseling and services for reproductive health. The Prerana program emphasizes men's shared responsibility in parenthood and sexual behavior, shared contribution to family income, health and nutrition, and prevention of violence against women. Since 1994, the program has included 1200 boys in 6 villages in New Delhi. Boys' enrollment is increasing; several young men have volunteered to become depot holders of contraceptive supplies in their villages. For example, one young man who was part of the Prerana program went on to be a depot holder and then a family planning promoter and counselor. He interacts with both young and older men. His contributions were well received by his village.

  13. Emerging Capripoxvirus disease outbreaks in Himachal Pradesh, a northern state of India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, S; Verma, L K; Gupta, V K; Katoch, V C; Dogra, V; Pal, B; Sharma, M

    2011-02-01

    Both sheep and goat pox are contagious viral diseases and affect small ruminants and are caused by sheep pox virus and goat pox virus respectively that belong to genus Capripoxvirus of Poxviridae family. Huge economic losses emanating from the disease outbreaks are the results of the wool and hide damage, subsequent production losses and also the morbidities and mortalities associated with the disease. This communication highlights clinico-epidemiological observations from the two sheep pox and one goat pox outbreaks. Grossly, multisystemic nodular lesions, mucopurulent nasal discharges and respiratory symptoms were observed in the affected animals. The morbidity, mortality and case fatality rates were 5.18%, 2.45% and 32.37%, respectively. Histopathological, haematological, molecular and serological techniques and also isolation of virus in embryonated chicken eggs were used for the diagnosis of the diseases. The spatial distribution of the disease signifies the role of common pasturelands used for grazing the animals while temporally all three outbreaks occurred in winters and were probably associated with cold stress and fodder scarcity. This is the first recorded report of Capripoxvirus infection in recent times and it highlights the disease as one of the emerging diseases in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh in India. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  14. Diversity of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor genes in the Bengali population of northern West Bengal, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guha, P; Bhattacharjee, S; Chaudhuri, T K

    2014-12-01

    The Indian Subcontinent exhibits extensive diversity in its culture, religion, ethnicity and linguistic heritage, which symbolizes extensive genetic variations within the populations. The highly polymorphic Killer cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor (KIR) family plays an important role in tracing genetic differentiation in human population. In this study, we aimed to analyse the KIR gene polymorphism in the Bengali population of northern West Bengal, India. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the KIR gene polymorphism in the Bengalis of West Bengal, India. Herein, we have studied the distribution of 14 KIR genes (KIR3DL1-3DL3, KIR2DL1-2DL5, KIR2DS1-2DS5 AND KIR3DS1) and two pseudogenes (KIR3DP1 and 2DP1) in the Bengalis. Apart from the framework genes (KIR2DL4, 3DL2, 3DL3 and 3DP1), which are present in all the individuals, the gene frequencies of other KIR genes varied between 0.34 and 0.88. Moreover, upon comparing the KIR polymorphism of the Bengalis with the available published data of other world populations, it has been found that the Indo-European-speaking Bengalis from the region share both Dravidian and Indo-Aryan gene pool with considerable influences of mongoloid and European descents. Furthermore, evidences from previously published data on human leucocyte antigen and Y-chromosome haplogroup diversity support the view. Our results will help to understand the genetic background of the Bengali population, in illustrating the population migration events in the eastern and north-eastern part of India, in explaining the extensive genetic admixture amongst the different linguistic groups of the region and also in KIR-related disease researches. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. The (Mal)Practice of Dowry in Contemporary India. A Challenge to Marriage and Family Ministry

    OpenAIRE

    Jainus Xavier, Nixen Raj; Jainus Xavier, Nixen Raj; Knieps-Port le Roi, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    The author explores the (mal)practice of dowry in contemporary India and the challenge it presents to marriage and family ministry. He explains how originally harmless and well-intended dowry customs changed under the influence of historical circumstances that turned them into a business-like family strategy aimed at rising families’ social status, wealth and power. This evolution had dramatic consequences for Indian marriage and family life and especially for women. Dowry-related violence an...

  16. Changing patterns and trends of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis at referral centre in Northern India: A 4-year experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A K Maurya

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: India has a high burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB, although there is little data on multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB. Although MDR-TB has existed for long time in India, very few diagnostic laboratories are well-equipped to test drug sensitivity. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of MDR-TB, first-line drug resistance patterns and its changing trends in northern India in the 4 years. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study from July 2007 to December 2010. Microscopy, culture by Bactec460 and p-nitro-α-acetylamino-β-hydroxypropiophenone (NAP test was performed to isolate and identify Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb complex (MTBC. Drug sensitivity testing (DST was performed by 1% proportional method (Bactec460 for four drugs: Rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol and streptomycin. Various clinical and demographical profiles were evaluated to analyse risk factors for development of drug resistance. Results: We found the overall prevalence rate of MDR-TB to be 38.8%, increasing from 36.4% in 2007 to 40.8% in 2010. we found that the prevalence of MDR-TB in new and previously treated cases was 29.1% and 43.3% ( P < 0.05; CI 95%. The increasing trend of MDR-TB was more likely in pulmonary TB when compared with extra-pulmonary TB ( P < 0.05; CI 95%. Conclusions: we found a high prevalence (38.8% of MDR-TB both in new cases (29.1% and previously treated cases (43.3%.This study strongly highlights the need to make strategies for testing, surveillance, monitoring and management of such drug-resistant cases.

  17. What husbands in northern India know about reproductive health: correlates of knowledge about pregnancy and maternal and sexual health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloom, S S; Tsui, A O; Plotkin, M; Bassett, S

    2000-04-01

    Women in India suffer from a high incidence of reproductive disease, disability and death. Very little work has been done on men, but a much higher incidence of sexual experience outside marriage and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among males than previously expected for this population is now being documented. In north India, women are dependent on their husbands and other family members for health-related decisions. Therefore, the behaviour, knowledge and attitudes of men are integral to the reproductive health status of couples there. This study explores knowledge about three distinct areas of reproductive health among 6549 married men in five districts of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Factors contributing to men's knowledge in the areas of fertility, maternal health and STDs were investigated. Results showed that very few men had basic knowledge in any of these areas. The likelihood of reporting knowledge was associated with a set of determinants that differed in their magnitude and effect across the areas of reproductive health explored. In particular, men's belief about the ability of an individual to prevent pregnancy demonstrated an independent association with men's knowledge. After controlling for factors such as age, parity and educational and economic status, men who believed it not possible to prevent a pregnancy were less likely to know when during the menstrual cycle women would become pregnant and certain facts about STDs, but they were more likely to be able to name two or more symptoms of serious maternal health conditions. Possible explanations for this trend are discussed.

  18. Rationalising health care in india : Challenges & strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K I Mathai

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available An overview of health care delivery in India is essential, if we are to plan and to improve health care delivery and the indices of health in the coming decades. The health sector in India is a mix of private and government services. While some health care indices appear dismal, several others, including life expectancy are heartening. A balance between regulation and free enterprise is possibly the best option. In this paper we provide a glimpse of health and health related statistics & a n overview of the public health care delivery systems. In the end, we offer suggestion on rationalisation of health care delivery to provide maximum services for the majority of our population within the budget of an optimal health care system outlay

  19. Renewable energy scenario in India: Opportunities and challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sen, Souvik; Ganguly, Sourav; Das, Ayanangshu; Sen, Joyjeet; Dey, Sourav

    2016-10-01

    Majority of the power generation in India is carried out by conventional energy sources, coal and fossil fuels being the primary ones, which contribute heavily to greenhouse gas emission and global warming. The Indian power sector is witnessing a revolution as excitement grips the nation about harnessing electricity from various renewable energy sources. Electricity generation from renewable sources is increasingly recognized to play an important role for the achievement of a variety of primary and secondary energy policy goals, such as improved diversity and security of energy supply, reduction of local pollutant and global greenhouse gas emissions, regional and rural development, and exploitation of opportunities for fostering social cohesion, value addition and employment generation at the local and regional level. This focuses the solution of the energy crisis on judicious utilization of abundant the renewable energy resources, such as biomass, solar, wind, geothermal and ocean tidal energy. This paper reviews the renewable energy scenario of India as well as extrapolates the future developments keeping in view the consumption, production and supply of power. Research, development, production and demonstration have been carried out enthusiastically in India to find a feasible solution to the perennial problem of power shortage for the past three decades. India has obtained application of a variety of renewable energy technologies for use in different sectors too. There are ample opportunities with favorable geology and geography with huge customer base and widening gap between demand and supply. Technological advancement, suitable regulatory policies, tax rebates, efficiency improvement in consequence to R&D efforts are the few pathways to energy and environment conservation and it will ensure that these large, clean resource bases are exploited as quickly and cost effectively as possible. This paper gives an overview of the potential renewable energy resources

  20. Ethics committees in India: Facing the challenges!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadam, Rashmi; Karandikar, Shashikant

    2012-04-01

    The past few years have seen a tremendous rise in the number of clinical trials conducted in India. This is been attributed to the huge patient population, genetic diversity, and rich technical pool in our country. However, the economical upsurge in the clinical trial industry has also caused concerns pertaining to the efficiency of the Regulatory Agencies and Ethics Committees (EC). The EC plays an important role in the regulation of clinical research at the local level. However, it is seen that many ECs are oblivious to their roles and responsibilities. It is reported that ECs lack standard operating procedures, do not have a proper composition or adequate representation, thus affecting their functions in regulating clinical research. Moreover, ECs seem to function in isolation, as self-sufficient bodies, having no communication with the regulatory agency or other ECs. This brings forth the need for ECs to come together and share their experiences and observations, with the aim of updating themselves and refining their functions. Efforts also need to be focused on capacity building, centralized registration of ECs, and bringing an oversight mechanism in place. The Ethics Committees in India need to work in close association with forums such as the Forum for Ethics Review Committees in India and the Forum for Ethical Review Committees in Asia Pacific, in an effort towards empowering themselves.

  1. Ethics committees in India: Facing the challenges!

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rashmi Kadam

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The past few years have seen a tremendous rise in the number of clinical trials conducted in India. This is been attributed to the huge patient population, genetic diversity, and rich technical pool in our country. However, the economical upsurge in the clinical trial industry has also caused concerns pertaining to the efficiency of the Regulatory Agencies and Ethics Committees (EC. The EC plays an important role in the regulation of clinical research at the local level. However, it is seen that many ECs are oblivious to their roles and responsibilities. It is reported that ECs lack standard operating procedures, do not have a proper composition or adequate representation, thus affecting their functions in regulating clinical research. Moreover, ECs seem to function in isolation, as self-sufficient bodies, having no communication with the regulatory agency or other ECs. This brings forth the need for ECs to come together and share their experiences and observations, with the aim of updating themselves and refining their functions. Efforts also need to be focused on capacity building, centralized registration of ECs, and bringing an oversight mechanism in place. The Ethics Committees in India need to work in close association with forums such as the Forum for Ethics Review Committees in India and the Forum for Ethical Review Committees in Asia Pacific, in an effort towards empowering themselves.

  2. Operational challenges in diagnosing multi-drug resistant TB and initiating treatment in Andhra Pradesh, India.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarabjit S Chadha

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP, Andhra Pradesh, India. There is limited information on whether MDR-TB suspects are identified, undergo diagnostic assessment and are initiated on treatment according to the programme guidelines. OBJECTIVES: To assess i using the programme definition, the number and proportion of MDR-TB suspects in a large cohort of TB patients on first-line treatment under RNTCP ii the proportion of these MDR-TB suspects who underwent diagnosis for MDR-TB and iii the number and proportion of those diagnosed as MDR-TB who were successfully initiated on treatment. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis, by reviewing RNTCP records and reports, was conducted in four districts of Andhra Pradesh, India, among patients registered for first line treatment during October 2008 to December 2009. RESULTS: Among 23,999 TB patients registered for treatment there were 559 (2% MDR-TB suspects (according to programme definition of which 307 (55% underwent diagnosis and amongst these 169 (55% were found to be MDR-TB. Of the MDR-TB patients, 112 (66% were successfully initiated on treatment. Amongst those eligible for MDR-TB services, significant proportions are lost during the diagnostic and treatment initiation pathway due to a variety of operational challenges. The programme needs to urgently address these challenges for effective delivery and utilisation of the MDR-TB services.

  3. Aerosol Optical Depth Over India

    Science.gov (United States)

    David, Liji Mary; Ravishankara, A. R.; Kodros, John K.; Venkataraman, Chandra; Sadavarte, Pankaj; Pierce, Jeffrey R.; Chaliyakunnel, Sreelekha; Millet, Dylan B.

    2018-04-01

    Tropospheric aerosol optical depth (AOD) over India was simulated by Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS)-Chem, a global 3-D chemical-transport model, using SMOG (Speciated Multi-pOllutant Generator from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay) and GEOS-Chem (GC) (current inventories used in the GEOS-Chem model) inventories for 2012. The simulated AODs were 80% (SMOG) and 60% (GC) of those measured by the satellites (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer). There is no strong seasonal variation in AOD over India. The peak AOD values are observed/simulated during summer. The simulated AOD using SMOG inventory has particulate black and organic carbon AOD higher by a factor 5 and 3, respectively, compared to GC inventory. The model underpredicted coarse-mode AOD but agreed for fine-mode AOD with Aerosol Robotic Network data. It captured dust only over Western India, which is a desert, and not elsewhere, probably due to inaccurate dust transport and/or noninclusion of other dust sources. The calculated AOD, after dust correction, showed the general features in its observed spatial variation. Highest AOD values were observed over the Indo-Gangetic Plain followed by Central and Southern India with lowest values in Northern India. Transport of aerosols from Indo-Gangetic Plain and Central India into Eastern India, where emissions are low, is significant. The major contributors to total AOD over India are inorganic aerosol (41-64%), organic carbon (14-26%), and dust (7-32%). AOD over most regions of India is a factor of 5 or higher than over the United States.

  4. Baseline integrated behavioural and biological assessment among most at-risk populations in six high-prevalence states of India: design and implementation challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saidel, Tobi; Adhikary, Rajatashuvra; Mainkar, Mandar; Dale, Jayesh; Loo, Virginia; Rahman, Motiur; Ramesh, Banadakoppa M; Paranjape, Ramesh S

    2008-12-01

    This paper presents key methodological approaches and challenges in implementing and analysing the first round of the integrated biobehavioural assessment of most-at-risk populations, conducted in conjunction with evaluation of Avahan, the India AIDS initiative. The survey collected data on HIV risk behaviours, sexually transmitted infections and HIV prevalence in 29 districts in six high-prevalence states of India. Groups included female sex workers and clients, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users and truck drivers. Strategies for overcoming some challenges of the large-scale surveys among vulnerable populations, including sampling hidden populations, involvement of the communities targeted by the survey, laboratory and quality control in remote, non-clinic field settings, and data analysis and data use are presented. Satisfying the need for protocols, guidelines and tools that allowed for sufficient standardization, while being tailored enough to fit diverse local situations on such a large scale, with so many implementing partners, emerged as a major management challenge. A major lesson from the first round is the vital importance of investing upfront time in tailoring the sampling methods, data collection instruments, and analysis plan to match measurement objectives. Despite the challenges, the integrated biobehavioural assessment was a huge achievement, and was largely successful in providing previously unavailable information about the HIV situation among populations that are critical to the curtailment of HIV spread in India. Lessons from the first round will be used to evolve the second round into an exercise with increased evaluative capability for Avahan.

  5. Growth of Engineering Education in India: Status, Issues, and Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choudhury, Pradeep Kumar

    2016-01-01

    This article examines the growth of engineering education in India in the post-economic reform period using the secondary data published by Ministry of Human Resource Development, University Grants Commission and All India Council for Technical Education. Particularly, this article has focused on three important dimensions of engineering and…

  6. Challenges and Negative Effects of Divorce among Muslim Women in Northern Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafatu Abdul Hamid

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The alarming explosion of divorce in our present times is a cause of great concern. In fact the divorce rate in Northern Nigeria is high and this is scandalous. The mention of the word (Talaq divorce has now become so cheap that in some marriages, every argument futures this word, either the husband threatens with it or the wife demands it. Hence women are married and divorce at will for minor reasons. This paper is therefore an attempt to highlight some of the causes of rampant divorce and its negative impact on Muslim women in the northern part of Nigeria. Some Shari’ah court cases were also examined in other to find out whether the Judiciary is invulnerable to the problem of divorce among Muslim women in Northern Nigeria. The study reveals that the challenges and negative effects of divorce are usually much stronger on the woman and her off springs than the man. These ranges from psychological trauma, immoral behaviour, Economic hardship, denial of custody, etc.  Using descriptive and analytical methods, this paper interprets Islamic teachings as enshrined in the Qur’an and Sunnah with a view to proffering Islamic solutions on them. The paper recommends among other things, that parents and intending spouses should endeavour to find out the level of Islamic knowledge, habit, character of suitors/wives to be, prior to the marriage in order to prepare adequately for a successful association.

  7. Morphology and tectonics of Mahanadi Basin, northeastern continental margin of India from geophysical studies

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Subrahmanyam, V.; Subrahmanyam, A.S.; Murty, G.P.S.; Murthy, K.S.R.

    the breakup of India from Antarctica. The model studies suggest that the northern part of the 85 degrees E Ridge abuts the coast at Chilika Lake. The shape of 2000 m isobath over the northeastern continental margin of India closely resembles to that of 2000 m...

  8. Curriculum for pharmacology in pharmacy institutions in India: Opportunities and challenges

    OpenAIRE

    Goyal, Ramesh K.; Bhise, Satish B.; Srinivasan, B. P.; Rao, C. Mallikarjun; Sen, Tuhinadri; Koneri, Raju

    2014-01-01

    The curriculum of pharmacy institutions in India is regulated by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) at degree and diploma levels. However, it has been over two decades that the syllabi have been revised by these regulatory agencies. Considering the dynamic character of pharmacology, it is essential to prepare a syllabus that caters to the contemporary needs of the academic institutions and pharmaceutical industry, the community. Pharm...

  9. Chemical Education in India: Addressing Current Challenges and Optimizing Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnan, Mangala Sunder; Brakaspathy, R.; Arunan, E.

    2016-01-01

    This article gives a brief introduction to the structure of higher education programs in chemical and general sciences in India. The lack of high-quality chemical education in India in the past is traced back to the economic and social developments of the past. Remedial measures undertaken recently to improve the overall quality of chemical…

  10. Opportunities and Challenges for Solar Minigrid Development in Rural India

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thirumurthy, N.; Harrington, L.; Martin, D.; Thomas, L.; Takpa, J.; Gergan, R.

    2012-09-01

    The goal of this report is to inform investors about the potential of solar minigrid technologies to serve India's rural market. Under the US-India Energy Dialogue, the US Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is supporting the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)'s Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) in performing a business-case and policy-oriented analysis on the deployment of solar minigrids in India. The JNNSM scheme targets the development of 2GW of off-grid solar power by 2022 and provides large subsidies to meet this target. NREL worked with electricity capacity and demand data supplied by the Ladakh Renewable Energy Development Agency (LREDA) from Leh District, to develop a technical approach for solar minigrid development. Based on the NREL-developed, simulated solar insolation data for the city of Leh, a 250-kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system can produce 427,737 kWh over a 12-month period. The business case analysis, based on several different scenarios and JNNSM incentives shows the cost of power ranges from Rs. 6.3/kWh (US$0.126) to Rs. 9/kWh (US$0.18). At these rates, solar power is a cheaper alternative to diesel. An assessment of the macro-environment elements--including political, economic, environmental, social, and technological--was also performed to identify factors that may impact India?s energy development initiatives.

  11. CEPF Western Ghats Special Series: Avian collision threat assessment at Bhambarwadi Wind Farm Plateau in northern Western Ghats, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Pande

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available To address the shortage of power in India, wind energy is increasingly harnessed as an alternate and renewable energy source. There is a rapid increase in the number of wind farms at suitable sites all over the country. Some of the key sites with optimal wind velocities are the plateaus on the Western Ghats - a global hotspot of biological diversity. The rocky plateaus on the Western Ghats are terrestrial habitat islands facing extreme micro-environmental conditions; however, scanty information is available on the ecology of these plateaus. We undertook a two-year study to assess the impact of wind farms on birds. We also documented the avian diversity at Bhambarwadi Plateau, northern Western Ghats, India. To the best of our knowledge this is the first such study in India. We recorded 89 avian species on the plateau, 27 of which flew in the risk area swept by the rotor blades, and hence are potentially at risk of collision. The collision index (the number of bird collisions with wind turbines over a period of one year assuming that the birds do not take any avoidance measure for these species were estimated. We also identified species at risk from collision with transformers and wind-masts, and at risk from electrocution. Reduction in avian activity in the study area was evident with progress of wind farm erection. Despite the small footprint of an individual wind turbine, the associated infrastructure development causes wider habitat modification and destruction resulting in a displacement effect. Therefore, wind farm erections in strategic locations such as biodiversity hotspots should be subject to prior site based strategic environmental assessments (SEA as well as environmental impact assessment (EIA studies.

  12. Exploring Emerging India - Eight Essays

    OpenAIRE

    Müller-Brandeck-Bocquet, Gisela; Gieg, Philipp; Lowinger, Timo; Gsänger, Matthias; Becker, Michael; Kundu, Amitabh; Valerian, Rodrigues; S, Shaji; Schömbucher-Kusterer, Elisabeth; Biswas, Aparajita

    2015-01-01

    India's economic rise since the 1990s has been followed by a more prominent global role for the country. Despite economic setbacks in recent years and huge domestic challenges like poverty, caste issues, and gender inequality, India today is almost universally characterised as an “emerging power”. At the same time, the country continues to show an enormous diversity. Thus, exploring emerging India can surely not be confined to economic analysis only. Instead, it is vital to take current devel...

  13. Goats in the city: prevalence of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in extensively reared goats in northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Utaaker, Kjersti Selstad; Myhr, Nina; Bajwa, Rajinder Singh; Joshi, Himanshu; Kumar, Anil; Robertson, Lucy J

    2017-12-22

    Various characteristics of goats mean they are highly suitable livestock for backyard rearing by people with limited resources. They are a popular livestock choice in India, where they are often kept to supplement an already scarce income. In these settings, hygiene and sanitation standards tend to be low, and weakens the interface between humans and animals, thus reducing the barrier between them and thereby increasing the likelihood that zoonotic and anthroponotic infections will occur. This study reports an investigation of the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in goats being reared in different settings in urban and peri-urban areas in northern India, and addressed the zoonotic potential of these important protozoan parasites shed from goats living close to humans. The overall prevalence of G. duodenalis was 33.8 and 0.5% for Cryptosporidium spp.; the relatively low prevalence of cryptosporidiosis may reflect that most samples were derived from adult animals. The prevalence of G. duodenalis excretion was found to be similar to that reported in other studies. However, although other studies have reported a predominance of non-zoonotic Assemblage E in goats, in this study potentially zoonotic Assemblages predominated [Assemblage A (36%) and Assemblage B (32%)]. The results of this study indicate that in this area where goats and humans are living in close proximity, there may be sharing of intestinal parasites, which can be detrimental for both host species.

  14. Menstrual Pattern among Unmarried Women from Northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Dinesh; Goel, N K; Puri, Sonia; Pathak, Rambha; Sarpal, Sandeep Singh; Gupta, Sorab; Arora, Sumant

    2013-09-01

    Menstruation disorders are also responsible for emotional, physical, behavioural and dietary practice changes. These changes affect their normal functioning and social life. The present study was carried out to find the prevalence of menstrual problems among unmarried girls of Chandigarh, India and to compare their knowledge and beliefs regarding menstruation in different sub-groups. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 744 unmarried females in Rural, Urban and Slum strata of UT Chandigarh, India. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire on menstruation. Chi-square value was used for testing statistical significance. The mean age of the respondents was 16.84±3.05 years. Maximum respondents (40.9%) were educated up to 10th standard/High school. 448 (60.2%) were aware of menstruation before starting of menarche. Awareness was found to be significantly associated (p=0.02) with age. Socio-economic status and prior knowledge of respondents was also found to be significantly associated (pissue that needs to be addressed at all levels. A variety of factors are known to affect menstrual behaviors, the most influential ones being economic status. It is essential to design a mechanism to address and for the access of healthy menstrual practices.

  15. Northern Eurasia Future Initiative: Facing the Challenges of Global Change in the 21st century

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groisman, Pavel; Gutman, Garik; Gulev, Sergey; Maksyutov, Shamil; Qi, Jiaguo

    2016-04-01

    During the past 12 years, the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI) - an interdisciplinary program of internationally-supported Earth systems and science research - has addressed large-scale and long-term manifestations of climate and environmental changes over Northern Eurasia and their impact on the Global Earth system. With more than 1500 peer-reviewed journal publications and 40 books to its credit, NEESPI's activities resulted in significant scientific outreach. This created a new research realm through self-organization of NEESPI scientists in a broad research network, accumulation of knowledge while developing new tools (observations, models, and collaborative networks) and producing new, exciting results that can be applied to directly support decision-making for societal needs. This realm was summed up at the Synthesis NEESPI Workshop in Prague, Czech Republic (April 9-12, 2015) where it was decided to shift gradually the foci of regional studies in Northern Eurasia towards applications with the following major Science Question: " What dynamic and interactive change(s) will affect societal well-being, activities, and health, and what might be the mitigation and adaptation strategies that could support sustainable development and decision-making activities in Northern Eurasia?". To answer this question requires a stronger socio-economic component in the ongoing and future regional studies focused on sustainable societal development under changing climatic and environmental conditions, especially, under conditions when societal decision-making impacts and feeds back on the environment. This made the NEESPI studies closer to the ICSU research initiative "Future Earth". Accordingly, the NEESPI Research Team decided to reorganize in the nearest future NEESPI into "Northern Eurasia Future Initiative" (NEFI) and began development of its Programmatic White Paper (in preparation at the time of this abstract submission). The NEFI research

  16. Adaptation to changing water resources in the Ganges basin, northern India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moors, Eddy J.; Groot, Annemarie; Biemans, Hester; Terwisscha van Scheltinga, Catharien; Siderius, Christian; Stoffel, Markus; Huggel, Christian; Wiltshire, Andy; Mathison, Camilla; Ridley, Jeff; Jacob, Daniela; Kumar, Pankaj

    2011-01-01

    An ensemble of regional climate model (RCM) runs from the EU HighNoon project are used to project future air temperatures and precipitation on a 25 km grid for the Ganges basin in northern India, with a view to assessing impact of climate change on water resources and determining what multi-sector adaptation measures and policies might be adopted at different spatial scales. The RCM results suggest an increase in mean annual temperature, averaged over the Ganges basin, in the range 1-4 o C over the period from 2000 to 2050, using the SRES A1B forcing scenario. Projections of precipitation indicate that natural variability dominates the climate change signal and there is considerable uncertainty concerning change in regional annual mean precipitation by 2050. The RCMs do suggest an increase in annual mean precipitation in this region to 2050, but lack significant trend. Glaciers in headwater tributary basins of the Ganges appear to be continuing to decline but it is not clear whether meltwater runoff continues to increase. The predicted changes in precipitation and temperature will probably not lead to significant increase in water availability to 2050, but the timing of runoff from snowmelt will likely occur earlier in spring and summer. Water availability is subject to decadal variability, with much uncertainty in the contribution from climate change. Although global social-economic scenarios show trends to urbanization, locally these trends are less evident and in some districts rural population is increasing. Falling groundwater levels in the Ganges plain may prevent expansion of irrigated areas for food supply. Changes in socio-economic development in combination with projected changes in timing of runoff outside the monsoon period will make difficult choices for water managers. Because of the uncertainty in future water availability trends, decreasing vulnerability by augmenting resilience is the preferred way to adapt to climate change. Adaptive policies are

  17. Bridging the communication gap: successes and challenges of mobile phone technology in a health and demographic surveillance system in northern Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doctor, Henry V; Olatunji, Alabi; Jumare, Abdul'azeez

    2012-01-01

    Maternal and child health indicators are generally poor in Nigeria with the northern part of the country having the worst indicators than the southern part. Efforts to address maternal and health challenges in Nigeria include, among others, improvement in health and management information systems. We report on the experience of mobile phone technology in supporting the activities of a health and demographic surveillance system in northern Nigeria. Our experience calls for the need for the Nigerian Government, the mobile network companies, and the international community at large to consolidate their efforts in addressing the mobile network coverage and power supply challenges in order to create an enabling environment for socio-economic development particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas. Unless power and mobile network challenges are addressed, health interventions that rely on mobile phone technology will not have a significant impact in improving maternal and child health.

  18. Visual communication with non-literates: a review of current knowledge including research in northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moynihan, M; Mukherjee, U

    1981-01-01

    In this article previous research on the perception of visual aids by non-literates in Kenya, Zambia, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, Mexico, as well as among immigrant groups in London and Paris, in Nepal and, by the authors in northern India, is reviewed. Recognition of pictures is affected by the particular culture of each group. In Africa, photos are better understood and liked: in the Indian subcontinent, line drawings are well recognized and appreciated. Recognition can be reduced by inaccurate detail, stylization and perspective. The authors found that overall size could be kept small if the pictures were simple. Complicated pictures, or a group of interrelated pictures, are not usually well recognized. Familiarity, realism and simplicity seem the most important components for a successful picture. Ways of attaching value ("good" or "bad", for example) have not in the past been very successful, but the authors found that a "vocabulary" of fourteen signs were, once explained, well understood. The values of colours in the culture must be understood and utilized. To be successful, visual materials for non-literates must start from the local culture and not come untested from behind a desk in the capital city.

  19. Industrial Development and Challenges of Water Pollution in Coastal Areas: The Case of Surat, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bansal, Neeru

    2018-03-01

    Industrialisation plays an important role in the economic development of a country, however, pollution is the inevitable price paid for this development. Surat, a major industrial hub in western India, is located on the bank of the river Tapi and extends up to the Arabian Sea. The city is characterised by the presence of a number of creeks (known as ‘khadis’ in local language). This paper focusses on the industrial development in Surat and the challenges faced by the city due to water pollution. A constant deterioration in the quality of surface water resources has been observed due to discharge of treated or partially treated effluents from the industries. The problem of water pollution becomes critical due to increase in frequency of flooding, risks faced by the city due to climate change and the ineffective environmental governance. The paper provides insights into the challenges faced by the city and the learnings can lead to adoption of policy initiatives and other measures which can effectively address these challenges.

  20. Military Strategy Of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. S. Zaitsev

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The article analyzes the evolution of military strategy of the Republic of India and key factors that influences its development. New Delhi keeps an eye on the balance of power in South Asia to create favorable conditions for its economic and social development, yet the remaining threats and new challenges still undermine the security and stability in India. The ambitions of China aspiring to power in Asia-Pacific region, combined with its immense military build-up and territorial disputes, cause disturbance in New Delhi. The remaining tensions between India and Pakistan also cause often border skirmishes and medium-scale conflicts. Close relations between China and Pakistan, labeled as “all-weather friendship”, are a source of major concern for India. The fact that both Beijing and Islamabad wield nuclear weapons means that without effective mechanisms of nuclear deterrence any military conflict may turn into a full-scale nuclear war. Terrorist activities and insurgency in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and in the North-Eastern regions of the country, along with maritime piracy and illicit drug trafficking contribute to the complicated nature of the challenges to the Indian security. Indian military strategy is considered as a combination of the army doctrine, maritime doctrine and nuclear doctrine. The Indian political and military leadership wants to meet the challenges of changing geopolitical environment and thus continuously adapts its strategy. However, there is still a gap between theory and practice: Indian armed forces lack the capacity to implement the declared goals because of bulky bureaucratic system, outdated military equipment and insufficient level of command and control. The government needs to mobilize political will and administrative resources to upgrade its defense sector to counter its security threats and challenges.

  1. IDRC in India

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    challenges facing India. The Centre's past support ... are tackling some pressing problems in wireless ... policymakers improve workers' earnings and working ... since 1974. Many of the telecentre managers that IDRC helps to train are women.

  2. Sustainable shrimp farming in India - Prospects and challenges

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Achuthankutty, C.T.

    Shrimp farming has grown into a multi-crore industry in India. It has vast potential for further expansion. However, this growing industry needs to develop appropriate indigenous technologies in specific areas to make it a sustainable and profitable...

  3. girl child education: what is the future in northern nigeria

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. SOLOMON AVIDIME

    Northern Nigeria‟s high gender inequity in education places the majority of young girls at a severe ... to boost female enrolment in junior secondary schools, create girl-friendly school ..... Mortality, Fertility and Gender Bias in India: A District.

  4. India in the Twenty-first Century: The Challenge of Population Growth. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad, 1997 (India).

    Science.gov (United States)

    La Fleur, Mary Ann

    This paper contains a course outline for a five-hour graduate class focusing on the issue of population in India. Students examine contributing factors to population growth, along with studying characteristics of, and efforts to, control population growth. The significance of ethnic diversity in India also is addressed. Group discussion and group…

  5. Prevalence of severe acute malnutrition and associated sociodemographic factors among children aged 6 months–5 years in rural population of Northern India: A population-based survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ajeet Singh Bhadoria

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3 documented that nearly 57 million children are undernourished in India, which is one-third of the world's share. We planned a study to identify the prevalence of severe acute malnutrition (SAM among children aged <5 years in a rural population of Northern India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at 2 blocks of District Meerut during 2012–2014. A total of 70 villages were identified and all children in the age group 6–60 months were approached through house-to-house visits. Data on sociodemographic profile and anthropometry were collected utilizing standards methods and equipment. The Z-scores for weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height (WHZ were calculated using the World Health Organization (WHO reference data as standard. SAM (severe wasting was defined as per the WHO criteria (WHZ score −3 standard deviation or severe visible wasting or bipedal edema. Results: A total of 19,449 children were screened and 18,463 children (age, 32.6 ± 15.4 years, and 53.4% males were enrolled, and 466 were excluded due to erroneous age estimation and physical deformities. The prevalence of SAM was 2.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI 2.02–2.44%, (409/18,463. Multivariate logistic regression documented age (odds ratio [OR]: 0.97, 95% CI 0.96–0.98, nuclear family (OR: 1.25, 95% CI 1.01–1.54, lower occupation of head of family (OR: 1.29, 95% CI 1.05–1.59, and lower paternal education (OR: 1.49, 95% CI 1.16–1.91 as independent predictor of SAM. Conclusion: The prevalence of SAM was lower (2.2% in this Northern district of India as compared to national prevalence (7.9%. Younger age, nuclear family, lower parental education, and poor occupation of the head of the family predispose a child to SAM.

  6. Public health informatics in India: the potential and the challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Athavale, A V; Zodpey, Sanjay P

    2010-01-01

    Public health informatics is emerging as a new and distinct specialty area in the global scenario within the broader discipline of health informatics. The potential role of informatics in reducing health disparities in underserved populations has been identified by a number of reports from all over the world. The article discusses the scope, the limitations, and future perspective of this novice discipline in context to India. It also highlights information and technology related tools namely Geographical Information Systems, Telemedicine and Electronic Medical Record/Electronic Health Record. India needs to leverage its "technology" oriented growth until now (e.g., few satellite-based telemedicine projects, etc.) simultaneously toward development of "information"-based public health informatics systems in future. Under the rapidly evolving scenario of global public health, the future of the public health governance and population health in India would depend upon building and integrating the comprehensive and responsive domain of public health informatics.

  7. Anglican Evangelism in North India and the Punjabi Missionary Classroom: The Failure To Educate the Masses, 1860-77.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allender, Tim

    2003-01-01

    Focuses on the dominant Anglican missionary schools in Punjab (India). States that the Anglican missions failed to fulfill their original design, but that Hindu schools were successful and played a role in India's movement for independence over British settlements in the northern region. (KDR)

  8. Expanding Health Coverage for Vulnerable Groups in India

    OpenAIRE

    Nagpal, Somil

    2013-01-01

    India's health sector continues to be challenged by overall low levels of public financing, entrenched accountability issues in the public delivery system, and the persistent dominance of out-of-pocket spending. In this context, this case study describes three recent initiatives introduced by the central and state governments in India, aimed at addressing some of these challenges and improving the availability of and access to health services, particularly for the poor and vulnerable groups i...

  9. Female sterilization in India : The quality and effect of an observed sterilization camp at The Methodist Public Health Centre, Mursan, India

    OpenAIRE

    Wikborg, Pia; Svensk, Marie

    2007-01-01

    Population growth is a big challenge for India, and family planning is highly prioritized by the Government of India. Sterilization is the most common voluntary contraceptive method in India and has for many years been performed in camps. This thesis is based on our observation of a sterilization camp at the Methodist Public Health Centre in Mursan, India and available literature on the subject. We have looked closer at the effect of female sterilization as a method of contraception and t...

  10. A new theropod dinosaur from India with remarks on the Gondwana-Laurasia connection in the Late Triassic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatterjee, S.

    Walkeria maleriensis (n. g., n. sp.) from the Late Triassic Maleri Formation of the Godavari Valley of India is the earliest known dinosaur from Asia. It is a small podokesaurid theropod, very similar to Procompsognathus of Germany, Coelophysis of North America, and Syntarsus from Zimbabwe and North America. The podokesaurs are of particular interest to students of organic evolution because they are the earliest known theropods from which Archaeopteryx, the oldest known fossil bird, was probably evolved. Traditionally, India has been regarded as a part of Gondwana. It is generally believed that Gondwana remained an integral geographic unit throughout the Triassic. If this is so, a strong faunal correlation between India and other Gondwana continents should be expected in Late Triassic time. Contrary to this, the Maleri fauna is overwhelmingly "northern". Walkeria occurs in association with metoposaurs, parasuchids, protorosaurs, aetosaurs, rhynchosaurs, and traversodonts. Most of these taxa have been identified in the Dockum fauna of North America, indicating a close paleontologic link between India and Laurasia. Possibly the route of faunal migration between India and North America during the Late Triassic was via northern Africa.

  11. Herpetospermum operculatum (Schizopeponeae, Cucurbitaceae), a new species from India, Myanmar and China

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pradheep, K.; Pandey, A.; Bhatt, K.C.; Nayar, E.R.

    2014-01-01

    A new species of Herpetospermum (Schizopeponeae, Cucurbitaceae) is described from north-eastern India, northern Myanmar and southwest China (Xizang and Yunnan). Herpetospermum operculatum was previously confused with Herpetospermum (= Biswarea) tonglense, but differs primarily in having smooth

  12. Energy efficiency in India: Achievements, challenges and legality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sahoo, Sarat Kumar; Varma, Payal; Lall, Krishna Prabhakar; Talwar, Chanpreet Kaur

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores the main legal Center enforced Commissions and Acts that are aimed at improving the current energy deficit in the country, with a specific emphasis on the need for research and a shift in the power market towards more sustainable technology. The paper first examines the main aims of the governmental 5 year plans in the past ten years, and then evaluates the merits and short comings of the existing technical framework that governs the Electrical Grid and Generation systems in the country. The paper also proposes inherent improvements, with ground scale methods in developing a sound and competitive system for power distribution through consumer and employee involvement as well as changes in the investment arena that can substantially alter the market compatibility of renewably generated energy. The paper indicates several key steps that the Center and State Governments have taken in order to revolutionise the feasibility of the electrical systems in the country. Finally, the paper appraises and assesses the main amendments in the Electrical Industry Legal literature and enforcement mechanisms that can effectuate rapid and systemic changes across the Indian context. - Highlights: • Discuss Opportunities and Challenges of Energy Efficiency in India's power sector. • Explores the legal Center enforced Commissions and Acts on the power market. • Governmental 5 years plan for the Electrical Grid and Generation systems. • Center and State Governments steps taken to revolutionize the electrical systems. • Appraises and assesses the main amendments in the Electrical Industry.

  13. India's Bond Market-Developments and Challenges Ahead

    OpenAIRE

    Schou-Zibell, Lotte; Wells, Stephen

    2008-01-01

    While India boasts a world-class equity market and increasingly important bank assets, its bond market has not kept up. The government bond market remains illiquid. The corporate bond market, in addition, remains restrictive to participants and largely arbitrage-driven. Securitization, which once had the jump on other Asian markets, has failed to take off. To meet the needs of its firms and investors, the bond market must therefore evolve. This will mean creating new market sectors such as ex...

  14. Study Of Plant Regeneration Potential In Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest In Northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashish K Mishra

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Regeneration patterns of species population can address climate change by adaptive evolution or by migrating association to survive in their favorable climate and finally decided to particular forest future. In this paper we examined the status of regeneration potential of tree species in tropical moist deciduous forest at Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Northern India. To investigate tree, sapling and seedling population distribution, we examine regeneration status in 145 random plots in study area. Total 74 plant species of 60 genera belonging to 32 families out of which 71 species of trees, 56 of seedlings and 60 of saplings were found in the forest. On the basis of importance value index Mallotus philippensis, Tectona grandis, Shorea robusta, Syzygium cumini and Bombax ceiba have been found as dominant species in the study area. As far as the regeneration status is concerned, the maximum tree species (64% have been found in good regeneration category. Significant variations in species richness and population density, between three life form (i. e. tree, sapling and seedling have been found. In which only three new tree species Prosopis juliflora, Psidium guajava and Morus alba were added in sapling and seedling stage. It is major ecological concern that about 19 % economically important plant species like Madhuca longifolia, Terminalia elliptica, Buchanania cochinchinensis, some Ficus species etc. have been found in poor regeneration phage, whereas about 7% species found in no regeneration categories. International Journal of Environment, Volume-2, Issue-1, Sep-Nov 2013, Pages 153-163 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v2i1.9218

  15. Does winter cooling lead to the subsurface salinity minimum off Saurashtra, India?

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Shetye, S.R.; Gouveia, A.D.; Shenoi, S.S.C.

    Cold and dry winds of the northeast monsoon cool the northern Arabian Sea during November-January. The intensity of cooling is highest in the proximity of the peninsula of Saurashtra, India. Using hydrographic data, we propose that the cooling...

  16. Processes and challenges of community mobilisation for latrine promotion under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan in rural Odisha, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Routray, Parimita; Torondel, Belen; Jenkins, Marion W; Clasen, Thomas; Schmidt, Wolf-Peter

    2017-05-16

    Despite efforts to eradicate it, open defecation remains widely practiced in India, especially in rural areas. Between 2013 and 2014, 50 villages in one district of Odisha, India, received a sanitation programme under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA - "Clean India Campaign"), the successor of India's Total Sanitation Campaign. This paper documents the strategies and processes of NBA community mobilisation for latrine promotion in these villages and assesses the strengths and limitations of the mobilisation activities. NBA's community mobilisation activities were observed and assessed against the programme's theory of change in 10 randomly selected programme villages from start to finish. Additional data was collected through review of documents, individual interviews (n = 80) and focus group discussions (n = 26) with staff of the implementing NGOs and community members. Our study revealed the lack of a consistent implementation strategy, lack of capacities and facilitation skills of NGO staff to implement sanitation programmes, political interference, challenges in accessing government financial incentives for latrine construction, and lack of clarity on the roles and responsibilities among government and NGO staff, leading to failure in translating government policies into sustainable actions. Social divisions and village dynamics related to gender and caste further constrained the effectiveness of mobilisation activities. Meetings were often dominated by male members of upper caste households, and excluded low caste community members and views of women. Community discussions revolved largely around the government's cash incentive for latrines. Activities aimed at creating demand for sanitation and use of latrines often resonated poorly with community members. An assessment by the implementers, 1 year after community mobilisation found 19% of households had a completed latrine across the 50 villages, a marginal increase of 7 percentage points over baseline. In

  17. Chemical compositions of Cinnamomum tamala oil from two different regions of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suresh Kumar

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective: This study was made to investigate the chemical composition of Cinnamomum tamala, (Buch.-Ham. Nees & Eberm (Tejpat oil (CTO which was taken from two different regions. The plant leaves were collected from two different regions of India (Southern India and Northern India. Methods: The chemical composition of the hydro distilled essential oil of Cinnamomum tamala were analyzed by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS. Results: The GCMS analysis of the oil collected from northern region (Chandigarh Botanical garden, Chandigarh showed 20 constituents of which methyl eugenol (46.65%, eugenol (26.70%, trans-cinnamyl acetate (12.48% and Beta-Caryophyllene (6.26% were found the major components. The GC-MS analysis of the oil collected from southern area showed 31 constituents of which cinnamaldehyde (44.898%, Tans-cinnamyl acetate (25.327% and Ascabin (1 5.249% were found the major components. Conclusions: The oil is used in various preparations in pharmaceutical industries so it should be used after the verifications of quality of the oil. The difference observed in the amount and type of constituents may be due to the geographical origin of the plant.

  18. Dutiful daughters: HIV/AIDS, moral pragmatics, female citizenship and structural violence among Devadasis in northern Karnataka, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Shamshad; Lorway, Robert; Chevrier, Claudyne; Dutta, Sumit; Ramanaik, Satyanarayana; Roy, Anu; Bhattacharjee, Parinita; Mishra, Sharmistha; Moses, Stephen; Blanchard, James; Becker, Marissa

    2017-01-19

    Decades of research have documented how sex workers worldwide, particularly female sex workers (FSWs), shoulder a disproportionate burden of the HIV epidemic. In India, although a substantial progress has been made in controlling the epidemic, its prevalence among FSWs and the Devadasis (also called traditional sex workers) in northern Karnataka is still significantly high. On the other hand, much of the HIV prevention research has focused on their mapping and size estimation, typologies, bio-behavioural surveillance, condom use and other prevention technologies. In this article, drawing on critical theoretical perspectives, secondary historical sources and in-depth interviews, we unravel wider social, cultural and political economic complexities surrounding the lives of Devadasis, and specifically illuminate the moral pragmatics that shed light on their entry into sex trade and vulnerability to HIV. Findings from this research are extremely important since while much is known about Devadasis in social sciences and humanities, relatively little is known about the complexities of their lives within public health discourses related to HIV. Our work has direct implications for ongoing HIV prevention and health promotion efforts in the region and beyond.

  19. Power generation in India: analysing trends and outlook

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this report is to provide up-to-date data, critical analysis and information encompassing all aspects of power generation in India. The report provides historic and future outlook for power generation in India. It also provides an evaluation of private participation in power generation segment of India and investment opportunities in Indian power sector. In addition, the report examines policies, regulatory framework and financing of power generation in India. It also highlights key issues and challenges that are restricting the accelerated development of this sector. The report has thirteen chapters in total. (author)

  20. Gender disparity in late-life cognitive functioning in India: findings from the longitudinal aging study in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jinkook; Shih, Regina; Feeney, Kevin; Langa, Kenneth M

    2014-07-01

    To examine gender disparities in cognitive functioning in India and the extent to which education explains this disparity in later life. This study uses baseline interviews of a prospective cohort study of 1,451 community-residing adults 45 years of age or older in four geographically diverse states of India (Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan). Data collected during home visits includes cognitive performance tests, and rich sociodemographic, health, and psychosocial variables. The cognitive performance tests include episodic memory, numeracy, and a modified version of the Mini-Mental State Examination. We find gender disparity in cognitive function in India, and this disparity is greater in the north than the south. We also find that gender disparities in educational attainment, health, and social and economic activity explain the female cognitive disadvantage in later life. We report significant gender disparities in cognitive functioning among older Indian adults, which differ from gender disparities in cognition encountered in developed countries. Our models controlling for education, health status, and social and economic activity explain the disparity in southern India but not the region-specific disparity in the northern India. North Indian women may face additional sources of stress associated with discrimination against women that contribute to persistent disadvantages in cognitive functioning at older ages. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. “De-Casteing” India: How Dalit Women’s Rights Civil Society Organizations Tackle Caste Based Socio-Political & Religio-Cultural Challenges

    OpenAIRE

    Boateng, Godwin Festival; Matadamas, Erika; Sharma, Reesha; Winkler, Caroline

    2014-01-01

    Untouchability practices and caste based discrimination and injustices are under yet another siege after Ambedkar. In the past 50 years, India has seen tremendous mobilization by the lower caste members, specifically, vibrant women’s movements challenging the Indian caste society with the view of securing social change and abating caste based discrimination, violence and mistreatments. However, just like the era of Ambedkar, the anti-caste movements of today have the socio-political and relig...

  2. Quality of Life After "Total Mesorectal Excision (TME)" for Rectal Carcinoma: a Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wani, Rauf Ahmad; Bhat, Ikhlaq-Ul-Aziz; Parray, Fazl Qadir; Chowdri, Nisar Ahmad

    2017-12-01

    Quality of life (QoL) is a key element in rectal cancer (RC) patients. There is not much data regarding this from North India. This study assesses QoL following low anterior resection (LAR) and abdominoperineal resection (APR), operated for low rectal tumors at a high-volume center in northern India. One-hundred-thirty patients of rectal carcinoma were prospectively assessed for quality of life using the European Organization for Cancer QLQ-30 and CR29 questionnaires and compared with reference data population. There was no significant difference in the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 functional or symptom score between the study group and reference data population. Specific functional and symptom QoL scores of the study group were comparable to that of reference data population. There was no significant difference in the EORTC QLQ-C30 functional or symptom score between APR and LAR groups, except for the symptom of nausea and vomiting which was reported significantly more by the LAR group patients than APR group ( p  = 0.001). LAR patients had significantly higher scores with regard to nausea and vomiting than patients with an APR ( p  Quality of life after APR and LAR for rectal carcinoma was found to be comparable to the reference data population, and the QoL after APR was similar to that after LAR barring a few symptoms.

  3. Excess under-5 female mortality across India: a spatial analysis using 2011 census data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christophe Z Guilmoto, PhD

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Background: Excess female mortality causes half of the missing women (estimated deficit of women in countries with suspiciously low proportion of females in their population today. Globally, most of these avoidable deaths of women occur during childhood in China and India. We aimed to estimate excess female under-5 mortality rate (U5MR for India's 35 states and union territories and 640 districts. Methods: Using the summary birth history method (or Brass method, we derived district-level estimates of U5MR by sex from 2011 census data. We used data from 46 countries with no evidence of gender bias for mortality to estimate the effects and intensity of excess female mortality at district level. We used a detailed spatial and statistical analysis to highlight the correlates of excess mortality at district level. Findings: Excess female U5MR was 18·5 per 1000 livebirths (95% CI 13·1–22·6 in India 2000–2005, which corresponds to an estimated 239 000 excess deaths (169 000–293 000 per year. More than 90% of districts had excess female mortality, but the four largest states in northern India (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh accounted for two-thirds of India's total number. Low economic development, gender inequity, and high fertility were the main predictors of excess female mortality. Spatial analysis confirmed the strong spatial clustering of postnatal discrimination against girls in India. Interpretation: The considerable effect of gender bias on mortality in India highlights the need for more proactive engagement with the issue of postnatal sex discrimination and a focus on the northern districts. Notably, these regions are not the same as those most affected by skewed sex ratio at birth. Funding: None.

  4. The consultation challenge in small remote northern communities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Malcolm, D.G., E-mail: david.malcolm@mcri.ca [Malcolm and Associates, Inuvik, Northwest Territories (Canada)

    2014-07-01

    There is a strong necessity for nuclear power project proponents to begin consultation with community leaders at the concept design stage as the first step in a licensing process. The paper discusses the physical and social challenges of reliable and environmentally sound electricity generation in remote northern Aboriginal communities in Canada. There are several hundred remote communities in the boreal region and throughout the Arctic. Electrical energy requirements are usually a few megawatts. Access to some Arctic remote communities is by air and small water craft only, except when winters are cold enough for winter roads to be constructed for a few weeks each year. These communities, as well as new mining operations and their camp communities, provide a market segment for very small reactors. However, there are social acceptance hurdles to be addressed, as well as the legal requirement at all government levels of the duty to consult. Trust-building is a must when working with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit communities, and this requires community presence of the project developers long before proposals for new generation facilities are presented for license approval. Input from communities and other stakeholders is a vital part of the licensing process. Community members need to feel comfortable with the project proponents as well as the project itself. In some cases a project is rejected because the community council or development corporation feels left out of economic benefits that might be obtained through a negotiation process. (author)

  5. The consultation challenge in small remote northern communities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malcolm, D.G.

    2014-01-01

    There is a strong necessity for nuclear power project proponents to begin consultation with community leaders at the concept design stage as the first step in a licensing process. The paper discusses the physical and social challenges of reliable and environmentally sound electricity generation in remote northern Aboriginal communities in Canada. There are several hundred remote communities in the boreal region and throughout the Arctic. Electrical energy requirements are usually a few megawatts. Access to some Arctic remote communities is by air and small water craft only, except when winters are cold enough for winter roads to be constructed for a few weeks each year. These communities, as well as new mining operations and their camp communities, provide a market segment for very small reactors. However, there are social acceptance hurdles to be addressed, as well as the legal requirement at all government levels of the duty to consult. Trust-building is a must when working with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit communities, and this requires community presence of the project developers long before proposals for new generation facilities are presented for license approval. Input from communities and other stakeholders is a vital part of the licensing process. Community members need to feel comfortable with the project proponents as well as the project itself. In some cases a project is rejected because the community council or development corporation feels left out of economic benefits that might be obtained through a negotiation process. (author)

  6. Micro pensions for women; Initiatives and challenges in India

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Dullemen, C.E.; de Bruijn, J.G.M.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract In rapidly ageing countries, increased life expectancies threaten the poor and low-income workers. India is such a country. The number of people over sixty will rise from the present 90 million to an expected 200 million by 2030. Giving the changing demography, family structure and

  7. India's population in transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visaria, L; Visaria, P

    1995-10-01

    This demographic profile of India addresses fertility, family planning, and economic issues. India is described as a country shifting from economic policies of self-reliance to active involvement in international trade. Wealth has increased, particularly at higher educational levels, yet 25% still live below the official poverty line and almost 66% of Indian women are illiterate. The government program in family planning, which was instituted during the early 1950s, did not change the rate of natural increase, which remained stable at 2.2% over the past 30 years. 1993 marked the first time the growth rate decline to under 2%. The growth rate in 1995 was 1.9%. The total population is expected double in 36 years. Only Nigeria, Pakistan, and Bangladesh had a higher growth rate and higher fertility in 1995. India is geographically diverse (with the northern Himalayan mountain zone, the central alluvial plains, the western desert region, and the southern peninsula with forest, mountains, and plains). There are regional differences in the fertility rates, which range from replacement level in Kerala and Goa to 5.5 children in Uttar Pradesh. Fertility is expected to decline throughout India due to the slower pace of childbearing among women over the age of 35 years, the increase in contraceptive use, and increases in marriage age. Increased educational levels in India and its state variations are related to lower fertility. Literacy campaigns are considered to be effective means of increasing the educational levels of women. Urbanization is not expected to markedly affect fertility levels. Urban population, which is concentrated in a few large cities, remains a small proportion of total population. Greater shifts are evident in the transition from agriculture to other wage labor. Fertility is expected to decline as women's share of labor force activity increases. The major determinant of fertility decline in India is use of family planning, which has improved in access

  8. India: Training Workers to Meet the Challenges of Life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernau, Curt N.

    1982-01-01

    Discusses the educational program of the Textile Labour Association of Ahmedabad in India, which is designed to cope with the broad cultural, social, and economic problems facing workers and their families. The program focuses upon individual enrichment, cultural participation, and vocational mobility through the improvement of job skills. (JOW)

  9. Addressing the challenges of cleft lip and palate research in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mossey Peter

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available The Indian sub-continent remains one of the most populous areas of the world with an estimated population of 1.1 billion in India alone. This yields an estimated 24.5 million births per year and the birth prevalence of clefts is somewhere between 27,000 and 33,000 clefts per year. Inequalities exist, both in access to and quality of cleft care with distinct differences in urban versus rural access and over the years the accumulation of unrepaired clefts of the lip and palate make this a significant health care problem in India. In recent years the situation has been significantly improved through the intervention of Non Governmental Organisations such as SmileTrain and Transforming Faces Worldwide participating in primary surgical repair programmes. The cause of clefts is multi factorial with both genetic and environmental input and intensive research efforts have yielded significant advances in recent years facilitated by molecular technologies in the genetic field. India has tremendous potential to contribute by virtue of improving research expertise and a population that has genetic, cultural and socio-economic diversity. In 2008, the World Health Organisation (WHO has recognised that non-communicable diseases, including birth defects cause significant infant mortality and childhood morbidity and have included cleft lip and palate in their Global Burden of Disease (GBD initiative. This will fuel the interest of India in birth defects registration and international efforts aimed at improving quality of care and ultimately prevention of non-syndromic clefts of the lip and palate.

  10. Epidemiological profile of pediatric ocular trauma in a tertiary hospital of northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shazia Qayum

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Ocular trauma is one of the most common causes of acquired blindness in children. It measures about 8%-14% of total childhood injuries. This study aims to determine the epidemiological profile of ocular trauma in the pediatric age group attending a tertiary hospital in northern India. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in our hospital between June 2014 to July 2015 and all the children aged 0-16 years presenting with ocular trauma in eye outpatient department and emergency were enrolled in the study. Various epidemiological parameters like age, sex distribution, duration of presentation, mode of injury, type of injury and final visual outcome were analyzed. Results: Of total 357 patients, 271 (76% were below the age of 12 years; 41.1% of children with ocular trauma belonged to age group 2-6 years. The male to female ratio was 2.9:1. Out of total patients, 242 (67.8% presented with closed globe injury. Among the closed globe injury, the history of fall was present in about 35% of children, followed by trauma while playing with bat/ball (15.7% and finger nail trauma (13.2%. Among open globe injury, trauma with needle, knife, glass and pen were common causes. Home was the most common place of injury (47.8%, followed by streets (17.9% and playground (14.9%. Conclusion: Children are vulnerable to ocular trauma and need more supervision. Sharp objects like needles, knives, household chemicals like acids should be out of reach of children. Keywords: Ocular trauma, Open globe injuries, Closed globe injuries, Birmingham eye trauma terminology system, Adnexal injuries, Pediatric ocular trauma

  11. Challenges in comprehensive management of spinal cord injury in India and in the Asian Spinal Cord network region: findings of a survey of experts, patients and consumers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chhabra, H S; Sharma, S; Arora, M

    2018-01-01

    Online survey. To understand the prevailing scenario of the comprehensive management of spinal cord injuries (SCI) in India and in the Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCoN) region, especially with a view to document the challenges faced and its impact. Indian Spinal Injuries Centre. A questionnaire was designed which covered various aspects of SCI management. Patients, consumers (spinal injured patients discharged since at least 1 year) and experts in SCI management from different parts of India and the ASCoN region were approached to complete the survey. Sixty patients, 66 consumers and 34 experts completed the survey. Difference of opinion was noticed among the three groups. Disposable Nelaton catheters were used by 57% consumers and 47% patients. For reusable catheter, 31% experts recommended processing with soap and running water and 45% recommended clean cotton cloth bag for storage. Pre-hospital care and community inclusion pose the biggest challenges in management of SCI. More than 75% of SCI faced problems of access and mobility in the community. Awareness about SCI, illiteracy and inadequate patient education are the most important factors hindering pre- and in-hospital care. Inadequate physical as well as vocational rehabilitation and financial barriers are thought to be the major factors hindering integration of spinal injured into mainstream society. Strong family support helped in rehabilitation. Our study brought out that SCI in India and ASCoN region face numerous challenges that affect access to almost all aspects of comprehensive management of SCI.

  12. Challenges in developing competency-based training curriculum for food safety regulators in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anitha Thippaiah

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Context: The Food Safety and Standards Act have redefined the roles and responsibilities of food regulatory workforce and calls for highly skilled human resources as it involves complex management procedures. Aims: 1 Identify the competencies needed among the food regulatory workforce in India. 2 Develop a competency-based training curriculum for food safety regulators in the country. 3 Develop training materials for use to train the food regulatory workforce. Settings and Design: The Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad, led the development of training curriculum on food safety with technical assistance from the Royal Society for Public Health, UK and the National Institute of Nutrition, India. The exercise was to facilitate the implementation of new Act by undertaking capacity building through a comprehensive training program. Materials and Methods: A competency-based training needs assessment was conducted before undertaking the development of the training materials. Results: The training program for Food Safety Officers was designed to comprise of five modules to include: Food science and technology, Food safety management systems, Food safety legislation, Enforcement of food safety regulations, and Administrative functions. Each module has a facilitator guide for the tutor and a handbook for the participant. Essentials of Food Hygiene-I (Basic level, II and III (Retail/ Catering/ Manufacturing were primarily designed for training of food handlers and are part of essential reading for food safety regulators. Conclusion: The Food Safety and Standards Act calls for highly skilled human resources as it involves complex management procedures. Despite having developed a comprehensive competency-based training curriculum by joint efforts by the local, national, and international agencies, implementation remains a challenge in resource-limited setting.

  13. The dowry system in Northern India : Women's attitudes and social change

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Srinivasan, P.; Lee, G.R.

    2004-01-01

    In spite of modernization and women's increasing role in the market economy, the practice of the dowry in India is becoming more widespread, and the value of dowries is increasing. There are many well-documented adverse consequences of the dowry system, particularly for women. This is a study of

  14. Medical writing on an accelerated path in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shirke, Sarika

    2015-01-01

    The medical writing industry is on an upwards growth path in India. This is probably driven by an increasing urgency to have high-quality documents authored to support timely drug approvals, complemented by the realization that the competencies required are available in emerging geographies such as India. This article reviews the business landscape and the opportunities and challenges associated with outsourcing medical writing work India. It also analyzes the core competencies that a medical writer should possess and enlists various associations supporting learning in this domain.

  15. Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in India. Financial mechanisms and opportunities for EU-India collaboration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Atteridge, Aaron; Nilsson Axberg, Goeran; Goel, Nitu; Kumar, Atul; Lazarus, Michael; Ostwald, Madelene; Polycarp, Clifford; Tollefsen, Petter; Torvanger, Asbjoern; Upadhyaya, Prabhat; Zetterberg, Lars

    2009-10-15

    This report illuminates potential areas for collaboration between the EU and India on actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in India. If human-induced climate change is to have any hope of being limited to 2 degrees, it is essential that ways are found to address rapidly rising greenhouse gas emissions in India, as elsewhere. This is a challenging proposition: even though India's per capita emissions are very low, her 1.15 billion people are collectively a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. This fact, coupled with the immediate task of tackling widespread poverty, means that the international community must play a major role in providing financial and technological resources to support India's domestic efforts. As India's 2008 National Action Plan on Climate Change recognises, tackling the country's greenhouse gas emissions means not least finding ways to transform a rapidly growing energy sector. International financial mechanisms such as the Clean Development Mechanism and the Global Environment Facility have been unable to deliver the scale of transformative change needed to shift India's emissions trajectory. While the Indian government has already initiated some ambitious policy measures - particularly pertaining to solar energy and energy efficiency- the effectiveness of international finance mechanisms and other forms of international partnership will be crucial in determining the success of greenhouse gas mitigation efforts. The EU India Summit is held a month before COP15 negotiations in Copenhagen. While this provides challenges in terms of seeking concrete agreements on questions of finance, it is also an important opportunity to devise complementary efforts outside the UNFCCC process. Genuine, productive collaboration could not only be used to foster the sorts of transformative changes that are needed in India's growing economy but could also create a spirit of cooperation that spills over into UNFCCC

  16. Iron anchors of Northern Odisha, east coast India: Maritime contacts with European countries

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Tripati, S.; Patnaik, S.K.; Acharya, S.B.

    to setup their trade centre at Odisha. Subsequently, the Dutch, French and English came to Odisha for maritime trade. During the end of the 19th century ports of northern Odisha were declined. In order to study the remains of maritime activities of northern...

  17. Medical writing on an accelerated path in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shirke, Sarika

    2015-01-01

    The medical writing industry is on an upwards growth path in India. This is probably driven by an increasing urgency to have high-quality documents authored to support timely drug approvals, complemented by the realization that the competencies required are available in emerging geographies such as India. This article reviews the business landscape and the opportunities and challenges associated with outsourcing medical writing work India. It also analyzes the core competencies that a medical writer should possess and enlists various associations supporting learning in this domain. PMID:26229746

  18. India and the NPT: separating substantive facts from normative fiction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Srivastava, Anupam; Gahlaut, Seema

    2010-01-01

    This article examines the feasibility and advisability of India joining the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It demonstrates that (a) the non-proliferation regime, which is larger and more varied than the NPT, has received significant cooperation from India in the past; (b) that in order to effectively deal with further challenges from nuclear renaissance, nuclear deterrence, and terrorism, the regime will need to craft creative, non-NPT centric solutions like the US-India nuclear agreement, to co-opt India; and (c) that India's interest will be better served by trying to shape the regime from within rather than remaining a reasoned voice from without. (author)

  19. Health care and equity in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balarajan, Y; Selvaraj, S; Subramanian, S V

    2011-02-05

    In India, despite improvements in access to health care, inequalities are related to socioeconomic status, geography, and gender, and are compounded by high out-of-pocket expenditures, with more than three-quarters of the increasing financial burden of health care being met by households. Health-care expenditures exacerbate poverty, with about 39 million additional people falling into poverty every year as a result of such expenditures. We identify key challenges for the achievement of equity in service provision, and equity in financing and financial risk protection in India. These challenges include an imbalance in resource allocation, inadequate physical access to high-quality health services and human resources for health, high out-of-pocket health expenditures, inflation in health spending, and behavioural factors that affect the demand for appropriate health care. Use of equity metrics in monitoring, assessment, and strategic planning; investment in development of a rigorous knowledge base of health-systems research; development of a refined equity-focused process of deliberative decision making in health reform; and redefinition of the specific responsibilities and accountabilities of key actors are needed to try to achieve equity in health care in India. The implementation of these principles with strengthened public health and primary-care services will help to ensure a more equitable health care for India's population. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Design and Development of Maize Dehusker cum Sheller: A Technology for Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chilur, Rudragouda; Kumar, Sushilendra

    2018-06-01

    The Maize ( Zea mays L.) crop is one of the most important cereal in agricultural production systems of Northern Transition Zone (Hyderabad-Karnataka region) in India. These Hyderabad Karnataka farmers (small-medium) are lack of economic technologies with maize dehusking and shelling, which fulfils the two major needs as crops and as livestock in farming. The portable medium size (600 kg/h capacity) electric motor (2.23 kW) operated Maize Dehusker cum Sheller (MDS) was designed to resolve the issue by considering engineering properties of maize. The developed trapezium shaped MDS machine having overall dimensions (length × (top and bottom) × height) of 1200 × (500 and 610) × 810 mm. The selected operational parameters viz, cylinder peripheral speed (7.1 m/s), concave clearance (25 mm) and feed rate (600 kg/h) were studied for machine-performance and seed-quality parameters. The performance of machine under these parameters showed the dehusking efficiency of 99.56%, shelling efficiency of 98.01%, cleaning efficiency of 99.11%, total loss of 3.63% machine capacity of 527.11 kg/kW-h and germination percentage of 98.93%. Overall machine performance was found satisfactory for maize dehusking cum shelling operation as well as to produce the maize grains for seeding purpose.

  1. Design and Development of Maize Dehusker cum Sheller: A Technology for Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chilur, Rudragouda; Kumar, Sushilendra

    2018-02-01

    The Maize (Zea mays L.) crop is one of the most important cereal in agricultural production systems of Northern Transition Zone (Hyderabad-Karnataka region) in India. These Hyderabad Karnataka farmers (small-medium) are lack of economic technologies with maize dehusking and shelling, which fulfils the two major needs as crops and as livestock in farming. The portable medium size (600 kg/h capacity) electric motor (2.23 kW) operated Maize Dehusker cum Sheller (MDS) was designed to resolve the issue by considering engineering properties of maize. The developed trapezium shaped MDS machine having overall dimensions (length × (top and bottom) × height) of 1200 × (500 and 610) × 810 mm. The selected operational parameters viz, cylinder peripheral speed (7.1 m/s), concave clearance (25 mm) and feed rate (600 kg/h) were studied for machine-performance and seed-quality parameters. The performance of machine under these parameters showed the dehusking efficiency of 99.56%, shelling efficiency of 98.01%, cleaning efficiency of 99.11%, total loss of 3.63% machine capacity of 527.11 kg/kW-h and germination percentage of 98.93%. Overall machine performance was found satisfactory for maize dehusking cum shelling operation as well as to produce the maize grains for seeding purpose.

  2. Assessment of bacteriological quality of drinking water from various sources in Amritsar district of northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malhotra, Sita; Sidhu, Shailpreet K; Devi, Pushpa

    2015-08-29

    Safe water is a precondition for health and development and is a basic human right, yet it is still denied to hundreds of millions of people throughout the developing world. Water-related diseases caused by insufficient safe water supplies, coupled with poor sanitation and hygiene, cause 3.4 million deaths a year, mostly in children. The present study was conducted on 1,317 drinking water samples from various water sources in Amritsar district in northern India. All the samples were analyzed to assess bacteriological quality of water for presumptive coliform count by the multiple tube test. A total of 42.9% (565/1,317) samples from various sources were found to be unfit for human consumption. Of the total 565 unsatisfactory samples, 253 were from submersible pumps, 197 were from taps of piped supply (domestic/public), 79 were from hand pumps, and 36 were from various other sources A significantly high level of contamination was observed in samples collected from submersible pumps (47.6%) and water tanks (47.3%), as these sources of water are more exposed and liable to contamination. Despite continuous efforts by the government, civil society, and the international community, over a billion people still do not have access to improved water resources. Bacteriological assessment of all sources of drinking should be planned and conducted on regular basis to prevent waterborne dissemination of diseases.

  3. Beyond the Thumbrule Approach: Regulatory Innovations for Bioprospecting in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kabir Sanjay Bavikatte and Morten Walløe Tvedt

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available In the wake of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS, there is unprecedented attention on good Green Governance, which implies the development of resource efficient, rights based and effective domestic frameworks to regulate bioprospecting. India has been pioneering in this regard due to its ABS legislation in 2002 that long preceded the Nagoya Protocol. However much has changed since 2002 and while India has learnt a great deal from its ‘learning by doing’ method, there are valuable lessons that can be learnt from innovations in the ABS frameworks of other countries. The innovations of these countries are a great resource for National Biodiversity Authority (NBA in India that is seeking to make the processing of the bioprospecting applications in India more optimal. The current paper highlights the challenges faced by the NBA in processing the high volumes of bioprospecting applications, analyses the reasons for such challenges and proposes solutions for the same.

  4. The Challenges of Spanish Language Teaching in Multilingual India: A Case Study of Delhi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhiraj Kumar Rai

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The multilingual surrounding of Spanish Language Teaching (SLT in India has presented a unique linguistic principle. This principle relies upon the application of English language instructions (as FL1 to combine several methods for teaching-learning Spanish language (as FL2. However, the effectiveness and appropriateness of this linguistic principle, whereby English language instructions are used for SLT, remain undiagnosed. In fact, the technique of SLT in India needs to take into account the local linguistic or dialectical make-up of the actual or potential learners. As such, the process of Spanish Language acquisition in India as inspired by an exposure to local languages/dialects needs to be creatively explored. Furthermore, the recently increasing entries of specific Spanish words/terms in the Indian ‘popular language usage’, and their implications for SLT in India require to be sufficiently investigated. This article aims at filling in the above-mentioned lacunae by conducting a case study of the status of Spanish Language Teaching in Delhi. It draws the conclusion that the maximum flexibility in the process of eclectically mixing various pedagogical methods of SLT could go a long way in motivating and benefitting both the teachers as well as the students, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of SLT in multilingual India.

  5. Evidence of Recombinant Citrus tristeza virus Isolate Occurring in Acid Lime cv. Pant Lemon Orchard in Uttarakhand Terai Region of Northern Himalaya in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Jaywant Kumar; Tarafdar, Avijit; Sharma, Susheel Kumar; Biswas, Kajal Kumar

    2013-06-01

    The present study for the first time describes biological and molecular characterization of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) occurring in the Terai area of Uttarakhand State in Northern Himalaya region of India. Direct antigen coated-ELISA and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detected the CTV infection in Acid lime cv. Pant lemon (Citrus aurantifolia) orchards of Pantnagar with an estimated disease incidence of 16.6-20.5 %. To know the biological and genetic properties, an isolate, CTV Pant 4 was characterized. Isolate Pant 4 could be graft transmitted to Kinnow, Nagpur and Darjeeling mandarins, Mosambi sweet orange, Kagzi lime, Sweet lime, Sour orange but not to Rough lemon. The sequence analyses of the 5'ORF1a (3038 nucleotides) of LPro domain and 3'end (2058 nt) covering ORF7-ORF10 regions of the CTV genome revealed that Pant 4 was closely related to the previously reported Indian CTV isolate, Kpg3 from Northeastern Himalaya region with 97 and 98 % sequence identity, respectively. Whereas, it differed from the previously reported CTV isolate B165 from Southern India with 79 and 92 % identity, respectively for 5'ORF1a and 3' end regions. Recombination and SplitsTree decomposition analyses indicated that CTV isolate Pant 4 was a recombinant isolate originating from Kpg3 as a major and B165 as a minor donor.

  6. Petroleum hydrocarbon concentration in surface sediments in continental shelf region along the central west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Ram, A.; Kadam, A.N.

    Gas chromatography revealed that nonpolar material extracted from surface sediments collected along the northern west coast of India was originated from petroleum hydrocarbon residue. Petroleum hydrocarbon levels as determinEd. by fluorescence...

  7. Excess under-5 female mortality across India: a spatial analysis using 2011 census data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guilmoto, Christophe Z; Saikia, Nandita; Tamrakar, Vandana; Bora, Jayanta Kumar

    2018-06-01

    Excess female mortality causes half of the missing women (estimated deficit of women in countries with suspiciously low proportion of females in their population) today. Globally, most of these avoidable deaths of women occur during childhood in China and India. We aimed to estimate excess female under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) for India's 35 states and union territories and 640 districts. Using the summary birth history method (or Brass method), we derived district-level estimates of U5MR by sex from 2011 census data. We used data from 46 countries with no evidence of gender bias for mortality to estimate the effects and intensity of excess female mortality at district level. We used a detailed spatial and statistical analysis to highlight the correlates of excess mortality at district level. Excess female U5MR was 18·5 per 1000 livebirths (95% CI 13·1-22·6) in India 2000-2005, which corresponds to an estimated 239 000 excess deaths (169 000-293 000) per year. More than 90% of districts had excess female mortality, but the four largest states in northern India (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh) accounted for two-thirds of India's total number. Low economic development, gender inequity, and high fertility were the main predictors of excess female mortality. Spatial analysis confirmed the strong spatial clustering of postnatal discrimination against girls in India. The considerable effect of gender bias on mortality in India highlights the need for more proactive engagement with the issue of postnatal sex discrimination and a focus on the northern districts. Notably, these regions are not the same as those most affected by skewed sex ratio at birth. None. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  8. Perceived Rewards of Nursing Among Christian Nursing Students in Bangalore, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garner, Shelby L; Prater, Llewellyn S; Putturaj, Meena; Raj, Leena

    2015-12-01

    Nurses in India face significant challenges and often migrate to practice nursing abroad. Few studies have focused on the rewards of nursing in India. The aim of this study was to illuminate perceived rewards of nursing among Christian student nurses in Bangalore, India. Photovoice, a participatory action methodology was used, and 14 Christian student nurses participated in the study. Thematic interpretation of photographs, journals, critical group dialog sessions, and observational field notes resulted in the identification of two main themes. These themes included intrinsic rewards and lifelong benefits of nursing in India.

  9. Petroleum hydrocarbons and trace metals in Visakhapatnam harbour and Kakinada Bay, east coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sarma, V.V.; VaraPrasad, S.J.D.; Gupta, G.V.M.; Sudhakar, U.

    High concentrations of PHC were observed in the inner channels (viz. South lighter canal, Northern arm, North Western arm and Western arm) of Visakhapatnam Harbour, Andhra Pradesh, India. The estimation of trace metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Co, Ni and Cr...

  10. Clay mineral distribution in the continental shelf and slope off Saurashtra, West coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rao, V.P.

    Clay mineral distribution in the sediments of the west coast of India indicates that the illite and chlorite-rich sediments, derived from the Indus, occupy the continental shelf of the northern part of the Gulf of Kutch. Montmorillonite derived from...

  11. Marketing analysis of medical tourism in India

    OpenAIRE

    Manhas, Parikshat Singh; Ramjit, Monu

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the present research is to carry out the marketing analysis and to determine the potential of the medical tourism, to identify the various challenges to the medical tourism in India and to suggest and recommend the marketing strategies to develop the India as the medical tourism destination. The research is primarily based on the secondary sources by searching the various potential academic journals and reports potential articles, with medical tourism in the title...

  12. Prediction of fog/visibility over India using NWP Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Aditi; George, John P.; Iyengar, Gopal Raman

    2018-03-01

    Frequent occurrence of fog in different parts of northern India is common during the winter months of December and January. Low visibility conditions due to fog disrupt normal public life. Visibility conditions heavily affect both surface and air transport. A number of flights are either diverted or cancelled every year during the winter season due to low visibility conditions, experienced at different airports of north India. Thus, fog and visibility forecasts over plains of north India become very important during winter months. This study aims to understand the ability of a NWP model (NCMRWF, Unified Model, NCUM) with a diagnostic visibility scheme to forecast visibility over plains of north India. The present study verifies visibility forecasts obtained from NCUM against the INSAT-3D fog images and visibility observations from the METAR reports of different stations in the plains of north India. The study shows that the visibility forecast obtained from NCUM can provide reasonably good indication of the spatial extent of fog in advance of one day. The fog intensity is also predicted fairly well. The study also verifies the simple diagnostic model for fog which is driven by NWP model forecast of surface relative humidity and wind speed. The performance of NWP model forecast of visibility is found comparable to that from simple fog model driven by NWP forecast of relative humidity and wind speed.

  13. Acceptance and Usability of OER in India: An Investigation Using UTAUT Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nayantara Padhi

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available In the global movement towards open knowledge society, open educational resources (OER have become a prominent contributor as a medium of education, research and training. In India, the phenomenon of OER is still in nascent stage. Although the country has been massively investing on growth and usage of ICT, it still requires acceptance of OER as a medium of education, research or training. Particularly, adoption and usage of OER posses several challenges such as accessibility, reliability, copy right etc. There is plethora of research studies on the ICT usage in education in India, but there is hardly any empirical research evidence on OER in India. With this backdrop, at the first instance it is very much essential to investigate the acceptance and usability of OER in India. This paper focuses on faculty perception by applying Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT model. Apart from this, the study also identifies the challenges associated with OER. For the purpose of this survey data is collected from 22 Indian universities located pan India. The outcome of this empirical research shall certainly useful and provide guidelines for the policy makers and users of OER in India.

  14. Shaping Future Green Cities : LEDs Technology adoption as an option for India

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Singh, R.; Kroesen, J.O.

    2010-01-01

    The sustainable development in developing and newly industrialising countries (China, India, South Africa, and Brazil) is central issue for policy makers, decision makers, academic, and planners. The attainment of sustainability has become a challenge for rapidly urbanising India. The paper focuses

  15. Sources of New Life Insurance Product Ideas in LIC of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Furquan Uddin

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available The present complex nature of market has created sturdy challenges before the business world in the form of designing right product, right price, right placement and right promotion. In order to survive and thrive, a marketer has to focus on these challenges. Amongst, right product is most crucial which requires good and feasible ideas in all industries including life insurance. In fact, life insurance is perceived as an unsought and complicated financial product in India. The present paper is a humble attempt to examine the sources of new life insurance product ideas in LIC of India. The findings of the present study include the sources into six groups such as key stakeholders, workforce, organizational documents and other sources, research unit, competitors, and national and international source. It may be noticed the key stakeholders like Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, actuary, top management, and policyholders play vital role in providing ideas in the new product development process of LIC of India.

  16. Surface circulation over the shelf off the east coast of India during the south west monsoon

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gopalakrishna, V.V.; Sastry, J.S.

    upwelling in the southern regions off the East Coast of India. Vertical temperature and salinity structures north of Visakhapatnam show a predominant estuarine character and upwelling is not evident. In the northern regions, the flow is directed south...

  17. India-Pakistan: nuclear stability and diplomacy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mishra, Rajesh Kumar

    2005-01-01

    The conceptual discourse, contributed to in the main by Western scholars, on the security and strategic stability of new nuclear weapon states like India and Pakistan seems alarmist. In reality, however, India and Pakistan have been mutually deliberating on various aspects of nuclear confidence-building measures (CBMs). This article is an effort to identify the issues of nuclear security concerns in two spheres - academic and policy formulations. The emphasis is more on the nuclear thinking of the two countries and the diplomatic challenges ahead particularly on the nuclear CBMs. (author)

  18. Distribution challenges and workable solutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Avinash G. Mulky

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available An effective distribution channel can be a source of strategic advantage for companies. However, little research exists about the distribution channel structure in India, which is largely traditional and quite unique. The first part of this round table article provides an overview of distribution channels, particularly their constituents and structure, with a special focus on distribution channels in India. The second part of the article reports on a panel discussion with eminent academic and industry experts on the challenges that companies in India face in designing, constructing, and managing distribution channels on the ground.

  19. Junior medical officer recruitment: challenges and lessons from the Northern Territory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonald, Robert; Sathianathan, Vino

    2007-06-01

    To examine the influence of newspaper and Internet advertising, word-of-mouth endorsement and student experience in attracting applicants for junior medical officer positions in the Northern Territory. A retrospective study. Fifty-four applicants for junior medical officer positions. Proportion of applicants who reported newspaper advertising, Internet advertising, word of mouth or personal experience in attracting their application for an intern or resident medical officer position. Nineteen per cent of applicants saw the newspaper advertisement and 52% of the Internet advertisement. Eighty-seven per cent of applicants were influenced by word-of-mouth endorsement and 52% by student experience in the Northern Territory or Indigenous health. These results suggest that word-of-mouth endorsement has the greatest influence in attracting applicants for junior medical officer positions in Northern Territory hospitals.

  20. Intraseasonal response of the northern Indian Ocean coastal waveguide to the Madden-Julian Oscillation

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Vialard, J.; Shenoi, S.S.C.; Mc; Shankar, D.; Durand, F.; Fernando, V.; Shetye, S.R.

    Author version: Geophys. Res. Lett.: 36(14); 2009; doi:10.1029/2009GL038450; 5 pp Intraseasonal response of Northern Indian Ocean coastal waveguide to the Madden-Julian Oscillation J. Vialard 1 2 , S.S.C Shenoi 2 , J.P. McCreary 3 , D. Shankar 2... involving both equatorial wave dynamics and coastal wave propagation around the perimeter of the northern Indian Ocean [McCreary et al., 1993]. The East India Coastal Current (EICC), for example, is strongly influenced by remote wind forcing from...

  1. Critical challenges affecting Islamic banking growth in India using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP)

    OpenAIRE

    Mosab I. Tabash

    2017-01-01

    The banking sector plays a vital role in growth-supporting factor for economic growth in the world’s fastest-growing economies like India. Recently, Islamic banking has become an increasingly popular method for alleviating poverty, financial inclusion and economic development around the world. Its importance is highly needed in developing and emerging countries such as India. The main purpose of the paper is to identify and prioritize the critical impeding factors for Islamic banking growth i...

  2. A brief history of vaccines & vaccination in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chandrakant Lahariya

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The challenges faced in delivering lifesaving vaccines to the targeted beneficiaries need to be addressed from the existing knowledge and learning from the past. This review documents the history of vaccines and vaccination in India with an objective to derive lessons for policy direction to expand the benefits of vaccination in the country. A brief historical perspective on smallpox disease and preventive efforts since antiquity is followed by an overview of 19 th century efforts to replace variolation by vaccination, setting up of a few vaccine institutes, cholera vaccine trial and the discovery of plague vaccine. The early twentieth century witnessed the challenges in expansion of smallpox vaccination, typhoid vaccine trial in Indian army personnel, and setting up of vaccine institutes in almost each of the then Indian States. In the post-independence period, the BCG vaccine laboratory and other national institutes were established; a number of private vaccine manufacturers came up, besides the continuation of smallpox eradication effort till the country became smallpox free in 1977. The Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI (1978 and then Universal Immunization Programme (UIP (1985 were launched in India. The intervening events since UIP till India being declared non-endemic for poliomyelitis in 2012 have been described. Though the preventive efforts from diseases were practiced in India, the reluctance, opposition and a slow acceptance of vaccination have been the characteristic of vaccination history in the country. The operational challenges keep the coverage inequitable in the country. The lessons from the past events have been analysed and interpreted to guide immunization efforts.

  3. A brief history of vaccines & vaccination in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lahariya, Chandrakant

    2014-04-01

    The challenges faced in delivering lifesaving vaccines to the targeted beneficiaries need to be addressed from the existing knowledge and learning from the past. This review documents the history of vaccines and vaccination in India with an objective to derive lessons for policy direction to expand the benefits of vaccination in the country. A brief historical perspective on smallpox disease and preventive efforts since antiquity is followed by an overview of 19 th century efforts to replace variolation by vaccination, setting up of a few vaccine institutes, cholera vaccine trial and the discovery of plague vaccine. The early twentieth century witnessed the challenges in expansion of smallpox vaccination, typhoid vaccine trial in Indian army personnel, and setting up of vaccine institutes in almost each of the then Indian States. In the post-independence period, the BCG vaccine laboratory and other national institutes were established; a number of private vaccine manufacturers came up, besides the continuation of smallpox eradication effort till the country became smallpox free in 1977. The Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) (1978) and then Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) (1985) were launched in India. The intervening events since UIP till India being declared non-endemic for poliomyelitis in 2012 have been described. Though the preventive efforts from diseases were practiced in India, the reluctance, opposition and a slow acceptance of vaccination have been the characteristic of vaccination history in the country. The operational challenges keep the coverage inequitable in the country. The lessons from the past events have been analysed and interpreted to guide immunization efforts.

  4. The 2017 Academic College of Emergency Experts and Academy of Family Physicians of India position statement on preventing violence against health-care workers and vandalization of health-care facilities in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chauhan, Vivek; Galwankar, Sagar; Kumar, Raman; Raina, Sunil Kumar; Aggarwal, Praveen; Agrawal, Naman; Krishnan, S Vimal; Bhoi, Sanjeev; Kalra, O P; Soans, Santosh T; Aggarwal, Vandana; Kubendra, Mohan; Bijayraj, R; Datta, Sumana; Srivastava, R P

    2017-01-01

    There have been multiple incidents where doctors have been assaulted by patient relatives and hospital facilities have been vandalized. This has led to mass agitations by Physicians across India. Violence and vandalism against health-care workers (HCWs) is one of the biggest public health and patient care challenge in India. The sheer intensity of emotional hijack and the stress levels in both practicing HCWs and patient relative's needs immediate and detail attention. The suffering of HCWs who are hurt, the damage to hospital facilities and the reactionary agitation which affects patients who need care are all together doing everything to damage the delivery of health care and relationship between a doctor and a patient. This is detrimental to India where illnesses and Injuries continue to be the biggest challenge to its growth curve. The expert group set by The Academic College of Emergency Experts and The Academy of Family Physicians of India makes an effort to study this Public Health and Patient Care Challenge and provide recommendations to solve it.

  5. Sustainable development and low carbon growth strategy for India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parikh, Kirit

    2012-01-01

    For India, sustainable strategy means one that is economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. This calls for rapid economic growth to deal with poverty and human development. However, the relatively meagre energy resources of the country pose a huge challenge. At the same time concern for climate change has raised the bar on the use of the one energy resource that India has in some abundance, namely coal. India's strategy for sustainable development has to explore all options of reducing energy needs, enhancing efficiency of use of conventional energy resources and develop new and renewable sources. The paper identifies various technical options, their potential roles and alternative policy measures to realize them in a cost effective manner. Even for the same objectives different policy instruments are available and how one chooses a particular instrument is often critical for the success. Self-implementing incentive compatible policy that does not create vested interests that would get entrenched should be preferred. -- Highlights: ► Energy efficiency is critical for sustainable development. ► India can reduce its emission intensity by 25 % by 2020 as proposed by India at Copenhagen. ► With a more aggressive effort even 35% reduction is attainable even with 8% or 9% growth. ► Energy efficient appliances, vehicles, buildings and industrial processes are needed. ► Policies that incentivize adoption of these pose critical challenges.

  6. Biogeochemical processes in the northern Indian Ocean

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gaye-Haake, B.; Guptha, M.V.S.; Murty, V.S.N.; Ittekkot, V.

    in the northern Indian Ocean’’, and from national research programs of India and Germany con- ducted as a contribution to the international JGOFS Process Study in the Arabian Sea. Addi- tional contributions cover research carried out within India’s Polymetallic... of coccolithophorids in addition to organic carbon and carbonate con- centrations and accumulation rates for a 200ka record Prabhu and Shankar show that glacial stages 2,4 and 6 have had higher productivities in the eastern Arabian Sea at about 151N. They, moreover...

  7. On the possibilities and limits of "DEAF DEAF SAME": Tourism and empowerment camps in Adamorobe (Ghana, Bangalore and Mumbai (India.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michele Ilana Friedner

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This article qualitatively analyzes the ways that the discourse of "deaf universalism" circulates within two common deaf practices: tourism and engaging in interventions. Arguing that the largely Northern-situated discipline of Deaf Studies does not adequately examine how deaf bodies and discourses travel, ethnographic data compiled in India and Ghana during transnational encounters is employed to examine how claims of "sameness" and "difference" are enacted and negotiated. Similarly, this article examines how deaf individuals and groups deploy the concepts of deaf "heavens" and "hells" to analyze their travel experiences and justify interventions. We argue that deaf travelers and those engaging in interventions, mostly from Northern countries, employ teleological concepts that they attempt to impose on deaf "others." Adopting a critical approach, this article argues for the importance of carving out a space within Deaf Studies for allowing non-Northern concepts to come to the fore. Keywords: Deaf, Development, Universalism, Discourse, India, Ghana

  8. Energy in India's Future: Insights

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lesourne, J.; Ramsay, W.C.; Jaureguy-Naudin, Maite; Boillot, Jean-Joseph; Autheman, Nicolas; Ruet, Joel; Siddiqui, Zakaria; Zaleski, C. Pierre; Cruciani, Michel

    2009-01-01

    In the decades following India's independence from British rule in 1947, the West's image of India was summarized in three simple cliches: the world's largest democracy, an impoverished continent, and economic growth hampered by a fussy bureaucracy and the caste system, all in a context of a particular religion. These cliches are perhaps one of the reasons that the success of India's green revolution was recognized so late, a revolution that allowed the country to develop its agricultural sector and to feed its population. Since the 1990's, the easing of planning constraints have liberated the Indian economy and allowed it to embark on a more significant path of growth. New cliches have begun to replace the old: India will become a second China and, lagging by 10 to 20 years, will follow the same trajectory, with its development marked more by services and the use of renewable energy. However, these trends will not prevent primary energy demand from exploding. On the contrary, India faces difficult choices on how it increases clean, secure, affordable energy to all its citizens. Many of the choices are the same as found elsewhere, but on a scale matched only by China. The IFRI European Governance and Geopolitics of Energy Project intends this study to deepen public understanding of the magnitude of India's challenges. Various aspects of the serious energy problems are studied throughout this monograph. The authors have written freely on these matters without attempting to reconcile their different viewpoints. The first chapter, by Maite Jaureguy-Naudin and Jacques Lesourne, presents an overview of India's present and future energy system. The authors follow a prudent but realistic view of India's future. The second chapter, by Jean-Joseph Boillot, a French expert on India who has published several books and articles on this subject, and Nicolas Autheman, research fellow, describes in greater detail the specifics of India's economy and the actors who are now present

  9. Low carbon scenarios for transport in India: Co-benefits analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dhar, Subash; Shukla, P.R.

    2015-01-01

    Dependence on oil for transport is a concern for India's policymakers on three counts – energy security, local environment and climate change. Rapid urbanisation and accompanying motorisation has created some of the most polluting cities in India and rising demand for oil is leading to higher...... imports, besides causing more CO2 emissions. The government of India wants to achieve the climate goals through a sustainability approach that simultaneously addresses other environment and developmental challenges. This paper analyses a sustainable low carbon transport (SLCT) scenario based...

  10. Blue Print to India’s Amphibious Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-01-01

    challenges develop rapidly and have seen India’s armed forces operating tempo increase manifold and operate in countries from Lebanon to Indonesia . These...the force is "breathing, eating, walking, talking, and sleeping" amphibious operations. The force would need to appreciate the vagaries of surf ...mobilized its assets to provide succor .to people not only in India, but also in Sri Lanka, Indonesia , and Maldives. The Indian Navy I I I------ 26

  11. Implementing a sharps injury reduction program at a charity hospital in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gramling, Joshua J; Nachreiner, Nancy

    2013-08-01

    Health care workers in India are at high risk of developing bloodborne infections from needlestick injuries. Indian hospitals often do not have the resources to invest in safety devices and protective equipment to decrease this risk. In collaboration with hospital staff, the primary author implemented a sharps injury prevention and biomedical waste program at an urban 60-bed charity hospital in northern India. The program aligned with hospital organizational objectives and was designed to be low-cost and sustainable. Occupational health nurses working in international settings or with international workers should be aware of employee and employer knowledge and commitment to occupational health and safety. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

  12. Multicenter collaborative for orthopaedic research in India: An opportunity for global leadership

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mathew George

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Road traffic accidents are increasing at an alarming rate and have become a major public health concern in India. In addition, there is a lack of trauma research output and reliable data from India. There are several issues and challenges that have presented an opportunity for researchers and surgeons in India to develop a collaborative aimed at improving the quality and productivity of orthopaedic trauma research. Establishing a network of surgical researchers across India is a necessary first step towards global leadership in orthopaedic surgery trials.

  13. The future of populous economies. China and India shape their destinies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Livernash, R

    1995-01-01

    Population in 1995 was about 1.2 billion in China and about 935 million in India. Populations are expected to reach respectively 1.5 billion and 1.4 billion by 2025. These two countries now and in the future will average about 35% of total world population. This article compares the current and expected demographic, economic, and environmental conditions in China and India. How these countries manage their growth, poverty, and population will affect the region and the world as well as each nation. China's fertility is now below replacement but population momentum will increase population by about 300 million/year. India's fertility is 3.6 children/woman and India will add 450 million/year. China's population over 60 years old will reach 20% by 2020, while India's will be under 15% in 2025. China will be almost 55% urban by 2025 from 30% in the 1990s, and India will be 45% urban from 27% urban. China's economic growth has averaged over 9%/year compared to India's 5% annual growth during the 1980s and the economic decline during the 1990s. China has 12% of rural population living below the poverty line and India has about 33% of its total population impoverished. China's life expectancy is about 10 years higher. Under-five mortality is 43/1000 live births in China and 131/1000 in India. Poverty-related diseases are still high in India. China is a homogenous population with an authoritarian regime. India is a democracy with a large nongovernmental community and a heterogenous population. India has about 33% of the land area of China but over twice the agricultural land per person. About 50% of China's land and only 25% of India's land is irrigated. Water resources are problems in northern China and much of India. Air and water pollution are problems in both countries. Differences in the population-environment-development context are discussed in terms of the effects of poverty, the constraints posed by development, and the environmental impact of rising per capita

  14. Engineering a Woman: Marketing Opportunities and Challenges in India

    OpenAIRE

    Mahajan, Prashant; Golahit, Suresh

    2017-01-01

    International audience; Engineering plays a key role in supporting the growth and development of a country's economy as well as in improving the quality of life for citizens. Most of developed countries witnessed economic growth with the contribution of women in engineering field. In developing countries like India women remained under-utilized resource. Women in engineering are probably the single best investment that can be made in the developing world. There is clearly room for improvement...

  15. Status of sheep sera to bluetongue, peste des petits ruminants and sheep pox in a few northern states of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinayagamurthy Balamurugan

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Bluetongue (BT, peste des petits ruminants (PPR and sheep pox are the most economically important viral diseases of sheep in India. Serum samples obtained from sheep in five northern states of the country were screened for antibody against these agents to explore the extent of spread of these infections. A total of 516 serum samples were screened for the presence of antibodies against BT and PPR viruses. Of these, 155 samples were also tested for antibodies against sheep pox virus. BT antibodies were found in 293 (56.8% animals, PPR virus antibodies in 215 (41.7% and sheep pox virus antibodies in 106 (68.3%. Of the serum samples tested, 25.2% were positive for antibodies against all three viruses. These findings clearly demonstrated not only the enzootic nature of disease, but also the co-existence of antibodies to more than one of these viruses which would indicate that concurrent infections were common. Therefore, control measures should focus in combating all three diseases simultaneously by exploring the possibility of a trivalent vaccine or the use of multiple genes expressing vectored vaccine.

  16. Mental Hospitals in India: Reforms for the future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daund, Muktesh; Sonavane, Sushma; Shrivastava, Amresh; Desousa, Avinash; Kumawat, Sanjay

    2018-02-01

    Mental hospitals are an integral part of mental health services in India. It is an interesting story how mental hospitals have responded to the challenges of contemporary period they were built in. It is beyond doubt that it is a progressive journey along with advances in mental health both in India and internationally. As in other countries, mental hospitals in India have responded to the social challenges, disparities, and poor resources of workforce and fiscal investment. Historically, there have been changes and three major reforms are needed, namely attempt to facilitate discharge and placing patients back into the family, introducing teaching and research in mental hospitals, and accountability to civil rights as per the requirements of the National Human Rights Commission. In this review, we explore the brief history of mental hospitals in India and examine the reforms in the clinical, administrative, and psychosocial areas of these hospitals and progress in teaching and research. We finally summarize and conclude the necessity and the relevance of mental hospitals in India akin to modern psychiatric practice. We believe that mental hospitals have an important and perhaps a central role in mental health services in India. Its modernization to address issues of long-term stay, burden on caregivers, stigma, research and teaching including undergraduate and postgraduate training, new curriculum, and training for nonpsychiatric professionals and primary care physicians are necessary components of the role of mental hospitals and responsibilities of both government and nongovernmental sectors. Last but not the least, it is obligatory for mental hospitals to ensure that evidence-based treatments are implemented and that the standard of care and respect of civil and human rights of the patients and families are provided while involving the people's participation in its functioning.

  17. 'Stratified Contraception': Emergency Contraceptive Pills and Women's Differential Experiences in Contemporary India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheoran, Nayantara

    2015-01-01

    Available without prescriptions in India since 2005, emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) and their advertisements have provided women with increased contraceptive options and a vocabulary to talk about their reproductive lives. I draw on long-term fieldwork with women in urban India about ECPs, demonstrating a new form of 'stratified contraception' enabled by these pills and their advertisements. I posit that there are within India spaces that replicate the luxuries and privileges of the global North. These material conditions, I suggest, are replicated when it comes to contraception as there are hubs of women consumers of contraception and contraceptive advertising that participate in an 'imagined cosmopolitanism' within the global South in close proximity to 'contraceptive ghettos.' Moving beyond simplistic binaries, I outline three major stratifications along which women experience this medical technology and outline the implications for women and their contraceptive choices when notions of northern privilege exist in the 'South.'

  18. Composition and Dynamics of Migratory and Resident Avian Population in Wintering Wetlands from Northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaushalendra Kumar JHA

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Twelve wetlands occurring in four different ecozones in Uttar Pradesh (UP, India, were selected for studying the winter composition and dynamics of avian populations. Wetland information was collected from office records of the UP Forest department. Bird populations were estimated by transect method and block-in-flock-in-sector method for woodland and aquatic birds, respectively. Across the twelve selected wetlands a total of 486,182 individuals belonging to 161 species of birds on 15,592 ha were recorded during the winter of 2010-11. The data were analyzed to assess the relationship between wetland characteristics and avian populations. Aquatic vegetation, surrounding vegetation, water availability and climate were found as important factors related to avian populations. January was found to be the peak of bird assemblage, while winter times before and after January were the waxing and waning period, respectively. Species richness and species diversity of aquatic birds varied between 18-58 and 1.90-3.20, respectively, and of all bird species between 23-109, and 1.73-3.81, respectively. The density of aquatic birds ranged between 17-384 ha-1. The most common migratory birds in wetlands were Northern Pintail, Common Teal and Greylag Goose. Common resident birds included Asian Openbill, Darter, Little Egret, Common Coot, Little Cormorant, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Indian Pond Heron, Common Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Cattle Egret, Indian Sarus Crane and White-throated Kingfisher. For improved conservation of aquatic avian fauna, management prescriptions are suggested for wetlands under current management which could also be extended to other wetlands, whereas conservation of avian fauna to be the emphasis.

  19. Cross-cultural training for Dutch expatriates going to India

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zolingen, S.J. van; Essers, C.; Vermeer, L.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study is to gain insight into the challenges encountered by Dutch expatriates during their stay in India and into how Cross-Cultural Training (CCT) can be improved to help them handle these challenges adequately. For this explorative, in-depth study, CCT was split into five areas:

  20. Global randomized trials: the promise of India and China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perkovic, Vlado; Patil, Vinodvenkatesh; Wei, Liu; Lv, Jicheng; Petersen, Marisa; Patel, Anushka

    2012-07-18

    Although modern clinical trials are traditionally conducted in Western countries, currently there is a shift to involve developing countries, particularly China and India. For these trials, the large population size of India and China means that substantial numbers of individuals affected by rare diseases may be found, increasing the likelihood of successfully completing enrollment in a clinical trial. Furthermore, the increasing involvement of Asian countries in global clinical trials is likely to lead to greater appreciation of the value of evidence-based treatment decisions in the region. These sites are more cost-effective, although this advantage is being eroded over time. Asian participants in clinical trials are also typically more likely to complete study follow-up and procedures, and to adhere to their randomized treatment allocation than individuals from Western countries. Challenges include relevance of the proposed trial to the region, capacity limitations because of undeveloped training, and ensuring research implementation quality and different intellectual property practices. There are specific challenges to conducting clinical trials in India, such as the status of ethics committees, health insurance and coverage for participants, and variability in languages and record-keeping. Challenges in both countries are substantial but are able to be managed with appropriate planning.

  1. Energy Transition for Industry: India and the Global Context

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2011-07-01

    This publication further develops the analysis presented in the India chapter of Energy Technology Perspectives 2010 and provides insights on the implications of achieving deep energy and CO2 emission cuts in the industrial sector both for India and globally. It investigates the least-cost combination of options that can significantly reduce energy and CO2 emissions in India's industrial sector, while enabling the Indian economy to continue to grow and alleviate energy poverty. For India to play its part in helping to realise deep cuts in global CO2 emissions by the middle of the 21st century, it will need to achieve rapid economic development over the next 40 years with only a very small increase in emissions. Currently there is no precedent for such a low-CO2 development path. The challenge for India will be to achieve strong economic growth while improving energy security, but without locking in high emissions.

  2. Meta-analysis of classical swine fever prevalence in pigs in India: A 5-year study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patil, S. S.; Suresh, K. P.; Saha, S.; Prajapati, A.; Hemadri, D.; Roy, P.

    2018-01-01

    Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the overall prevalence of classical swine fever (CSF) in pigs in India, through a systematic review and meta-analysis of published data. Materials and Methods: Consortium for e-Resources in Agriculture, India, Google Scholar, PubMed, annual reports of All India Coordinated Research Project on Animal Disease Monitoring and Surveillance, and All India Animal Disease database of NIVEDI (NADRES) were used for searching and retrieval of CSF prevalence data (seroprevalence, virus antigen, and virus nucleic acid detection) in India using a search strategy combining keywords and related database-specific subject terms from January 2011 to December 2015 in English only. Results: A total of 22 data reports containing 6,158 samples size from 18 states of India were used for the quantitative synthesis, and overall 37% (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.24, 0.51) CSF prevalence in India was estimated. The data were classified into 4 different geographical zones of the country: 20% (95% CI=0.05, 0.55), 31% (95% CI=0.18, 0.47), 55% (95% CI=0.32, 0.76), and 34% (95% CI=0.14, 0.62). CSF prevalence was estimated in northern, eastern, western, and southern regions, respectively. Conclusion: This study indicates that overall prevalence of CSF in India is much lower than individual published reports. PMID:29657420

  3. Potential of organic Rankine cycle technology in India: Working fluid selection and feasibility study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarkar, Jahar; Bhattacharyya, Souvik

    2015-01-01

    India has great potential to employ the ORC (organic Rankine cycle) technology for conversion of low temperature waste heat and renewable energy. In this study, available waste heat and relevant renewable heat sources in India are reviewed and suitable working fluids for ORC have been selected based on operational, environmental and safety criteria. A feasibility study and comparison of selected fluids for ORC is also presented for Indian climates along with discussions on component, operation and cost related aspects. A comprehensive review on available heat sources and sinks shows that India has plenty of waste heat and renewable energy sources for electricity generation by means of ORC; however, condenser operation may be challenging due to wide ambient temperature variation. Appropriate performance comparison among selected working fluids shows that ammonia is the best fluid in terms of net power generation and compactness of turbo-machineries, whereas n-Pentane is the best fluid in terms of thermal efficiency and heat exchanger compactness. Both are recommended as working fluids for ORC installations in India. The study reveals that there is a great opportunity to employ this technology in India provided we have to overcome some challenges related to component selection, finance and maintenance. - Highlights: • Available waste heat and renewable heat energies, and sinks in India are reviewed. • Suitable working fluids are selected by operational, environmental and safety criteria. • A feasibility study and comparison of selected fluids are presented for Indian climates. • Ammonia and n-Pentane are recommended for ORC installation in India. • Challenges related to plant component, operation and cost are discussed.

  4. Operational challenges in conducting a community-based technology-enabled mental health services delivery model for rural India: Experiences from the SMART Mental Health Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maulik, Pallab K; Kallakuri, Sudha; Devarapalli, Siddhardha

    2018-01-01

    Background: There are large gaps in the delivery of mental health care in low- and middle-income countries such as India, and the problems are even more acute in rural settings due to lack of resources, remoteness, and lack of infrastructure, amongst other factors. The Systematic Medical Appraisal Referral and Treatment (SMART) Mental Health Project was conceived as a mental health services delivery model using technology-based solutions for rural India. This paper reports on the operational strategies used to facilitate the implementation of the intervention. Method: Key components of the SMART Mental Health Project included delivering an anti-stigma campaign, training of primary health workers in screening, diagnosing and managing stress, depression and increased suicide risk and task sharing of responsibilities in delivering care; and using mobile technology based electronic decision support systems to support delivery of algorithm based care for such disorders. The intervention was conducted in 42 villages across two sites in the state of Andhra Pradesh in south India. A pre-post mixed methods evaluation was done, and in this paper operational challenges are reported. Results: Both quantitative and qualitative results from the evaluation from one site covering about 5000 adults showed that the intervention was feasible and acceptable, and initial results indicated that it was beneficial in increasing access to mental health care and reducing depression and anxiety symptoms. A number of strategies were initiated in response to operational challenges to ensure smoother conduct of the project and facilitated the project to be delivered as envisaged. Conclusions: The operational strategies initiated for this project were successful in ensuring the delivery of the intervention. Those, coupled with other more systematic processes have informed the researchers to understand key processes that need to be in place to develop a more robust study, that could eventually be

  5. India's participation in the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) collaboration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deshpande, Shishir

    2012-01-01

    Keeping its vision of developing fusion energy as a viable source, India joined the ITER collaboration in December 2005. ITER is a seven party collaboration with China, EU, India, Japan, S. Korea, Russia and the USA. ITER has a challenging mission of achieving Q=10 figure of merit at 500 MW fusion power output. The construction of ITER is structured as a set of 'in-kind' procurement packages to be executed by the partners. This involves all activities like design, prototyping, testing, shipping and assembly with commissioning at the ITER site at Cadarache, France. Currently, ITER presents the only opportunity to carry out novel experiments with burning plasmas and the new realms of fusion physics. It is important to participate in such experiments with a view for their exploitation in future. This talk summarizes the ITER device, its key challenges, role played by India and how these enmesh with the future of domestic program in fusion research. (author)

  6. Sustainability of cement kiln co-processing of wastes in India: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baidya, Rahul; Ghosh, Sadhan Kumar; Parlikar, Ulhas V

    2017-07-01

    Co-processing in cement kiln achieves effective utilization of the material and energy value present in the wastes, thereby conserving the natural resources by reducing the use of virgin material. In India, a number of multifolded initiatives have been taken that take into account the potential and volume of waste generation. This paper studies the factors which might influence the sustainability of co-processing of waste in cement kilns as a business model, considering the issues and challenges in the supply chain framework in India in view of the four canonical pillars of sustainability. A pilot study on co-processing was carried out in one of the cement plant in India to evaluate the environmental performance, economical performance, operational performance and social performance. The findings will help India and other developing countries to introduce effective supply chain management for co-processing while addressing the issues and challenges during co-processing of different waste streams in the cement kilns.

  7. Offshore Wind Potential in South India from Synthetic Aperture Radar

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasager, Charlotte Bay; Bingöl, Ferhat; Badger, Merete

    are from Wide Swath Mode and each cover approximately 400 km by 400 km. The ocean wind speed maps are retrieved and processed at Risø DTU. The results show wind energy density from 200 W/m2 to 500 W/m2 at 10 m height above sea level. QuikSCAT ocean winds are included as background information on the 10......The offshore wind energy potential for pre-feasibility in South India in the area from 77° to 80° Eastern longitude and 7° to 10° Northern latitude is observed from a total of 164 ENVISAT Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) satellite images during the years 2002 to 2011. All satellite scenes......-year mean and a general description of the winds and climate with monsoons in India is presented....

  8. Offshore wind potential in South India from synthetic aperture radar

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hasager, C.B.; Bingoel, F.; Badger, M.; Karagali, I.; Sreevalsan, E.

    2011-10-15

    The offshore wind energy potential for pre-feasibility in South India in the area from 77 deg. to 80 deg. Eastern longitude and 7 deg. to 10 deg. Northern latitude is observed from a total of 164 ENVISAT Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) satellite images during the years 2002 to 2011. All satellite scenes are from Wide Swath Mode and each cover approximately 400 km by 400 km. The ocean wind speed maps are retrieved and processed at Risoe DTU. The results show wind energy density from 200 W/m2 to 500 W/m2 at 10 m height above sea level. QuikSCAT ocean winds are included as background information on the 10-year mean and a general description of the winds and climate with monsoons in India is presented. (Author)

  9. Potential Accession to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement: A Case-Study on India

    OpenAIRE

    Sangeeta Khorana; Sujitha Subramanian

    2012-01-01

    The World Trade Organization (WTO) Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) is a voluntary plurilateral agreement applicable to WTO members that choose to be Parties to the Agreement. Most developing countries, including India, are not members of the GPA. This case study presents an insight into India's current procurement framework, evaluates the prospects for, and comments on the principal constraints and challenges to India's GPA accession. The findings suggest that, though the Indian procur...

  10. Can biofuel crops alleviate tribal poverty in India's drylands?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agoramoorthy, Govindasamy; Hsu, Minna J.; Chaudhary, Sunita; Shieh, Po-Chuen

    2009-01-01

    The on-going climate change concerns have stimulated heavy interest in biofuels, and supporters of biofuels hail that they are considered naturally carbon-neutral. Critiques on the other hand cry that the large-scale production of biofuels can not only strain agricultural resources, but also threaten future food security. People who live in the drylands of India are often faced with challenges and constraints of poverty. Foremost among the challenges are the marginal environmental conditions for agriculture, often influenced by low and erratic rainfall, frequent droughts, poor soil condition, unreliable irrigation water supply, and rural migration to urban areas in search of work. In this paper, we have analyzed a case study of community lift irrigation practiced in India and its impact in boosting agricultural productivity and enhancing local food security. The lift-irrigation model practiced in the drylands of India to grow food crops can be adopted for the expansion of biofuel crops that has the potential to eradicate poverty among farming communities if appropriate sustainable development measures are carefully implemented. (author)

  11. Challenges to Development in India: The Role of Education

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, Rajan

    2006-01-01

    This talk is based on my experiences with issues in development and education in India. I will describe three unfinished journeys: (i) How HIV/AIDS education and awareness lead to a program of 'students as agents of change' through the creation of multimedia presentations on societal issues; (ii) how teaching health to village outreach workers lead to an understanding of adolescent migration from villages to towns in search for jobs and the spectre of alcoholism; and(iii) how teaching health to sex workers in Kolkata lead to an understanding of their closed world.

  12. Challenges to Development in India: The Role of Education

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gupta, Rajan (LANL)

    2006-05-08

    This talk is based on my experiences with issues in development and education in India. I will describe three unfinished journeys: (i) How HIV/AIDS education and awareness lead to a program of 'students as agents of change' through the creation of multimedia presentations on societal issues; (ii) how teaching health to village outreach workers lead to an understanding of adolescent migration from villages to towns in search for jobs and the spectre of alcoholism; and(iii) how teaching health to sex workers in Kolkata lead to an understanding of their closed world.

  13. Mind the gaps: a qualitative study of perceptions of healthcare professionals on challenges and proposed remedies for cervical cancer help-seeking in post conflict northern Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mwaka, Amos D; Wabinga, Henry R; Mayanja-Kizza, Harriet

    2013-12-17

    There are limited data on perceptions of health professionals on challenges faced by cervical cancer patients seeking healthcare in the developing countries. We explored the views of operational level health professionals on perceived barriers to cervical screening and early help-seeking for symptomatic cervical cancer and the proposed remedies to the challenges. Fifteen key informant interviews were held with health professionals including medical directors, gynecologists, medical officers, nurses and midwives in the gynecology and obstetrics departments of two hospitals in northern Uganda during August 2012 to April 2013. We used content analysis techniques to analyze the data. Health professionals' perceived barriers to cervical cancer care included: (i) patients and community related barriers e.g. lack of awareness on cervical cancer and available services, discomfort with exposure of women's genitals and perceived pain during pelvic examinations, and men's lack of emotional support to women (ii) individual healthcare professional's challenges e.g. inadequate knowledge and skills about cervical cancer management; (iii) health facility related barriers e.g. long distances and lack of transport to cervical cancer screening and care centers, few gynecologists and lack of pathologists, delayed histology results, lack of established palliative care services and inadequate pain control; and (iv) health policy challenges e.g. lack of specialized cancer treatment services, and lack of vaccination for human papilloma virus. Other challenges included increased number of cervical cancer patients and late stage of cervical cancer at presentations. Operational level healthcare professionals in northern Uganda reported several practical challenges facing cervical cancer care that influence their decisions, management goals and practices. The challenges and proposed remedies can inform targeted interventions for early detection, management, and control of cervical cancer in

  14. Molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of Orientia tsutsugamushi from patients with scrub typhus in 3 regions of India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varghese, George M; Janardhanan, Jeshina; Mahajan, Sanjay K; Tariang, David; Trowbridge, Paul; Prakash, John A J; David, Thambu; Sathendra, Sowmya; Abraham, O C

    2015-01-01

    Scrub typhus, an acute febrile illness that is widespread in the Asia-Pacific region, is caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi, which displays high levels of antigenic variation. We conducted an investigation to identify the circulating genotypes of O. tsutsugamushi in 3 scrub typhus-endemic geographic regions of India: South India, Northern India, and Northeast India. Eschar samples collected during September 2010-August 2012 from patients with scrub typhus were subjected to 56-kDa type-specific PCR and sequencing to identify their genotypes. Kato-like strains predominated (61.5%), especially in the South and Northeast, followed by Karp-like strains (27.7%) and Gilliam and Ikeda strains (2.3% each). Neimeng-65 genotype strains were also observed in the Northeast. Clarifying the genotypic diversity of O. tsutsugamushi in India enhances knowledge of the regional diversity among circulating strains and provides potential resources for future region-specific diagnostic studies and vaccine development.

  15. Historic distribution and challenges to bison recovery in the northern Chihuahuan Desert

    Science.gov (United States)

    List, Rurik; Ceballos, Gerardo; Curtin, Charles; Gogan, Peter J.; Pacheco, Jesus; Truett, Joe

    2007-01-01

    Ecologists and conservationists have long assumed that large grazers, including bison (Bison bison), did not occur in post-Pleistocene southwestern North America. This perception has been influential in framing the debate over conservation and land use in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. The lack of an evolutionary history of large grazers is being used to challenge the validity of ranching as a conservation strategy and to limit the protection and reintroduction of bison as a significant component of desert grassland ecosystems. Archeological records and historical accounts from Mexican archives from AD 700 to the 19th century document that the historic range of the bison included northern Mexico and adjoining areas in the United States. The Janos-Hidalgo bison herd, one of the few free-ranging bison herds in North America, has moved between Chihuahua, Mexico, and New Mexico, United States, since at least the 1920s. The persistence of this cross-border bison herd in Chihuahuan Desert grasslands and shrublands demonstrates that the species can persist in desert landscapes. Additional lines of evidence include the existence of grazing-adapted grasslands and the results of experimental studies that document declines in vegetation density and diversity following the removal of large grazers. The Janos-Hidalgo herd was formed with animals from various sources at the turn of the 19th century. Yet the future of the herd is compromised by differing perceptions of the ecological and evolutionary role of bison in the Desert Grasslands of North America. In Mexico they are considered native and are protected by federal law, whereas in New Mexico, they are considered non-native livestock and therefore lack conservation status or federal protection. Evidence written in Spanish of the presence of bison south of the accepted range and evidence from the disciplines of archaeology and history illustrate how differences in language and academic disciplines, in addition to

  16. Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): facing the challenges and pathways of global change in the twenty-first century

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groisman, Pavel; Shugart, Herman; Kicklighter, David; Henebry, Geoffrey; Tchebakova, Nadezhda; Maksyutov, Shamil; Monier, Erwan; Gutman, Garik; Gulev, Sergey; Qi, Jiaguo; Prishchepov, Alexander; Kukavskaya, Elena; Porfiriev, Boris; Shiklomanov, Alexander; Loboda, Tatiana; Shiklomanov, Nikolay; Nghiem, Son; Bergen, Kathleen; Albrechtová, Jana; Chen, Jiquan; Shahgedanova, Maria; Shvidenko, Anatoly; Speranskaya, Nina; Soja, Amber; de Beurs, Kirsten; Bulygina, Olga; McCarty, Jessica; Zhuang, Qianlai; Zolina, Olga

    2017-12-01

    During the past several decades, the Earth system has changed significantly, especially across Northern Eurasia. Changes in the socio-economic conditions of the larger countries in the region have also resulted in a variety of regional environmental changes that can have global consequences. The Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI) has been designed as an essential continuation of the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), which was launched in 2004. NEESPI sought to elucidate all aspects of ongoing environmental change, to inform societies and, thus, to better prepare societies for future developments. A key principle of NEFI is that these developments must now be secured through science-based strategies co-designed with regional decision-makers to lead their societies to prosperity in the face of environmental and institutional challenges. NEESPI scientific research, data, and models have created a solid knowledge base to support the NEFI program. This paper presents the NEFI research vision consensus based on that knowledge. It provides the reader with samples of recent accomplishments in regional studies and formulates new NEFI science questions. To address these questions, nine research foci are identified and their selections are briefly justified. These foci include warming of the Arctic; changing frequency, pattern, and intensity of extreme and inclement environmental conditions; retreat of the cryosphere; changes in terrestrial water cycles; changes in the biosphere; pressures on land use; changes in infrastructure; societal actions in response to environmental change; and quantification of Northern Eurasia's role in the global Earth system. Powerful feedbacks between the Earth and human systems in Northern Eurasia (e.g., mega-fires, droughts, depletion of the cryosphere essential for water supply, retreat of sea ice) result from past and current human activities (e.g., large-scale water withdrawals, land use, and governance

  17. Diagnosis and treatment outcome of mycotic keratitis at a tertiary eye care center in eastern india

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rautaraya Bibhudutta

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Mycotic keratitis is an important cause of corneal blindness world over including India. Geographical location and climate are known to influence the profile of fungal diseases. While there are several reports on mycotic keratitis from southern India, comprehensive clinico-microbiological reports from eastern India are few. The reported prevalence of mycotic keratitis are 36.7%,36.3%,25.6%,7.3% in southern, western, north- eastern and northern India respectively. This study reports the epidemiological characteristics, microbiological diagnosis and treatment outcome of mycotic keratitis at a tertiary eye care center in eastern India. Methods A retrospective review of medical and microbiology records was done for all patients with laboratory proven fungal keratitis. Results Between July 2006 and December 2009, 997 patients were clinically diagnosed as microbial keratitis. While no organisms were found in 25.4% (253/997 corneal samples, 23.4% (233/997 were bacterial, 26.4% (264/997 were fungal (45 cases mixed with bacteria, 1.4% (14/997 were Acanthamoeba with or without bacteria and 23.4% (233/997 were microsporidial with or without bacteria. Two hundred fifteen of 264 (81.4%, 215/264 samples grew fungus in culture while 49 corneal scrapings were positive for fungal elements only in direct microscopy. Clinical diagnosis of fungal keratitis was made in 186 of 264 (70.5% cases. The microscopic detection of fungal elements was achieved by 10% potassium hydroxide with 0.1% calcoflour white stain in 94.8%(238/251 cases. Aspergillus species (27.9%, 60/215 and Fusarium species (23.2%, 50/215 were the major fungal isolates. Concomitant bacterial infection was seen in 45 (17.1%, 45/264 cases of mycotic keratitis. Clinical outcome of healed scar was achieved in 94 (35.6%, 94/264 cases. Fifty two patients (19.7%, 52/264 required therapeutic PK, 9 (3.4%, 9/264 went for evisceration, 18.9% (50/264 received glue application with bandage

  18. Burden of asymptomatic malaria among a tribal population in a forested village of central India: a hidden challenge for malaria control in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chourasia, M K; Raghavendra, K; Bhatt, R M; Swain, D K; Valecha, N; Kleinschmidt, I

    2017-06-01

    Chhattisgarh in India is a malaria-endemic state with seven southern districts that contributes approximately 50-60% of the reported malaria cases in the state every year. The problem is further complicated due to asymptomatic malaria cases which are largely responsible for persistent transmission. This study was undertaken in one of the forested villages of the Keshkal subdistrict in Kondagaon district to ascertain the proportion of the population harbouring subclinical malarial infections. Community-based cross-sectional study. Mass blood surveys were undertaken of the entire population of the village in the post-monsoon seasons of 2013 and 2014. Fingerprick blood smears were prepared from individuals of all ages to detect malaria infections in their blood. Individuals with fever at the time of the survey were tested with rapid diagnostic tests, and parasitaemia in thick blood smears was confirmed by microscopy. Malaria-positive cases were treated with anti-malarials in accordance with the national drug policy. Peripheral blood smears of 134 and 159 individuals, including children, were screened for malaria infection in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Overall, the malaria slide positivity rates were 27.6% and 27.7% in 2013 and 2014, respectively, and the prevalence rates of asymptomatic malaria were 20% and 22.8%. This study showed that, for two consecutive years, the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria infection was significantly higher among children aged ≤14 years (34.4% and 34.1% for 2013 and 2014, respectively) compared with adults (15.2% and 18.2% for 2013 and 2014, respectively; P = 0.023 and 0.04, respectively). The number of asymptomatic malaria cases, especially Plasmodium falciparum, is significant, reinforcing the underlying challenge facing the malaria elimination programme in India. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  19. Postgraduate Emergency Medicine Training in India: An Educational Partnership with the Private Sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglass, Katherine; Pousson, Amelia; Gidwani, Shweta; Smith, Jeffrey

    2015-11-01

    Emergency medicine (EM) is a recently recognized specialty in India, still in its infancy. Local training programs are developing, but remain very limited. Private, for-profit hospitals are an important provider of graduate medical education (GME) in India, and are partnering with United States (US) universities in EM to expand training opportunities. Our aim was to describe current private-sector programs affiliated with a US university providing postgraduate EM training in India, the evolution and structure of these programs, and successes and challenges of program implementation. Programs have been established in seven cities in India in partnership with a US academic institution. Full-time trainees have required didactics, clinical rotations, research, and annual examinations. Faculty members affiliated with the US institution visit each program monthly. Regular evaluations have informed program modifications, and a local faculty development program has been implemented. Currently, 240 trainees are enrolled in the EM postgraduate program, and 141 physicians have graduated. A pilot survey conducted in 2012 revealed that 93% of graduates are currently practicing EM, 82% of those in India; 71% are involved in teaching, and 32% in research. Further investigation into programmatic impacts is necessary. Challenges include issues of formal program recognition both in India and abroad. This unique partnership is playing a major early role in EM GME in India. Future steps include official program recognition, expanded numbers of training sites, and a gradual transition of training and education to local faculty. Similar partnership programs may be effective in other settings outside of India. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Challenges in management of tuberculosis under programmatic conditions: Perceptions of health care providers from four states of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ranjith Babu

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Among the global estimation of 10.4 million new cases of Tuberculosis (TB in 2015, 27% of cases are contributed by India. Revised national TB control program (RNTCP started in 1993, and now heading towards for universal access. Despite its achievements, the program faces number of implementation challenges. This qualitative study explored ‘what is healthcare providers take on it?’. Material & Methods: A total of 28 in-depth interviews were conducted in Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Maharashtra from October 2014 to January 2015, under the thematic areas of finance, human resource, and communications. Participants included senior level policy makers like principal secretaries of health, National Health Mission Directors, Director Health Services, state TB officers and district TB officers, medical officers, community volunteers and TB consultants from international agencies. Analytic induction method was used for data analysis. Results: Participants identified many barriers in the overall management and implementation of RNTCP. Convergence of RNTCP needs to be more effective. Inadequate Human resources, issues in public private partnership, insufficient budget allocation and interrupted fund flow, inefficient Information Education and Communication strategy are a few. Conclusion: This study could gather the perspectives of senior health officials, implementers and other stakeholders on challenges in implementation of TB control programme in four states. Challenges perceived by them are vital in strategic revisions of RNTCP.

  1. Challenges in management of tuberculosis under programmatic conditions: Perceptions of health care providers from four states of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ranjith Babu

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Among the global estimation of 10.4 million new cases of Tuberculosis (TB in 2015, 27% of cases are contributed by India. Revised national TB control program (RNTCP started in 1993, and now heading towards for universal access. Despite its achievements, the program faces number of implementation challenges. This qualitative study explored ‘what is healthcare providers take on it?’. Material & Methods: A total of 28 in-depth interviews were conducted in Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Maharashtra from October 2014 to January 2015, under the thematic areas of finance, human resource, and communications. Participants included senior level policy makers like principal secretaries of health, National Health Mission Directors, Director Health Services, state TB officers and district TB officers, medical officers, community volunteers and TB consultants from international agencies. Analytic induction method was used for data analysis. Results: Participants identified many barriers in the overall management and implementation of RNTCP. Convergence of RNTCP needs to be more effective. Inadequate Human resources, issues in public private partnership, insufficient budget allocation and interrupted fund flow, inefficient Information Education and Communication strategy are a few. Conclusion: This study could gather the perspectives of senior health officials, implementers and other stakeholders on challenges in implementation of TB control programme in four states. Challenges perceived by them are vital in strategic revisions of RNTCP.

  2. Proteomics research in India: an update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, Panga Jaipal; Atak, Apurva; Ghantasala, Saicharan; Kumar, Saurabh; Gupta, Shabarni; Prasad, T S Keshava; Zingde, Surekha M; Srivastava, Sanjeeva

    2015-09-08

    After a successful completion of the Human Genome Project, deciphering the mystery surrounding the human proteome posed a major challenge. Despite not being largely involved in the Human Genome Project, the Indian scientific community contributed towards proteomic research along with the global community. Currently, more than 76 research/academic institutes and nearly 145 research labs are involved in core proteomic research across India. The Indian researchers have been major contributors in drafting the "human proteome map" along with international efforts. In addition to this, virtual proteomics labs, proteomics courses and remote triggered proteomics labs have helped to overcome the limitations of proteomics education posed due to expensive lab infrastructure. The establishment of Proteomics Society, India (PSI) has created a platform for the Indian proteomic researchers to share ideas, research collaborations and conduct annual conferences and workshops. Indian proteomic research is really moving forward with the global proteomics community in a quest to solve the mysteries of proteomics. A draft map of the human proteome enhances the enthusiasm among intellectuals to promote proteomic research in India to the world.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics in India. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Identification of locally available structural material as co-substrate for organic waste composting in Tamil Nadu, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Springer, C; Heldt, N

    2016-06-01

    Owing to the lack in structural strength while composting certain kinds of organic wastes, 11 co-substrates were tested that are generally locally available in rural areas of northern Tamil Nadu, India. In addition to the classical composting parameters such as carbon/nitrogen ratio, moisture content, dry matter and organic dry matter, a compression test was conducted to evaluate the structural strength and the suitability as bulking agent for composting processes. Additionally, with respect to the climatic conditions in India, the water holding capacity was also evaluated. © The Author(s) 2016.

  4. A breeding site record of Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus (Aves: Accipitriformes: Accipitridae from Bejjur Reserve Forest, Telangana, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Swetha Stotrabhashyam

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus is, Critically Endangered with few known breeding sites in peninsular India.  We present a previously undocumented Long-billed Vulture breeding site in Bejjur Reserve Forest, Adilabad District, northern Telangana.

  5. Climate Penalty on Air Quality and Human Health in China and India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, M.; Zhang, S.; Garcia-Menendez, F.; Monier, E.; Selin, N. E.

    2017-12-01

    Climate change, favoring more heat waves and episodes of stagnant air, may deteriorate air quality by increasing ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations and high pollution episodes. This effect, termed as "climate penalty", has been quantified and explained by many earlier studies in the U.S. and Europe, but research efforts in Asian countries are limited. We evaluate the impact of climate change on air quality and human health in China and India using a modeling framework that links the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Integrated Global System Model to the Community Atmosphere Model (MIT IGSM-CAM). Future climate fields are projected under three climate scenarios including a no-policy reference scenario and two climate stabilization scenarios with 2100 total radiative forcing targets of 9.7, 4.5 and 3.7 W m-2, respectively. Each climate scenario is run for five representations of climate variability to account for the role of natural variability. Thirty-year chemical transport simulations are conducted in 1981-2010 and 2086-2115 under the three climate scenarios with fixed anthropogenic emissions at year 2000 levels. We find that 2000—2100 climate change under the no-policy reference scenario would increase ozone concentrations in eastern China and northern India by up to 5 ppb through enhancing biogenic emissions and ozone production efficiency. Ozone extreme episodes also become more frequent in these regions, while climate policies can offset most of the increase in ozone episodes. Climate change between 2000 and 2100 would slightly increase anthropogenic PM2.5 concentrations in northern China and Sichuan province, but significantly reduce anthropogenic PM2.5 concentrations in southern China and northern India, primarily due to different chemical responses of sulfate-nitrate-ammonium aerosols to climate change in these regions. Our study also suggests that the mitigation costs of climate policies can be partially offset by health

  6. Psycho-oncology in India: Emerging trends from Kerala

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Venkateswaran Chitra

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available It is estimated that around 2.5 million people suffer from cancer at any given time in India. Almost 80% of patients reach hospitals in advanced stages of the disease. The majority needs palliative care, whereas only a minority of the needy receives this input. The challenge in the developing world is to evolve a culturally and socio-economically appropriate and acceptable system of care, while addressing psychosocial issues along with long-term care needs, that is accessible to the majority of those who need it. The evolution of a specific service for psychosocial care for persons and families started in the 1970s, initial work focusing mainly on research. Contributions from persons in varied topics have been outlined. Only a few organized clinical services function as part of large tertiary hospitals, oncology centers or palliative care units. The emerging trend in Northern Kerala is based on an integrated service linking training, clinical services and research activities which are linked at several levels, involving volunteers in the community. Future hopes lie in developing core groups; establishing specific clinical services liaising with cancer care teams, large scale research projects and discussion with policy makers to develop guidelines at national level.

  7. Occupational noise exposure in small scale hand tools manufacturing (forging) industry (SSI) in Northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Lakhwinder Pal; Bhardwaj, Arvind; Deepak, K K; Bedi, Raman

    2009-08-01

    Occupational noise has been recognized as hazardous for the human beings. A high noise level in forging shops is considered to lower the labour productivity and cause illness however occupational noise is being accepted as an integral part of the job. The present study has been carried out in 5 small scale hand tool forging units (SSI) of different sizes in Northern India in Punjab. Noise levels at various sections were measured. OSHA norms for hearing conservation has been incorporated which includes an exchange rate of 5 dB (A), criterion level at 90 dB (A), criterion time of 8 h, threshold level=80 dB (A), upper limit=140 dB (A) and with F/S response rate. Equivalent sound pressure level (L(eq)) has been measured in various sections of these plants. Noise at various sections like hammer section, cutting presses, punching, grinding and barrelling process was found to be >90 dB (A), which is greater than OSHA norms. A cross-sectional study on the basis of questionnaire has been carried out. The results of which revealed that 68% of the workers are not wearing ear protective equipments out of these 50% were not provided with PPE by the company. About 95% of the workers were suffering speech interference though high noise annoyance was reported by only 20%. It has been established that the maximum noise exposure is being taken by the workers as they are working more than 8h a day for six days per week. More than 90% workers are working 12 to 24 h over time per week which lead to very high noise exposure i.e. 50 to 80% per week higher than exposure time/week in USA or European countries(15, 16)).

  8. Opportunities and challenges related to the development of small modular reactors in mines in the Northern Territories of Canada

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sam-Aggrey, H., E-mail: godfree17@hotmail.com [Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada)

    2016-06-15

    Small modular reactors (SMRs) are being touted as safer, more cost effective, and more flexible than traditional nuclear power plants. Consequently, it has been argued that SMR technology is pivotal to the revitalization of the nuclear industry at the national and global levels. Drawing mainly on previously published literature, this paper explores the opportunities and challenges related to the deployment of SMRs in the northern territories of Canada. The paper examines the potential role of SMRs in providing an opportunity for remote mines in northern Canada to reduce their vulnerability and dependence on costly, high-carbon diesel fuel. The paper also outlines and discusses some of the potential socio-economic barriers that could impede the successful introduction of SMRs in the territories. These issues include: economic factors (such as the price of primary minerals and economics of mineral exploration, and the cost of SMR deployment), the lack of infrastructure in the territories to support mining developments, and the issues pertaining to the social acceptance of nuclear power generation. (author)

  9. India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1985-05-01

    In this discussion of India attention is directed to the following: the people; geography; history; government; political conditions; the economy; foreign relations (Pakistan and Bangladesh, China, and the Soviet Union); defense; and the relations between the US and India. In 1983 India's population was estimated at 746 million with an annual growth rate of 2.24%. The infant mortality rate was estimated at 116/1000 in 1984 with a life expectancy of 54.9 years. Although India occupies only 2.4% of the world's land area, it supports nearly 15% of the world's population. 2 major ethnic strains predominate in India: the Aryan in the north and the Dravidian in the south, although the lines between them are blurred. India dominates the South Asian subcontinent geographically. The people of India have had a continuous civilization since about 2500 B.C., when the inhabitants of the Indus River Valley developed an urban culture based on commerce, trade, and, to a lesser degree, agriculture. This civilization declined about 1500 B.C. and Aryan tribes originating in central Asia absorbed parts of its culture as they spread out over the South Asian subcontinent. During the next few centuries, India flourished under several successive empires. The 1st British outpost in South Asia was established in 1619 at Surat on the northwestern coast of India. The British gradually expanded their influence until, by the 1850s, they controlled almost the entire area of present-day India. Independence was attained on August 15, 1947, and India became a dominion within the Commonwealth of Nations with Jawaharlal Nehru as prime minister. According to its constitution, India is a "sovereign socialist secular democratic republic." Like the US, India has a federal form of government, but the central government in India has greater power in relation to its states, and government is patterned after the British parliamentary system. The Congress Party has ruled India since independence with the

  10. US - India Partnership in Science and Technology, Environment and Health: Opportunities and Challenges

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kulkarni, Satish V [Georgetown University

    2010-10-06

    Today, the US – India strategic partnership is rooted in shared values and is broad in nature and scope, with our two countries working together on global and energy security, climate change and clean environment, life sciences and public health, economic prosperity and trade, and education. A key outcome of this partnership has been the signing of the historic Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal. Science and technology (S&T) have always been important elements of this partnership, and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Indian S&T Minister Kapil Sibal signed an agreement on S&T Cooperation between the two countries in October 2005. In March 2006, recognizing the expanding role of S&T, President George Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh formed a Bi-National S&T Commission and established a Joint S&T Endowment Fund focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialization. In July 2009, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Indian Foreign Minister Krishna signed the Endowment Agreement with a total equivalent funding of $30M (equal contribution from US and India). While these steps take our engagement to new heights, US-India collaboration in S&T is not new and has been ongoing for several decades, principally through agencies like NSF, NIH, EPA, DOE, NASA, NOAA, the PL480 US-India Fund, and the Indian Diaspora. However, acting as a damper, especially during the cold war days, this engagement has been plagued by sanctions and the resulting tensions and mistrust which continue to linger on even today. In this context, several ongoing activities in energy, space, climate change and education will be highlighted. Also, with the S&T and the Civil Nuclear Agreements and climate change as examples, the interplay of science, policy and politics will be discussed.

  11. Surgical interventions for pulmonary tuberculosis in Mumbai, India: surgical outcomes and programmatic challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shirodkar, S; Anande, L; Dalal, A; Desai, C; Corrêa, G; Das, M; Laxmeshwar, C; Mansoor, H; Remartinez, D; Trelles, M; Isaakidis, P

    2016-09-01

    Setting: While surgery for pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is considered an important adjunct for specific cases, including drug-resistant tuberculosis, operational evidence on its feasibility and effectiveness is limited. Objective: To describe surgical outcomes and programmatic challenges of providing surgery for PTB in Mumbai, India. Design: A descriptive study of routinely collected data of surgical interventions for PTB from 2010 to 2014 in two Mumbai hospitals, one public, one private. Results: Of 85 patients, 5 (6%) died and 17 (20%) had complications, with wound infection being the most frequent. Repeat operation was required in 12 (14%) patients. Most procedures were performed on an emergency basis, and eligibility was established late in the course of treatment. Median time from admission to surgery was 51 days. Drug susceptibility test (DST) patterns and final treatment outcomes were not systematically collected. Conclusion: In a high-burden setting such as Mumbai, important data on surgery for PTB were surprisingly limited in both the private and public sectors. Eligibility for surgery was established late, culture and DST were not systematically offered, the interval between admission and surgery was long and TB outcomes were not known. Systematic data collection would allow for proper evaluation of surgery as adjunctive therapy for all forms of TB under programmatic conditions.

  12. Current Status of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices towards Healthcare Ethics among Doctors and Nurses from Northern India - A Multicentre Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mukul Chopra

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Recent raise in litigation againsthealthcare practitioners is definitely an issueof immediate concern and may reflect an in-crease in unethical practices by them. Profes-sional relations between physicians and nursesmay have differences with respect to their atti-tudes towards patient-care. Aim and Objec-tives: To assess the knowledge of, and attitudesto healthcare ethics among north Indian physi-cians and nurses. Material and Methods: Thepresent cross sectional study was carried outamong 298 physicians and 107 nurses of threemedical colleges of northern India in the monthof July-August 2011 using pretested self ad-ministered questionnaire. Data analysis wasdone using SPSS version 20. Result and Con-clusion: There was a statistically significantdifference between the opinion of physiciansand nurses with respect to adherence to confi-dentiality, paternalistic attitude of doctors (doc-tors should do their best for the patient irre-spective of the patient’s opinion, informingclose relatives of a patients for consent proce-dures. The study highlighted gaps in the knowl-edge about practical aspects of health care eth-ics among physicians and nurses which theyencounter in day to day practice at workplace.Measures of workplace education like sensiti-zation workshops, CME’s, conferences onhealth care ethics would assist in bridging thisgap to a certain extent.

  13. Countering Political Risk in Colonial India

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lubinski, Christina; Giacomin, Valeria; Schnitzer, Klara

    challenges, impacted the perception of racial lines of distinctions and re-casted the category “European business.” While internment was perceived and managed as a political risk, the case also shows that it created unexpected networking opportunities, generating a tight community of German businesspeople......Internment in so-called “enemy countries” was a frequent occurrence in the twentieth century and created significant obstacles for multinational enterprises (MNEs). This article focuses on German MNEs in India and shows how they addressed the formidable challenge of the internment...

  14. Hymenolepis diminuta infection in a young boy from rural part of Northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pratibha Mane

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Hymenolepis diminuta (H. diminuta is primarily a parasite of rats and mice. Humans are infected by eating meal contaminated with these arthropods. This infection is not seen commonly in Indian population. We present here a case report of infection with H. diminuta in a young boy from a rural area of the North India.

  15. Unfree markets: socially embedded informal health providers in northern Karnataka, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, Asha; Iyer, Aditi

    2013-11-01

    The dynamics of informal health markets in marginalised regions are relevant to policy discourse in India, but are poorly understood. We examine how informal health markets operate from the viewpoint of informal providers (those without any government-recognised medical degrees, otherwise known as RMPs) by drawing upon data from a household survey in 2002, a provider census in 2004 and ongoing field observations from a research site in Koppal district, Karnataka, India. We find that despite their illegality, RMPs depend on government and private providers for their training and referral networks. Buffeted by unregulated market pressures, RMPs are driven to provide allopathic commodities regardless of need, but can also be circumspect in their practice. Though motivated by profit, their socially embedded practice at community level at times undermines their ability to ensure payment of fees for their services. In addition, RMPs feel that communities can threaten them via violence or malicious rumours, leading them to seek political favour and social protection from village elites and elected representatives. RMPs operate within negotiated quid pro quo bargains that lead to tenuous reciprocity or fragile trust between them and the communities in which they practise. In the context of this 'unfree' market, some RMPs reported being more embedded in health systems, more responsive to communities and more vulnerable to unregulated market pressures than others. Understanding the heterogeneity, nuanced motivations and the embedded social relations that mark informal providers in the health systems, markets and communities they work in, is critical for health system reforms. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Cross-sectional serologic assessment of immunity to poliovirus infection in high-risk areas of northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahl, Sunil; Estívariz, Concepción F; Sutter, Roland W; Sarkar, Bidyut K; Verma, Harish; Jain, Vibhor; Agrawal, Ashutosh; Rathee, Mandeep; Shukla, Hemant; Pathyarch, Surendra K; Sethi, Raman; Wannemuehler, Kathleen A; Jafari, Hamid; Deshpande, Jagadish M

    2014-11-01

    The objectives of this survey were to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies to poliovirus types 1 and 3 and the impact of bivalent (types 1 and 3) oral poliovirus vaccine (bOPV) use in immunization campaigns in northern India. In August 2010, a 2-stage stratified cluster sampling method identified infants aged 6-7 months in high-risk blocks for wild poliovirus infection. Vaccination history, weight and length, and serum were collected to test for neutralizing antibodies to poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3. Seroprevalences of antibodies to poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3 were 98% (95% confidence interval [CI], 97%-99%), 66% (95% CI, 62%-69%), and 77% (95% CI, 75%-79%), respectively, among 664 infants from Bihar and 616 infants from Uttar Pradesh. Infants had received a median of 3 bOPV doses and 2 monovalent type 1 OPV (mOPV1) doses through campaigns and 3 trivalent OPV (tOPV) doses through routine immunization. Among subjects with 0 tOPV doses, the seroprevalences of antibodies to type 3 were 50%, 77%, and 82% after 2, 3, and 4 bOPV doses, respectively. In multivariable analysis, malnutrition was associated with a lower seroprevalence of type 3 antibodies. This study confirmed that replacing mOPV1 with bOPV in campaigns was successful in maintaining very high population immunity to type 1 poliovirus and substantially decreasing the immunity gap to type 3 poliovirus. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

  17. Nitrate levels modulate denitrification activity in tropical mangrove sediments (Goa, India)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Fernandes, S.O.; LokaBharathi, P.A.

    .M., & Bundrick, C.M. (1998). Potential sediment denitrification rates in estuaries of Northern Gulf of Mexico. Journal of environmental quality, 27(4), 859-868. Gruber, N., & Sarmiento, J.L. (1997). Global. Biogeochemical Cycles, 11, 235-266. Hahndel, R... of inorganic nitrogen in mangrove sediments (Terminos Lagoon, Mexico). Limnology and Oceanography, 41, 284-296. Sardessai, S. (1993). Dissolved, particulate and sedimentary humic acids in the mangroves and estuarine ecosystem of Goa, west coast of India...

  18. Genetic diversity of cosaviruses in nonpolio acute flaccid paralysis cases of undefined etiology, Northern India, 2010-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maan, Harjeet Singh; Chowdhary, Rashmi; Shakya, Akhalesh Kumar; Dhole, Tapan N

    2013-09-01

    No cases of wild poliovirus have been reported for more than one and a half years from India. Cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) of undefined etiology continue to occur in the region. Despite the recent discovery of the human Cosavirus (HCoSV) in the feces of children from developing countries, there have been no studies of cosavirus infection in India. To detect and characterize HCoSVs in stool specimens of nonpolio AFP cases by RT-PCR followed by sequencing. A total of 387 fecal samples collected from AFP cases in Uttar Pradesh, India, between May 2010 and April 2011, tested negative on cell culture according to WHO algorithm, were subjected to 5'-UTR region specific RT-PCR followed by sequencing to detect HCoSV. Molecular characterization of HCoSV strains was done by sequencing followed by phylogenetic analysis. 123 (32%) samples tested positive for cosaviruses and 87 (70.7%) were identified for genetic variants by sequencing a 316-nucleotide interval in the partial 5'-UTR region. Cosavirus strains were characterized as putative species HCoSV-A (n=70; 82%), HCoSV-B (n=7; 8%), HCoSV-C (n=1; 1.1) and HCoSV-D (n=4; 4.5%) while 5 (5%) strains remain uncharacterized. The cosavirus infection appeared highest (63.5%) in younger children, and showed a distinct seasonality, with a late summer peak and winter low. This study demonstrates a diversity of cosavirus strains in circulation, and reports the first investigation of HCoSV infection in children with nonpolio acute flaccid paralysis in India. Currently, this study provides baseline data for further studies of HCoSV infections in children with common enteric infections in India. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Northern micro-grid project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Curtis, David; Singh, Bob

    2010-09-15

    The electrical distribution system for the Kasabonika Lake First Nation in northern Ontario (Canada) consumed 1.2 million liters of diesel fuel in 2008, amounting to 3,434 tones of CO2 emissions. The Northern Micro-Grid Project, supported by seven partners, involves integrating renewable generation & storage into the Kasabonika Lake distribution system. Through R&D and demonstration, the objectives are to reduce the amount of diesel consumed, support the distribution system exclusively on renewable resources during light loads, engage and impart knowledge/training to better position the community for future opportunities. The paper will discuss challenges, opportunities and future plans associated with the project.

  20. Microbicides in India-present and future

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nath A

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available India continues to wage a battle against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS epidemic. Despite an array of preventive and control efforts directed against the disease, it continues to finds its way from the high risk groups to the general population. Women are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS because of biological as well as socio-cultural factors. Microbicides appear to provide an attractive option as a means of protection to be used by women. At present, microbicide trials are in study phases I and II in India. The development of an ideal microbicide candidate which would be effective and confirms to user satisfaction poses a major challenge to researchers.

  1. Water–food–energy nexus with changing agricultural scenarios in India during recent decades

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Barik

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Meeting the growing water and food demands in a densely populated country like India is a major challenge. It requires an extensive investigation into the changing patterns of the checks and balances behind the maintenance of food security at the expense of depleting groundwater, along with high energy consumption. Here we present a comprehensive set of analyses which assess the present status of the water–food–energy nexus in India, along with its changing pattern, in the last few decades. We find that with the growth of population and consequent increase in the food demands, the food production has also increased, and this has been made possible with the intensification of irrigation. However, during the recent decade (after 1996, the increase in food production has not been sufficient to meet its growing demands, precipitating a decline in the per-capita food availability. We also find a statistically significant declining trend of groundwater storage in India during the last decade, as derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE satellite datasets. Regional studies reveal contrasting trends between northern and western–central India. North-western India and the middle Ganga basin show a decrease in the groundwater storage as opposed to an increasing storage over western–central India. Comparison with well data reveals that the highest consistency of GRACE-derived storage data with available well measurements is in the middle Ganga basin. After analysing the data for the last 2 decades, we further showcase that, after a drought, the groundwater storage drops but is unable to recover to its original condition even after good monsoon years. The groundwater storage reveals a very strong negative correlation with the electricity consumption for agricultural usage, which may also be considered as a proxy for groundwater pumped for irrigation in a region. The electricity usage for agricultural purposes has an increasing

  2. Water-food-energy nexus with changing agricultural scenarios in India during recent decades

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barik, Beas; Ghosh, Subimal; Saheer Sahana, A.; Pathak, Amey; Sekhar, Muddu

    2017-06-01

    Meeting the growing water and food demands in a densely populated country like India is a major challenge. It requires an extensive investigation into the changing patterns of the checks and balances behind the maintenance of food security at the expense of depleting groundwater, along with high energy consumption. Here we present a comprehensive set of analyses which assess the present status of the water-food-energy nexus in India, along with its changing pattern, in the last few decades. We find that with the growth of population and consequent increase in the food demands, the food production has also increased, and this has been made possible with the intensification of irrigation. However, during the recent decade (after 1996), the increase in food production has not been sufficient to meet its growing demands, precipitating a decline in the per-capita food availability. We also find a statistically significant declining trend of groundwater storage in India during the last decade, as derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite datasets. Regional studies reveal contrasting trends between northern and western-central India. North-western India and the middle Ganga basin show a decrease in the groundwater storage as opposed to an increasing storage over western-central India. Comparison with well data reveals that the highest consistency of GRACE-derived storage data with available well measurements is in the middle Ganga basin. After analysing the data for the last 2 decades, we further showcase that, after a drought, the groundwater storage drops but is unable to recover to its original condition even after good monsoon years. The groundwater storage reveals a very strong negative correlation with the electricity consumption for agricultural usage, which may also be considered as a proxy for groundwater pumped for irrigation in a region. The electricity usage for agricultural purposes has an increasing trend and, interestingly

  3. Nurse migration from India: a literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garner, Shelby L; Conroy, Shelley F; Bader, Susan Gerding

    2015-12-01

    A profound nursing shortage exists in India where nurses are increasingly outmigrating to practice nursing in surrounding countries and abroad. This is important globally because countries with the lowest nursing and healthcare workforce capacities have the poorest health outcomes. This review sought to synthesize and unify the evidence about nurse migration from India and includes a look at nurse retention within India. A comprehensive literature review was performed to synthesize and unify both qualitative and quantitative research. Bibliographic databases searched included CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EconLit using associated keywords for empirical and descriptive literature published between January 2004 and May 2014. Hand searches of the Nursing Journal of India from 2004 to February 2014 and the Journal of Nursing Research Society of India from its inception in 2007-February 2014 were also completed. 29 studies were selected and analyzed for the review. Data were appraised for quality; reduced through sub-categorization; extracted; and coded into a framework. Thematic interpretation occurred through comparing and contrasting performed by multiple reviewers. Findings included an exponential growth in nurse recruitment efforts, nurse migration, and a concomitant growth in educational institutions within India with regional variations in nurse migration patterns. Decision-making factors for migration were based on working conditions, salience of family, and the desire for knowledge, skill, technology, adventure and personal enrichment. Challenges associated with migration included questionable recruiting practices, differing scopes of practice encountered after migration and experiences of racism and cultural differences. A shift toward a positive transformation of nursing status in India has resulted in an increased respect for individual nurses and the profession of nursing. This was attributed to the increased globalization of nursing. Results from this

  4. IDRC and the Government of India announce their renewed support ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2018-02-22

    Feb 22, 2018 ... IDRC and the Government of India announce their renewed support for research ... challenges in areas including agriculture and environment, inclusive economies, and technology and innovation. ... Related content ...

  5. Community and conservation reserves in southern India: status, challenges and opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Kanagavel

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Community Reserves and Conservation Reserves illustrate a community-based co-management model, a first of its kind within the protected area (PA network of India. Such reserves mark a shift towards an inclusive and decentralised approach within PAs in the country. Three such reserves in southern India: the Aghanashini Lion-tailed Macaque Conservation Reserve, Kadalundi-Vallikunnu Community Reserve and Thirupaddaimaradur Conservation Reserve, were selected to examine the reasons for their creation, management and stakeholder dynamics, with an aim to review their productivity and potential replicability. The study was carried out through semi-structured interviews with Forest Department officials, local community members and researchers working in the three reserves. Insufficient interaction between the stakeholders appeared to be a common issue in two reserves. The functioning of the reserves was also influenced, and in some cases negatively affected, by local politics. Financial stability was crucial in the functioning of reserves, as was consistency in interaction and appropriate monitoring of management plans. These elements are recommended for sustaining such reserves and creating community-based management systems for conservation, to support an inclusive approach to PA management.

  6. Northern Land Council v. the Commonwealth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1986-01-01

    The Ranger Project Area in the Northern Territory contains deposits of uranium. By section 5 of the Atomic Energy Amendment Act (No. 2) 1980 the assignment of an agreement between the Commonwealth and joint venturers for the conduct of uranium mining was authorised. The Northern Land Council, representing Aboriginal interests, challenged the validity of the section. It was held that the section was valid. The Council also submitted that, although it had entered into an agreement with the Commonwealth in 1978, the agreement was void or voidable

  7. Consequences of low birth weight, maternal illiteracy and poor access to medical care in rural India: infantile iatrogenic Cushing syndrome

    OpenAIRE

    Karande, Sunil

    2015-01-01

    Home delivery, low birth weight babies and maternal illiteracy among the poor in rural India are frequent. The rural poor prefer to seek healthcare from private providers, most of whom have no formal medical training and buy medicines from private pharmacies without a prescription owing to a weakly regulated environment. This report is of a 4-month-old baby from a remote village in northern India, who presented with exogenous Cushing syndrome. This baby was a full-term low birth weight home d...

  8. Constance Gunderson, Human Trafficking: The Trafficking of Women in Northern Germany for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation. Systematic Overview of Community Based Responses and Challenges (Bremen: Lit Verlag, 2012

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Markus Meckl

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available A review of the following book: Constance Gunderson, Human Trafficking: The Trafficking of Women in Northern Germany for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation. Systematic Overview of Community based responses and challenges (Bremen: Lit Verlag, Bremen 2012

  9. Development of medical writing in India: Past, present and future

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Suhasini

    2017-01-01

    Pharmaceutical medical writing has grown significantly in India in the last couple of decades. It includes preparing regulatory, safety, and publication documents as well as educational and communication material related to health and health-care products. Medical writing requires medical understanding, knowledge of drug development and the regulatory and safety domains, understanding of research methodologies, and awareness of relevant regulations and guidelines. It also requires the ability to analyze, interpret, and present biomedical scientific data in the required format and good writing skills. Medical writing is the fourth most commonly outsourced clinical development activity, and its global demand has steadily increased due to rising cost pressures on the pharmaceutical industry. India has the unique advantages of a large workforce of science graduates and medical professionals trained in English and lower costs, which make it a suitable destination for outsourcing medical writing services. However, the current share of India in global medical writing business is very small. This industry in India faces some real challenges, such as the lack of depth and breadth in domain expertise, inadequate technical writing skills, high attrition rates, and paucity of standardized training programs as well as quality assessment tools. Focusing our time, attention, and resources to address these challenges will help the Indian medical writing industry gain its rightful share in the global medical writing business. PMID:28194338

  10. Clinical research regulation in India-history, development, initiatives, challenges and controversies: Still long way to go

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imran, Mohammed; Najmi, Abul K.; Rashid, Mohammad F.; Tabrez, Shams; Shah, Mushtaq A.

    2013-01-01

    The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and its chairman Drug Controller general of India are bequeathed to protect the citizens from the marketing of unsafe medication. The startling findings, of the 59threport of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, have uncovered the lax standards followed by the regulatory authorities in India. The growing clinical research after the product patents rights for the pharmaceutical industries as per the trade related aspects of intellectual property rights agreement and adverse drug reaction monitoring of the marketed drugs have raised many ethical and regulatory issues regarding the promotion of new drugs in Indian markets. Many controversial group of medicines; unauthorised and irrational FDCs not relevant to India's medical needs, are available which are not sold in any of the countries with matured regulatory bodies. It becomes vital to understand the history, growth and evolution of the regulatory aspects of drugs which are handled by multiple Ministries and Departments of the Government of India. Although amendment to Schedule Y, registration of Contract Research Organisations, registration of Clinical Trials, Speeding up review process, Pharmacovigilance (PhV) programme for India and Inspection of clinical trial sites have been started by the various regulatory agencies. However due to casual approach in marketing approval for sale of the drugs, the unethical steps taken by some pharmaceutical companies and medical practitioners has reiterated the need to get appropriate understanding of present regulation of drugs and clinical research especially regarding the practical rules and regulations. PMID:23559817

  11. Challenges and strategies for sustaining youth-friendly health services - a qualitative study from the perspective of professionals at youth clinics in northern Sweden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomée, Suzanne; Malm, Desiré; Christianson, Monica; Hurtig, Anna-Karin; Wiklund, Maria; Waenerlund, Anna-Karin; Goicolea, Isabel

    2016-12-21

    Youth-friendly health-care services - those that are accessible, acceptable, equitable, appropriate and effective for different youth subpopulations - are beneficial for youth health, but not easy to implement and sustain. Sweden is among the few countries where youth-friendly health-care services have been integrated within the public health system and sustained for a long time. This study explores the challenges and strategies in providing sustainable youth-friendly health-care services, from the perspective of professionals working in youth clinics in northern Sweden. Eleven semi-structured interviews with various health-care professionals working in youth clinics in northern Sweden were conducted. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and analysed using thematic analysis in relation to the World Health Organization domains of youth friendliness. Four themes emerged from the analysis of the data: 1) 'Meeting youths on their own terms - the key to ensuring a holistic and youth-centred care' was related to the acceptability and appropriateness of the services; 2) 'Organizational challenges and strategies in keeping professionals' expertise on youth updated' referred to the domain of effectiveness; 3) 'Youth clinics are accessible for those who know and can reach them' was related to the domains of accessibility and equity, and 4) 'The challenge of combining strong directions and flexibility in diverse local realities' focused on the struggle to sustain the youth clinics organization and their goals within the broader health system. Professionals working in youth clinics are perceived as motivated, interested and knowledgeable about youth, and the clinics ensure confidentiality and a youth-centred and holistic approach. Challenges remain, especially in terms of ensuring equitable access to different youth subpopulations, improving monitoring routines and ensuring training and competence for all professionals, independently of the location and characteristics of

  12. Head Teachers' Views of Oral Health Education in Schools in Tamil Nadu, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veerasamy, Arthi; Gage, Jeffrey; Kirk, Ray

    2018-01-01

    Introduction: Children and young people in India have a high prevalence of dental decay. As part of a broader epidemiological study, we interviewed 10 head teachers to understand the status of, and challenges to, inclusion of oral health education in the curricula of public and private schools in Tamil Nadu, India. Objectives: The two main…

  13. Policy intervention for arsenic mitigation in drinking water in rural habitations in India: achievements and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrivastava, Brajesh K

    2016-10-01

    This article provides updated status of the arsenic affected rural habitations in India, summarizes the policy initiatives of the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation (Government of India), reviews the technologies for arsenic treatment and analyses the progress made by states in tackling arsenic problems in rural habitations. It also provides a list of constraints based on experiences and recommends suggested measures to tackle arsenic problems in an holistic manner. It is expected that the paper would be useful for policy formulators in states, non-government organizations, researchers of academic and scientific institutions and programme managers working in the area of arsenic mitigation in drinking water, especially in developing countries, as it provides better insights compared to other available information in India on mitigating arsenic problems in drinking water in rural areas.

  14. A 20-day period standing oscillation in the northern winter stratosphere

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Hocke

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Observations of the ozone profile by a ground-based microwave radiometer in Switzerland indicate a dominant 20-day oscillation in stratospheric ozone, possibly related to oscillations of the polar vortex edge during winter. For further understanding of the nature of the 20-day oscillation, the ozone data set of ERA Interim meteorological reanalysis is analyzed at the latitude belt of 47.5° N and in the time from 1979 to 2010. Spectral analysis of ozone time series at 7 hPa indicates that the 20-day oscillation is maximal at two locations: 7.5° E, 47.5° N and 60° E, 47.5° N. Composites of the stream function are derived for different phases of the 20-day oscillation of stratospheric ozone at 7 hPa in the Northern Hemisphere. The streamline at Ψ = −2 × 107 m2 s−1 is in the vicinity of the polar vortex edge. The other streamline at Ψ = 4 × 107 m2 s1 surrounds the Aleutian anticyclone and goes to the subtropics. The composites show 20-day period standing oscillations at the polar vortex edge and in the subtropics above Northern Africa, India, and China. The 20-day period standing oscillation above Aral Sea and India is correlated to the strength of the Aleutian anticyclone.

  15. Solar Energy a Path to India's Prosperity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandra, Yogender Pal; Singh, Arashdeep; Kannojiya, Vikas; Kesari, J. P.

    2018-05-01

    Solar energy technology has grabbed a worldwide interest and attention these days. India also, having a huge solar influx and potential, is not falling back to feed its energy demand through non-conventional energy sources such as concentrating solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV). This work will try to add some comprehensive insight on solar energy framework, policy, outlook and socio-economic challenges of India. This includes its prominent areas of working such as grid independent and `utility-scale' power production using CSP or PV power plants, rural as well as urban electrification using PV, solar powered public transportation systems, solar power in agrarian society—water pumping, irrigation, waste management and so on and so forth. Despite the fact that, a vast legion of furtherance and advancement has been done during the last decade of solar energy maturation and proliferation, improvements could be suggested so as to augment the solar energy usage in contrast to conventional energy sources in India.

  16. Good City Governance in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raj Kumar Siwach

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Good governance is identified as imperative for enhancing the performance of Municipal councils in India. This is against the backdrop of mounting service delivery challenges confronting these Municipalities especially in the Haryana province. Using a case-study design, the study assesses performance in the context of basic elements of participative governance, transparency and accountability. The article contributes to growing literature on public sector issues in the discipline.

  17. Reducing malnutrition in India's agri-biodiversity hotspots

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The challenge. Many of India's poor live in rural areas that are heavily dependent on agriculture. Local crops have a rich heritage of genetic diversity, but this diversity is often threatened by government policies that promote rice and wheat cultivation. This results in a disconnect between the high potential of the agricultural ...

  18. Lichens of the Mahabaleshwar Panchgani Ecosensitive zone (MPESZ, Maharashtra, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.S. Pandit

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Mahabaleshwar Panchgani Ecosensitive Zone located in the Northern Western Ghats of India is well known for its rich biodiversity. Rocky plateaus of laterite are a prominent feature of this region along with a mosaic landscape of forest and shrub-savannah vegetation. A checklist of 129 lichen species reported from this region has been compiled based upon primary and secondary data. They are categorized as per forms and substrates. The need for further studies and protection of this rich lichen diversity is emphasized.

  19. Anger and globalization among young people in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suchday, Sonia

    2015-01-01

    This article addresses the challenges faced by youth in developing countries. Using India as an example of a fast-globalizing country, this article highlights the experience and challenges faced by adolescents and emerging adults as they search for their interpersonal and professional identities. The difficulties of defining identity in the context of rapid globalization where people are exposed to diverse cultural forces that may conflict with each other are particularly salient when dealing with anger. Anger frequently results from thwarted wants and needs. In globalizing developing economies, young people often face inequitable access and opportunities that may be cause for distress-anger and depression. However, the skills to deal with anger are frequently culturally determined and may not be effective in situations where multiple cultural rules are operational. For example, India being a collectivist culture traditionally encourages the suppression of anger. However, situations and rules of conduct in a global economic order require the assertive expression of anger and the confrontation of conflict. Research that is methodologically and culturally appropriate is needed in exploring these issues and ameliorating distress associated with inequity, conflicts, and challenges. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. The Dalit Women's Movement in India

    OpenAIRE

    Anandi Collective

    2009-01-01

    The Anandi Collective describes the way feminists and Dalit leaders worked to build a movement of Dalit women. They describe the challenges and successes of the 1,600 Dalit women from a remote area in a very feudal part of India, who have set out to overcome deeply seated prejudices. Development (2009) 52, 208–214. doi:10.1057/dev.2009.21

  1. Most probable mixing state of aerosols in Delhi NCR, northern India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, Parul; Dey, Sagnik; Srivastava, Atul Kumar; Singh, Sachchidanand; Tiwari, Suresh

    2018-02-01

    Unknown mixing state is one of the major sources of uncertainty in estimating aerosol direct radiative forcing (DRF). Aerosol DRF in India is usually reported for external mixing and any deviation from this would lead to high bias and error. Limited information on aerosol composition hinders in resolving this issue in India. Here we use two years of aerosol chemical composition data measured at megacity Delhi to examine the most probable aerosol mixing state by comparing the simulated clear-sky downward surface flux with the measured flux. We consider external, internal, and four combinations of core-shell (black carbon, BC over dust; water-soluble, WS over dust; WS over water-insoluble, WINS and BC over WINS) mixing. Our analysis reveals that choice of external mixing (usually considered in satellite retrievals and climate models) seems reasonable in Delhi only in the pre-monsoon (Mar-Jun) season. During the winter (Dec-Feb) and monsoon (Jul-Sep) seasons, 'WS coating over dust' externally mixed with BC and WINS appears to be the most probable mixing state; while 'WS coating over WINS' externally mixed with BC and dust seems to be the most probable mixing state in the post-monsoon (Oct-Nov) season. Mean seasonal TOA (surface) aerosol DRF for the most probable mixing states are 4.4 ± 3.9 (- 25.9 ± 3.9), - 16.3 ± 5.7 (- 42.4 ± 10.5), 13.6 ± 11.4 (- 76.6 ± 16.6) and - 5.4 ± 7.7 (- 80.0 ± 7.2) W m- 2 respectively in the pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon and winter seasons. Our results highlight the importance of realistic mixing state treatment in estimating aerosol DRF to aid in policy making to combat climate change.

  2. Energy in India's Future: Insights

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lesourne, J.; Ramsay, W.C.; Jaureguy-Naudin, Maite; Boillot, Jean-Joseph; Autheman, Nicolas; Ruet, Joel; Siddiqui, Zakaria; Zaleski, C. Pierre; Cruciani, Michel

    2009-07-01

    In the decades following India's independence from British rule in 1947, the West's image of India was summarized in three simple cliches: the world's largest democracy, an impoverished continent, and economic growth hampered by a fussy bureaucracy and the caste system, all in a context of a particular religion. These cliches are perhaps one of the reasons that the success of India's green revolution was recognized so late, a revolution that allowed the country to develop its agricultural sector and to feed its population. Since the 1990's, the easing of planning constraints have liberated the Indian economy and allowed it to embark on a more significant path of growth. New cliches have begun to replace the old: India will become a second China and, lagging by 10 to 20 years, will follow the same trajectory, with its development marked more by services and the use of renewable energy. However, these trends will not prevent primary energy demand from exploding. On the contrary, India faces difficult choices on how it increases clean, secure, affordable energy to all its citizens. Many of the choices are the same as found elsewhere, but on a scale matched only by China. The IFRI European Governance and Geopolitics of Energy Project intends this study to deepen public understanding of the magnitude of India's challenges. Various aspects of the serious energy problems are studied throughout this monograph. The authors have written freely on these matters without attempting to reconcile their different viewpoints. The first chapter, by Maite Jaureguy-Naudin and Jacques Lesourne, presents an overview of India's present and future energy system. The authors follow a prudent but realistic view of India's future. The second chapter, by Jean-Joseph Boillot, a French expert on India who has published several books and articles on this subject, and Nicolas Autheman, research fellow, describes in greater detail the specifics of India

  3. Gas-charged sediments on the inner continental shelf off western India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Karisiddaiah, S.M.; Veerayya, M.; Vora, K.H.; Wagle, B.G.

    the enormous reserves of methane hydrates in the Arctic (Nisbet, 1989) and elsewhere. Owens et al. (1991) observed that the northern Arabian Sea is an oceanic region of unusually high methane concentrations and fluxes to the atmo- sphere. In view... The western continental shelf of India between IO°N and 22°N is bordered by the Deccan Traps (volcanic rocks) of Cretaceous age towards the north of Goa, whereas Peninsular gneisses, char- nockites and various schistose formations of Archaean age...

  4. Essential Drugs Production in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS: Opportunities and Challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zoheir Ezziane

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this work is to elucidate various essential drugs in the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS countries. It discusses the opportunities and challenges of the existing biotech infrastructure and the production of drugs and vaccines in member states of the BRICS. This research is based on a systematic literature review between the years 2000 and 2014 of documents retrieved from the databases Embase, PubMed/Medline, Global Health, and Google Scholar, and the websites of relevant international organizations, research institutions and philanthropic organizations. Findings vary from one member state to another. These include useful comparison between the BRICS countries in terms of pharmaceuticals expenditure versus total health expenditure, local manufacturing of drugs/vaccines using technology and know-how transferred from developed countries, and biotech entrepreneurial collaborations under the umbrella of the BRICS region. This study concludes by providing recommendations to support more of inter collaborations among the BRICS countries as well as between BRICS and many developing countries to shrink drug production costs. In addition, this collaboration would also culminate in reaching out to poor countries that are not able to provide their communities and patients with cost-effective essential medicines.

  5. Essential drugs production in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS): opportunities and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ezziane, Zoheir

    2014-12-01

    The objective of this work is to elucidate various essential drugs in the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) countries. It discusses the opportunities and challenges of the existing biotech infrastructure and the production of drugs and vaccines in member states of the BRICS. This research is based on a systematic literature review between the years 2000 and 2014 of documents retrieved from the databases Embase, PubMed/Medline, Global Health, and Google Scholar, and the websites of relevant international organizations, research institutions and philanthropic organizations. Findings vary from one member state to another. These include useful comparison between the BRICS countries in terms of pharmaceuticals expenditure versus total health expenditure, local manufacturing of drugs/vaccines using technology and know-how transferred from developed countries, and biotech entrepreneurial collaborations under the umbrella of the BRICS region. This study concludes by providing recommendations to support more of inter collaborations among the BRICS countries as well as between BRICS and many developing countries to shrink drug production costs. In addition, this collaboration would also culminate in reaching out to poor countries that are not able to provide their communities and patients with cost-effective essential medicines.

  6. Prevalence of genotype D in chronic liver disease patients with occult HBV infection in northern region of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meher Rizvi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Etiology of nearly 30% cases of chronic viral hepatitis remains undetected. Occult HBV infection (OBI has emerged as an important clinical entity in this scenario. Apart from prevalence and clinical outcome of OBI patients genotype was determined in northern region of India. Materials and Methods: A total of 847 patients with chronic liver disease (CLD were screened for common viral etiologies and others serological markers of HBV. Amplification of surface, precore and polymerase genes of HBV was performed in patients negative for other etiologies. Genotyping and sequencing of the precore region was performed for OBI cases. Results: Twenty-nine (7.61% cases of OBI were identifiedof which 9 had chronic liver disease (CHD, 11 liver cirrhosis (LC and 9 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC. Majority of OBI cases were detected by amplification of surface gene 26 (89.6%, followed by pre-core gene 12 (41.3%. Their liver functions tests were significantly deranged in comparison to overt HBV cases. IgG anti HBc was present in 8 (27.6% OBI cases. Mutation was observed in 8 (32% in pre-core region at nt. 1896 of overt HBV cases. Genotype D was the predominant genotype. In conclusion: OBI in our study was characterized by predominance of genotype D and more severe clinical and biochemical profile in comparison to overt HBV. IgG anti HBc positivity could be utilized as a marker of OBI. We recommend use of sensitive nested PCR for diagnosis of OBI, amplifying at least surface and precore gene.

  7. A Mesoscale Analysis of Column-Integrated Aerosol Properties in Northern India During the TIGERZ 2008 Pre-Monsoon Period and a Comparison to MODIS Retrievals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giles, D. M.; Holben, B. N.; Tripathi, S. N.; Eck, T. F.; Newcomb, W. W.; Slutsker, I.; Dickerson, R. R.; Thompson, A. M.; Wang, S.-H.; Singh, R. P.; hide

    2010-01-01

    The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) of the northern Indian subcontinent produces anthropogenic pollution from urban, industrial and rural combustion sources nearly continuously and is affected by convection-induced winds driving desert and alluvial dust into the atmosphere during the premonsoon period. Within the IGP, the NASA Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) project initiated the TIGERZ measurement campaign in May 2008 with an intensive operational period from May 1 to June 23, 2008. Mesoscale spatial variability of aerosol optical depth (AOD, tau) measurements at 500mn was assessed at sites around Kanpur, India, with averages ranging from 0.31 to 0.89 for spatial variability study (SVS) deployments. Sites located downwind from the city of Kanpur indicated slightly higher average aerosol optical depth (delta Tau(sub 500)=0.03-0.09). In addition, SVS AOD area-averages were compared to the long-tenn Kanpur AERONET site data: Four SVS area-averages were within +/- 1 cr of the climatological mean of the Kanpur site, while one SVS was within 2sigma below climatology. For a SVS case using AERONET inversions, the 440-870mn Angstrom exponent of approximately 0.38, the 440-870mn absorption Angstrom exponent (AAE) of 1.15-1.53, and the sphericity parameter near zero suggested the occurrence of large, strongly absorbing, non-spherical aerosols over Kanpur (e.g., mixed black carbon and dust) as well as stronger absorption downwind of Kanpur. Furthermore, the 3km and lOkm Terra and Aqua MODIS C005 aerosol retrieval algorithms at tau(sub 550) were compared to the TIGERZ data set. Although MODIS retrievals at higher quality levels were comparable to the MODIS retrieval uncertainty, the total number of MODIS matchups (N) were reduced with subsequent quality levels (N=25, QA>=0; N=9,QA>=l; N=6, QA>=2; N=1, QA=3) over Kanpur during the premonsoon primarily due to the semi-bright surface, complex aerosol mixture and cloud-contaminated pixels. The TIGERZ 2008 data set provided a unique

  8. Public Relations in Contemporary India: Current Demands and Strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Raveena

    2000-01-01

    Discusses India's new direction and the persistent and insistent demand for public relations. Explains the strategic plan of the professional body in running the gauntlet in this new milieu and the pertinaciousness and urgency of the challenges ahead for public relations. (SC)

  9. C-Window Peaks on CE-HPLC are Extremely Rare in Northern India, and Only Infrequently Represent HbC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dass, Jasmita; Mittal, Suchi; Saraf, Amrita; Kotwal, Jyoti

    2018-01-01

    Hemoglobin C (HbC, HBB:c.19G > A) is a structural variant that has been reported rarely from India. This was a retrospective review of all high performance liquid chromatography (HPLCs) submitted over a 14 year period to a tertiary care center in North India with an aim of finding hemoglobins that elute in the C-window. Of the 32,364 HPLCs screened, 6 cases showed peaks in the C-window. Of these 6 cases, only two cases contained hemoglobin C. These was one case each of HbC/β thalassemia and compound heterozygosity for HbC and HbD. There were 4 cases which showed very similar red cell indices and chromatograms with multiple peaks eluting in D-window, C-window and an additional peak with a retention time of 4.74 min. These four cases were compound heterozygous for an α chain variant HbQ-India and a β-chain variant HbD.

  10. Low carbon scenarios for transport in India: Co-benefits analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dhar, Subash; Shukla, Priyadarshi R.

    2015-01-01

    Dependence on oil for transport is a concern for India's policymakers on three counts – energy security, local environment and climate change. Rapid urbanisation and accompanying motorisation has created some of the most polluting cities in India and rising demand for oil is leading to higher imports, besides causing more CO 2 emissions. The government of India wants to achieve the climate goals through a sustainability approach that simultaneously addresses other environment and developmental challenges. This paper analyses a sustainable low carbon transport (SLCT) scenario based on sustainable strategies for passenger and freight mobility, vehicle technologies and fuel using global CO 2 prices that correspond to 2 °C global stabilisation target. The scenarios span from years 2010 to 2050 and are analysed using the energy system model-ANSWER MARKAL. The SLCT scenario has improved energy security (cumulative oil demand lower by 3100 Mtoe), improved air quality (PM 2.5 emissions never exceed the existing levels) and the cumulative CO 2 emissions are lower by 13 billion t CO 2 thereby showing that achieving development objectives with CO 2 co-benefits is feasible. -- Highlights: •India's BAU transitions pose challenges for energy security and climate change. •Sustainable transport policies deliver benefits for air quality and energy security. •Sustainable transport policies fall short of mitigation needed for 2 °C stabilisation. •Transport sector becomes increasingly dependent on electricity. •Low carbon policies are essential to clean transport and electricity generation

  11. Re-Os dating of molybdenites from Southern India: implication for Pan-African metallogeny

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santosh, M.; Suzuki, Katsuhiko; Masuda, Akimasa

    1994-01-01

    Rhenium-osmium (Re-Os) dating of two molybdenite samples from the alkali granite and pegmatite of Ambalavayal in northern Kerala (S. India) yielded ages of 567 ±28 Ma and 566±77 Ma, respectively. These ages closely compare with the previously determined Rb-Sr whole rock age of 595±20 Ma Rb-Sr for granite, and K-Ar biotite age of 560±30 Ma for the pegmatite. Our study provides the first direct determination of the timing of ore mineralization associated with felsic magmatism in southern India, and reveals the fingerprints of a prominent Pan-African metallogenic event. This timing coincides with the formation of rare metal and gemstone-bearing pegmatites in different parts of southern India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar and East Antarctica. In most cases, the mineralizations are genetically related to felsic magmas emplaced along structural conduits, suggesting that the magmatism and metallogeny are related to deep-seated extension in the cratonized crustal segments of the Gondwana assembly. (author). 20 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

  12. Challenges and prospects for wind energy to attain 20% grid penetration by 2020 in India

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Peter Hauge; Natarajan, Anand

    2011-01-01

    With wind energy being the most realistic large-scale renewable energy source in the near future, we examine the target for wind energy penetration in India for 2020. Achieving the target set by the Indian Wind Power Association of 20% wind power grid penetration by 2020 will act as a lighthouse......-scale integration of wind power. In the article, we discuss the trends in the development of wind energy and the factors which we consider decisive for the development of wind power in India. Experiences and policies from Europe and Denmark, where wind power already today contributes 20% to the total electricity...

  13. Processes and challenges of community mobilisation for latrine promotion under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan in rural Odisha, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parimita Routray

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite efforts to eradicate it, open defecation remains widely practiced in India, especially in rural areas. Between 2013 and 2014, 50 villages in one district of Odisha, India, received a sanitation programme under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA – “Clean India Campaign”, the successor of India’s Total Sanitation Campaign. This paper documents the strategies and processes of NBA community mobilisation for latrine promotion in these villages and assesses the strengths and limitations of the mobilisation activities. Methods NBA’s community mobilisation activities were observed and assessed against the programme’s theory of change in 10 randomly selected programme villages from start to finish. Additional data was collected through review of documents, individual interviews (n = 80 and focus group discussions (n = 26 with staff of the implementing NGOs and community members. Results Our study revealed the lack of a consistent implementation strategy, lack of capacities and facilitation skills of NGO staff to implement sanitation programmes, political interference, challenges in accessing government financial incentives for latrine construction, and lack of clarity on the roles and responsibilities among government and NGO staff, leading to failure in translating government policies into sustainable actions. Social divisions and village dynamics related to gender and caste further constrained the effectiveness of mobilisation activities. Meetings were often dominated by male members of upper caste households, and excluded low caste community members and views of women. Community discussions revolved largely around the government’s cash incentive for latrines. Activities aimed at creating demand for sanitation and use of latrines often resonated poorly with community members. An assessment by the implementers, 1 year after community mobilisation found 19% of households had a completed latrine across the 50

  14. Implementation of public health practices in tribal populations of India: challenges and remedies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saurabh Rambiharilal Shrivastava

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Large inequities in health exist between indigenous and non-indigenous populations worldwide. This health divide has also been demonstrated in India, where indigenous groups are officially classified as scheduled tribes (STs. India has one of the largest tribal populations in the world. Tribal communities in general and primitive tribal groups in particular are highly disease prone and their misery is compounded by poverty, illiteracy, ignorance of causes of diseases, hostile environment, poor sanitation, lack of safe drinking water, blind beliefs, etc. As per the estimates of National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3, the likelihood of having received care from a doctor is lowest for ST mothers (only 32.8% compared to India of 50.2%. While many strategies have been attempted over the years to discuss some of the economic, social, and physical factors preventing tribal population to get access to healthcare services, the ultimate outcome has remained far less than the expectations. Considering that these ST groups are culturally and economically heterogeneous, the methods to tackle their health problems should not only be integrated and multi-fold, but also specific to the individual groups as feasibly as possible. Measures like strengthening of the existing human resources, bringing health services within the reach of remote populations, promotion of health awareness, facilitation of community participation using innovative strategies, bringing about a change in the behavior of health care providers, implementation of measures for the empowerment of ethnic groups by carrying out administrative reforms and finally by ensuring the sustainability of all above recommended measures. 

  15. Vegetation dynamics in Bishrampur collieries of northern Chhattisgarh, India: eco-restoration and management perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, A; Jhariya, M K; Yadav, D K; Banerjee, A

    2017-08-01

    Phytosociological study in and around reclaimed coal mine site is an essential requirement for judging restoration impact on a disturbed site. Various studies have been aimed towards assessing the impact of different restoration practices on coal mine wastelands. Plantation scheme in a scientific way is the most suitable approach in this context. During the present investigation, an effort have been made to assess the vegetation dynamics through structure, composition, diversity, and forest floor biomass analysis in and around Bishrampur collieries, Sarguja division, northern Chhattisgarh, India. We have tried to develop strategies for eco-restoration and habitat management of the concerned study sites. Four sites were randomly selected in different directions of the study area. We classified the vegetation community of the study sites into various strata on the basis of height. Two hundred forty quadrats were laid down in various directions of the study area to quantify vegetation under different strata. During our investigation, we found eight different tree species representing four families in the different study sites. The density of the various tree species ranged between 40 and 160 individuals ha -1 . The density of sapling, seedling, shrub, and herb ranged between 740 and 1620; 2000 and 6000; 1200 and 2000; and 484,000 and 612,000 individuals ha -1 , respectively, in different directions. The diversity indices of the tree reflected highest Shannon index value of 1.91. Simpsons index ranged between 0.28 and 0.50, species richness ranged between 0.27 and 0.61, equitability up to 1.44, and Beta diversity ranged between 2.00 and 4.00. Total forest floor biomass ranged between 4.20 and 5.65 t/ha among the study sites. Highest forest floor biomass occurred in the south direction and lowest at east direction. Total forest floor biomass declined by 6.19% in west, 13.10% in north, and 25.66% in east direction, respectively. The mining activities resulted

  16. Intensified summer monsoon and the urbanization of Indus Civilization in northwest India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixit, Yama; Hodell, David A; Giesche, Alena; Tandon, Sampat K; Gázquez, Fernando; Saini, Hari S; Skinner, Luke C; Mujtaba, Syed A I; Pawar, Vikas; Singh, Ravindra N; Petrie, Cameron A

    2018-03-09

    Today the desert margins of northwest India are dry and unable to support large populations, but were densely occupied by the populations of the Indus Civilization during the middle to late Holocene. The hydroclimatic conditions under which Indus urbanization took place, which was marked by a period of expanded settlement into the Thar Desert margins, remains poorly understood. We measured the isotopic values (δ 18 O and δD) of gypsum hydration water in paleolake Karsandi sediments in northern Rajasthan to infer past changes in lake hydrology, which is sensitive to changing amounts of precipitation and evaporation. Our record reveals that relatively wet conditions prevailed at the northern edge of Rajasthan from ~5.1 ± 0.2 ka BP, during the beginning of the agricultural-based Early Harappan phase of the Indus Civilization. Monsoon rainfall intensified further between 5.0 and 4.4 ka BP, during the period when Indus urban centres developed in the western Thar Desert margin and on the plains of Haryana to its north. Drier conditions set in sometime after 4.4 ka BP, and by ~3.9 ka BP an eastward shift of populations had occurred. Our findings provide evidence that climate change was associated with both the expansion and contraction of Indus urbanism along the desert margin in northwest India.

  17. Analysis of pastoralists' perception on challenges and opportunities for sheep and goat production in Northern Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdilatif, Mohamed Haji; Onono, Joshua Orungo; Mutua, Florence Kanini

    2018-05-16

    Small ruminants' production contributes to livelihood of pastoral communities, but this faces myriad constraints. This study aimed at identifying challenges facing producers of small ruminants, prioritizing diseases and their control measures and documenting opportunities for improvement. Sixteen focus group discussions with livestock owners and 13 key informant interviews were done in selected areas in Mandera County, Northern Kenya, and both quantitative and qualitative data collected using a questionnaire guide. Occurrences of diseases (27.4%) and drought (25%) were consistently ranked high in all groups. Other production challenges included increased predation of livestock, inadequate delivery of veterinary services, and increased livestock mortalities. Peste des Petit ruminants was ranked high with a median rank of 21.5%, while contagious caprine pleuropneumonia and sheep and goat pox were ranked second and third, respectively. Other diseases included tick-borne diseases, helminthosis, and pneumonia. Vaccination was ranked as the most effective control strategy for infectious diseases. Other control measures included recitation of Quran and cauterization. However, several opportunities exist for support of small ruminants' production: increased budgetary allocation for disease control by government, initiation of projects that enhance livestock production in the region by government and its development partners. These findings are useful for policy makers for disease control and organizations that are working on projects that focuses on enhancement of pastoralists' resilience, while future research could also identify appropriate technologies that reduces these impacts.

  18. Strengthening diabetes retinopathy services in India: Qualitative insights into providers' perspectives: The India 11-city 9-state study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nanda Kishore Kannuri

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Context: There is a lack of evidence on the subjective aspects of the provider perspective regarding diabetes and its complications in India. Objectives: The study was undertaken to understand the providers' perspective on the delivery of health services for diabetes and its complications, specifically the eye complications in India. Settings and Design: Hospitals providing diabetic services in government and private sectors were selected in 11 of the largest cities in India, based on geographical distribution and size. Methods: Fifty-nine semi-structured interviews conducted with physicians providing diabetes care were analyzed all interviews were recorded, transcribed, and translated. Nvivo 10 software was used to code the transcripts. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. Results: The results are presented as key themes: “Challenges in managing diabetes patients,” “Current patient management practices,” and “Strengthening diabetic retinopathy (DR services at the health systems level.” Diabetes affects people early across the social classes. Self-management was identified as an important prerequisite in controlling diabetes and its complications. Awareness level of hospital staff on DR was low. Advances in medical technology have an important role in effective management of DR. A team approach is required to provide comprehensive diabetic care. Conclusions: Sight-threatening DR is an impending public health challenge that needs a concerted effort to tackle it. A streamlined, multi-dimensional approach where all the stakeholders cooperate is important to strengthening services dealing with DR in the existing health care setup.

  19. Human development, poverty, health & nutrition situation in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antony, G M; Laxmaiah, A

    2008-08-01

    Human development index (HDI) is extensively used to measure the standard of living of a country. India made a study progress in the HDI value. Extreme poverty is concentrated in rural areas of northern States while income growth has been dynamic in southern States and urban areas. This study was undertaken to assess the trends in HDI, human poverty index (HPI) and incidence of poverty among Indian states, the socio-economic, health, and diet and nutritional indicators which determine the HDI, changes in protein and calorie adequacy status of rural population, and also trends in malnutrition among children in India. The variations in socio-economic, demographic and dietary indicators by grades of HDI were studied. The trends in poverty and nutrition were also studied. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis were done to analyse data. While India's HDI value has improved over a time; our rank did not improve much compared to other developing countries. Human poverty has not reduced considerably as per the HPI values. The undernutrition among preschool children is still a major public health problem in India. The incidence of poverty at different levels of calorie requirement has not reduced in both rural and urban areas. The time trends in nutritional status of pre-school children showed that, even though, there is an improvement in stunting over the years, the trend in wasting and underweight has not improved much. Proper nutrition and health awareness are important to tackle the health hazards of developmental transition. Despite several national nutrition programmes in operation, we could not make a significant dent in the area of health and nutrition. The changing dietary practices of the urban population, especially the middle class, are of concern. Further studies are needed to measure the human development and poverty situation of different sections of the population in India using an index, which includes both income indicators and non income

  20. Community health workers in rural India: analysing the opportunities and challenges Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) face in realising their multiple roles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saprii, Lipekho; Richards, Esther; Kokho, Puni; Theobald, Sally

    2015-12-09

    Globally, there is increasing interest in community health worker's (CHW) performance; however, there are gaps in the evidence with respect to CHWs' role in community participation and empowerment. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), whose roles include social activism, are the key cadre in India's CHW programme which is designed to improve maternal and child health. In a diverse country like India, there is a need to understand how the ASHA programme operates in different underserved Indian contexts, such as rural Manipur. We undertook qualitative research to explore stakeholders' perceptions and experiences of the ASHA scheme in strengthening maternal health and uncover the opportunities and challenges ASHAs face in realising their multiple roles in rural Manipur, India. Data was collected through in-depth interviews (n = 18) and focus group discussions (n = 3 FGDs, 18 participants). Participants included ASHAs, key stakeholders and community members. They were purposively sampled based on remoteness of villages and primary health centres to capture diverse and relevant constituencies, as we believed experiences of ASHAs can be shaped by remoteness. Data were analysed using the thematic framework approach. Findings suggested that ASHAs are mostly understood as link workers. ASHA's ability to address the immediate needs of rural and marginalised communities meant that they were valued as service providers. The programme is perceived to be beneficial as it improves awareness and behaviour change towards maternal care. However, there are a number of challenges; the selection of ASHAs is influenced by power structures and poor community sensitisation of the ASHA programme presents a major risk to success and sustainability. The primary health centres which ASHAs link to are ill-equipped. Thus, ASHAs experience adverse consequences in their ability to inspire trust and credibility in the community. Small and irregular monetary incentives demotivate

  1. Decreasing Indian summer monsoon on the northern Indian sub-continent during the last 180 years: evidence from five tree-ring cellulose oxygen isotope chronologies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Chenxi; Sano, Masaki; Priyadarshan Dimri, Ashok; Ramesh, Rengaswamy; Nakatsuka, Takeshi; Shi, Feng; Guo, Zhengtang

    2018-05-01

    We have constructed a regional tree-ring cellulose oxygen isotope (δ18O) record for the northern Indian sub-continent based on two new records from northern India and central Nepal and three published records from northwestern India, western Nepal and Bhutan. The record spans the common interval from 1743 to 2008 CE. Correlation analysis reveals that the record is significantly and negatively correlated with the three regional climatic indices: all India rainfall (AIR; r = -0.5, p changes in the ISM. The record exhibits significant interannual and long-term variations. Interannual changes are closely related to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which indicates that the ISM was affected by ENSO in the past. However, the ISM-ENSO relationship was not consistent over time, and it may be partly modulated by Indian Ocean sea surface temperature (SST). Long-term changes in the regional tree-ring δ18O record indicate a possible trend of weakened ISM intensity since 1820. Decreasing ISM activity is also observed in various high-resolution ISM records from southwest China and Southeast Asia, and may be the result of reduced land-ocean thermal contrasts since 1820 CE.

  2. Confronting the climate change challenge: discussing the role of rural India under cumulative emission budget approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaechele, Harald; Amjath-Babu, T.S.; Kutter, Thomas; Specht, Kathrin; Nautiyal, Sunil; Müller, Klaus; Raju, K.V.

    2011-01-01

    Current global climate policy architecture does not aim at stabilizing the greenhouse gases concentration in the atmosphere that may achieve the proclaimed 2 °C guard rail. An alternative approach that targets on limiting the global cumulative emission to accomplish such an outcome is put forward by German Advisory Board of Global Change (WBGU). This research work further elaborates the approach and its flexibility instrument i.e. carbon trading. As the approach visualises sharing of the carbon budget (750Gt CO 2 ) equally to every human being (2.7 t CO 2 per capita), India is the country with largest tradable surplus reflecting its low emission per capita and large population. The research work further analyzes the emission profile of rural India and the significance of its future emission pathways within the proposed framework. It also shows how low carbon development in India can assist in cost effective decarbonization of industrialized countries and mitigation of climate change, given a global climate treaty based on the WBGU approach.

  3. Impact of climate change and anthropogenic pressure on the water resources of India: challenges in management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Shadananan Nair

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Freshwater resources of India are getting fast degraded and depleted from the changing climate and pressure of fast rising population. Changing intensity and seasonality of rainfall affect quantity and quality of water. Most of the rivers are polluted far above safety limits from the untreated domestic, industrial and agricultural effluents. Changes in the intensity, frequency and tracks of storms salinate coastal aquifers. Aquifers are also under the threat from rising sea level. Groundwater in urban limits and industrial zones are far beyond safety limits. Large-scale destruction of wetlands for industries and residential complexes has affected the quality of surface and groundwater resources in most parts of India. Measures to maintain food security and the new developments schemes such as river linking will further deteriorate the water resources. Falling water availability leads to serious health issues and various socio-economic issues. India needs urgent and appropriate adaptation strategies in the water sector.

  4. Impact of climate change and anthropogenic pressure on the water resources of India: challenges in management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shadananan Nair, K.

    2016-10-01

    Freshwater resources of India are getting fast degraded and depleted from the changing climate and pressure of fast rising population. Changing intensity and seasonality of rainfall affect quantity and quality of water. Most of the rivers are polluted far above safety limits from the untreated domestic, industrial and agricultural effluents. Changes in the intensity, frequency and tracks of storms salinate coastal aquifers. Aquifers are also under the threat from rising sea level. Groundwater in urban limits and industrial zones are far beyond safety limits. Large-scale destruction of wetlands for industries and residential complexes has affected the quality of surface and groundwater resources in most parts of India. Measures to maintain food security and the new developments schemes such as river linking will further deteriorate the water resources. Falling water availability leads to serious health issues and various socio-economic issues. India needs urgent and appropriate adaptation strategies in the water sector.

  5. Nuclear energy and challenges for India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamalapur, Gopalkrishna Dhruvaraj

    2017-01-01

    The challenge for the nuclear community is to assure that nuclear power remains a viable option in meeting the energy requirements of the next century. It could be a major provider of electricity for base load as well as for urban transport in megacities. It can play a role in non-electric applications in district heating, process industries, maritime transport. (author)

  6. Health care and equity in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balarajan, Yarlini; Selvaraj, S; Subramanian, S V

    2011-01-01

    India’s health system faces the ongoing challenge of responding to the needs of the most disadvantaged members of Indian society. Despite progress in improving access to health care, inequalities by socioeconomic status, geography and gender continue to persist. This is compounded by high out-of-pocket expenditures, with the rising financial burden of health care falling overwhelming on private households, which account for more than three-quarter of health spending in India. Health expenditures are responsible for more than half of Indian households falling into poverty; the impact of this has been increasing pushing around 39 million Indians into poverty each year. In this paper, we identify key challenges to equity in service delivery, and equity in financing and financial risk protection in India. These include imbalanced resource allocation, limited physical access to quality health services and inadequate human resources for health; high out-of-pocket health expenditures, health spending inflation, and behavioral factors that affect the demand for appropriate health care. Complementing other paper in this Series, we argue for the application of certain principles in the pursuit of equity in health care in India. These are the adoption of equity metrics in monitoring, evaluation and strategic planning, investment in developing a rigorous knowledge-base of health systems research; development of more equity-focused process of deliberative decision-making in health reform, and redefinition of the specific responsibilities and accountabilities of key actors. The implementation of these principles, together with strengthening of public health and primary care services, provide an approach for ensuring more equitable health care for India’s population. PMID:21227492

  7. Extent of Anaemia among Preschool Children in EAG States, India: A Challenge to Policy Makers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Rakesh Kumar; Patra, Shraboni

    2014-01-01

    Background. India is the highest contributor to child anemia. About 89 million children in India are anemic. The study determines the factors that contributed to child anemia and examines the role of the existing programs in reducing the prevalence of child anemia particularly in the EAG states. Methods. The data from the latest round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) is used. Simple bivariate and multinomial logistics regression analyses are used. Results. About 70% children are anemic in all the EAG states. The prevalence of severe anemia is the highest (6.7%) in Rajasthan followed by Uttar Pradesh (3.6%) and Madhya Pradesh (3.4%). Children aged 12 to 17 months are significantly seven times (RR = 7.99, P children of 36 to 59 months. Children of severely anemic mothers are also found to be more severely anemic (RR = 15.97, P children of not anemic mothers. Conclusions. The study reveals that the existing government program fails to control anemia among preschool children in the backward states of India. Therefore, there is an urgent need for monitoring of program in regular interval, particularly for EAG states to reduce the prevalence of anemia among preschool children. PMID:25140250

  8. Challenges, coping strategies, and unmet needs of families with a child with autism spectrum disorder in Goa, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Divan, Gauri; Vajaratkar, Vivek; Desai, Miraj U; Strik-Lievers, Luisa; Patel, Vikram

    2012-06-01

    Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are increasingly recognized in developing countries like India. However, little is known about the experiences of parents raising a child with ASD. This study aimed to describe the experiences of families in Goa, India with a view to understanding the unmet needs of families raising a child with ASD. Twenty in-depth interviews and nine focus group discussions were carried out with families of children with ASD and key community stakeholders such as special educators, teachers, and parents of typically developing children. This qualitative data was triangulated to explore the experiences, life impact, and unmet needs of raising a child with ASD. Key findings suggest that raising a child with ASD puts a tremendous strain on families due to competing commitments, often leading to initial social withdrawal with later reintegration into social networks. Second, the impact is multidimensional, involving the personal sphere but also extending into the wider community with negative experiences of discrimination. Third, parents actively respond to these challenges through a range of approaches with help from existing and new social support networks and health care providers. Fourth, professionals from the health, education, and religious sectors have a low awareness of the unique needs of families living with ASD which leads to a considerable economic and emotional burden on families. Finally, as a consequence of these experiences, several unmet needs can be identified, notably for supporting increasingly isolated families and the limited access to multidisciplinary evidence-based services for ASD. Autism Res 2012, 5: 190-200. © 2012 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2012 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Preparing your Offshore Organization for Agility: Experiences in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srinivasan, Jayakanth

    Two strategies that have significantly changed the way we conventionally think about managing software development and sustainment are the family of development approaches collectively referred to as agile methods, and the distribution of development efforts on a global scale. When you combine the two strategies, organizations have to address not only the technical challenges that arise from introducing new ways of working, but more importantly have to manage the 'soft' factors that if ignored lead to hard challenges. Using two case studies of distributed agile software development in India we illustrate the areas that organizations need to be aware of when transitioning work to India. The key issues that we emphasize are the need to recruit and retain personnel; the importance of teaching, mentoring and coaching; the need to manage customer expectations; the criticality of well-articulated senior leadership vision and commitment; and the reality of operating in a heterogeneous process environment.

  10. Climate Change and Health in India

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    “Climate change is the defining challenge of our age” Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary – General (2007) · Slide 3 · Slide 4 · Slide 5 · Slide 6 · Slide 7 · Slide 8 · All Hazard Hotspots/Population Density · Heat Waves · Heat Waves in India · Extreme Weather Events · Extreme weather Events · Slide 14 · 'All time record rain in ...

  11. Exploring Water Resources as a Study Abroad Experience in Northern India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vulava, V. M.; Callahan, T. J.

    2013-12-01

    Water and environmental resources are of high interest for students at the College of Charleston. These issues are covered in varying levels of detail in the Geology Department in introductory to advanced courses, some of which include field and laboratory components. While courses stress the importance of understanding global water resource issues, students are rarely given hands-on exposure beyond local problems. To address this, we designed a course that explored water resource issues along the entire length of the Ganges River from headwaters to the mouth, a region in which water is seen as a critical economic, environmental, and cultural resource. The 2500-km long Ganges River in northern India is stressed due to large demand and cyclical, yet unpredictable, supply. This region has a population of over 700 million who speak different languages, have diverse cultures, and varied states of development, economic access, and planning, and diverse geologic and ecological settings. Poor river management, inconsistent precipitation during monsoons likely affected by climate change and pollution from insufficient waste management practices and a burgeoning population has resulted in additional stress on the river and its ecosystems. A three-week travel-intensive study abroad course covered three important reaches of the river in the headwaters (Himalayan glaciers, steep mountain landscapes, and large hydroelectric dams in Uttarakhand state), the plains (industrial heartland and large population centers in Uttar Pradesh state), and the mouth (coastal development, Sunderbans mangrove forest, and coastal hazards near Bay of Bengal in West Bengal state). The course was timed to coincide with the pre-monsoon summer season to show students the importance of the monsoon season to this region. The course had two modules: (1) water resource and hydrology principles that delve into specific issues, including impacts of river management for economic development and associated

  12. Effects of agriculture crop residue burning on aerosol properties and long-range transport over northern India: A study using satellite data and model simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vijayakumar, K.; Safai, P. D.; Devara, P. C. S.; Rao, S. Vijaya Bhaskara; Jayasankar, C. K.

    2016-09-01

    Agriculture crop residue burning in the tropics is a major source of the global atmospheric aerosols and monitoring their long-range transport is an important element in climate change studies. In this paper, we study the effects of agriculture crop residue burning on aerosol properties and long-range transport over northern India during a smoke event that occurred between 09 and 17 November 2013, with the help of satellite measurements and model simulation data. Satellite data observations on aerosol properties suggested transport of particles from agriculture crop residue burning in Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) over large regions. Additionally, ECMWF winds at 850 hPa have been used to trace the source, path and spatial extent of smoke events. Most of the smoke aerosols, during the study period, travel from a west-to-east pathway from the source-to-sink region. Furthermore, aerosol vertical profiles from CALIPSO show a layer of thick smoke extending from surface to an altitude of about 3 km. Smoke aerosols emitted from biomass burning activity from Punjab have been found to be a major contributor to the deterioration of local air quality over the NE Indian region due to their long range transport.

  13. Acceptability of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Implementation Challenges Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in India: A Qualitative Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakrapani, Venkatesan; Newman, Peter A; Shunmugam, Murali; Mengle, Shruta; Varghese, Jarvis; Nelson, Ruban; Bharat, Shalini

    2015-10-01

    This qualitative study explored the acceptability of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among MSM in India, and identified facilitators and barriers to future PrEP uptake. In 2014, we conducted 10 focus groups (n=61) among a purposive sample of diverse MSM recruited through community-based organizations in Chennai and Mumbai, and 10 key informant interviews with community leaders and health care providers. Participants' mean age was 26.1 years (SD 4.8); 62% completed secondary education, and 42% engaged in sex work. No focus group participants had heard of PrEP, but once explained, most reported they would likely use it. PrEP was alternately perceived as a 'back-up plan', a condom substitute, or a burden with concurrent condom use. Facilitators were potential for covert use, sex without condoms, and anxiety-less sex. Potential barriers emerged around stigma associated with PrEP use, fear of disclosures to one's family, wife, or male steady partner, and being labeled as HIV-positive or promiscuous by peers. Preferences emerged for intermittent rather than daily PrEP use, injectable PrEP, and free or subsidized access through community organizations or government hospitals. Key informants expressed additional concerns about risk compensation, non-adherence, and impact on ART availability for treatment. Demonstration projects are needed in India to support PrEP implementation tailored for at-risk MSM. Educational interventions for MSM should address concerns about PrEP effectiveness, side effects, and mitigate risk compensation. Community engagement may facilitate broad acceptability and challenge stigma around PrEP use. Importantly, provision of free or subsidized PrEP is necessary to making implementation feasible among low socioeconomic status MSM in India.

  14. An addition to the known range of Marumba irata Joicey & Kaye, 1917 (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae in northeastern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alka Vaidya

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available A species of moth belonging to the family Sphingidae, Marumba irata Joicey & Kaye, 1917, was sighted in Nagaland and Manipur, reported here as the first records from northeastern India and extension of the known distribution range of the species westward from its earlier known distribution in Myanmar, and from the south-eastern parts of China and northern Vietnam.  

  15. India's growing clinical research sector: opportunity for global companies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varawalla, Nermeen

    2007-06-01

    Backed by a compelling foundation of essential requirements necessary for effective clinical trial conduct, and aided by initiatives that address concerns of data quality, regulatory timelines and IP protection, the clinical development sector in India has experienced annual revenue growth rates of 25% in the past two to three years, and is poised to participate substantially in global drug development. As both clinical trial sponsors and CROs increase their research capabilities in India, the clinical development sector is facing challenges with staff resourcing and facilities. Existing initiatives in the clinical sector must continue, and further investment must be made by stakeholders to overcome the current limitations in sector growth. Furthermore, global organizations seeking to derive long-term sustainable revenue growth and competitive advantage in the global marketplace from their business units in India must establish an appropriate organizational culture and an effective intra-organizational and industry interface for their operations.

  16. Transactional sex and the challenges to safer sexual behaviors: a study among male sex workers in Chennai, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biello, Katie B; Thomas, Beena E; Johnson, Blake E; Closson, Elizabeth F; Navakodi, Pandiaraja; Dhanalakshmi, A; Menon, Sunil; Mayer, Kenneth H; Safren, Steven A; Mimiaga, Matthew J

    2017-02-01

    Male sex workers (MSW) are a significant but invisible population in India who are at risk for HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Few studies from India have documented HIV risk factors and motivations for sex work in this population. Between 2013 and 2014, a community-based convenience sample of 100 MSW in Chennai (south India) completed a baseline risk assessment as part of a behavioral intervention. Participants were ≥18 years, and reported current sex work. We report medians and proportions, and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests are used to examine differences between sex work and sexual behavior measures by income source. Participants were engaged in sex work for 5.0 years (IQR = 2.3-10.0), and earned 3000 (IQR = 2000-8000) Rupees (India engage in high levels of sexual risk for HIV/STIs. Money appears to be a driving factor for engaging in sex work and condomless sex with clients. HIV prevention interventions with MSW should focus on facilitating skills that will support their ability to negotiate sexual safety in the context of monetary disincentives.

  17. Assisted reproductive technology in India: A 3 year retrospective data analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Narendra Malhotra

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Assisted reproductive technology (ART has grown by leaps and bounds in the last few years. India has one of the highest growths in the ART centers and the number of ART cycles performed every year. Very soon India will be the leader in the world of ART in terms of a number of cycles. With the advances of technology and availability of techniques even in tier II and tier III cities our country, the results still vary dramatically. There is no standardization of protocols and reporting is very inadequate. Furthermore, there are only ART guidelines and no law still exists. Our first and the biggest challenge is to document the tremendous work being done in India and on the basis of analysis of this work, a proper registry can be made and guidance given to all on standardization and improvement. This is the 8 th edition of National ART Registry of India being presented and analyzed.

  18. Geological and Rock Mechanics Perspectives for Underground Coal Gasification in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Ajay K.; Singh, Rajendra

    2017-07-01

    The geological resources of coal in India are more than 308 billion tonnes upto a depth of 1200 m, out of which proved reserve has been reported at around 130 billion tonnes. There is an increasing requirement to increase the energy extraction efficiency from coal as the developmental prospects of India increase. Underground coal gasification (UCG) is a potential mechanism which may be utilized for extraction of deep-seated coal reserves. Some previous studies suggest that lignites from Gujarat and Rajasthan, along with tertiary coals from northeastern India can be useful from the point of view of UCG. We discuss some geological literature available for these areas. Coming to the rock mechanics perspectives, during UCG the rock temperature is considerable high. At this temperature, most empirical models of rock mechanics may not be applied. In this situation, the challenges for numerical modelling of UCG sites increases manifold. We discuss some of the important modelling geomechanical issues related to UCG in India.

  19. The Contemporary Women's Movement and Women's Education in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Ila

    1998-01-01

    Examines how the contemporary women's movement in India (1975-present) has addressed the issue of women's education. Highlights contributions of the 19th-century social-reformist movement and the nationalist movement. Details the role of the contemporary women's movement in redefining knowledge and the curriculum. Concludes with challenges facing…

  20. Prevalence and risk factors for neurological disorders in children aged 6 months to 2 years in northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Rashmi; Bhave, Anupama; Bhargava, Roli; Agarwal, Girdhar G

    2013-04-01

    To study prevalence and risk factors for neurological disorders--epilepsy, global developmental delay, and motor, vision, and hearing defects--in children aged 6 months to 2 years in northern India. A two-stage community survey for neurological disorders was conducted in rural and urban areas of Lucknow. After initial screening with a new instrument, the Lucknow Neurodevelopment Screen, screen positives and a random proportion of screen negatives were validated using predefined criteria. Prevalence was calculated by weighted estimates. Demographic, socio-economic, and medical risk factors were compared between validated children who were positive and negative for neurological disorders by univariate and logistic regression analysis. Of 4801 children screened (mean age [SD] 15.32mo [5.96]; 2542 males, 2259 females), 196 were positive; 190 screen positives and 269 screen negatives were validated. Prevalence of neurological disorders was 27.92 per 1000 (weighted 95% confidence interval 12.24-43.60). Significant risk factors (p≤0.01) for neurological disorders were higher age in months (p=0.010), lower mean number of appliances in the household (p=0.001), consanguineous marriage of parents (p=0.010), family history of neurological disorder (p=0.001), and infants born exceptionally small (parental description; p=0.009). On logistic regression, the final model included age (p=0.0193), number of appliances (p=0.0161), delayed cry at birth (p=0.0270), postneonatal meningoencephalitis (p=0.0549), and consanguinity (p=0.0801). Perinatal factors, lower socio-economic status, and consanguinity emerged as predictors of neurological disorders. These factors are largely modifiable. © The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology © 2013 Mac Keith Press.

  1. Measurment of radon, thoron and their progeny in indoor environment of Mohali, Punjab, Northern India, using pinhole dosimeters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehta Vimal

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The health hazards of radon and its decay products above certain levels are well known. However, for any preventive measures to be taken, we have to be aware of radon levels of that particular area. Measurement of radon and its decay products in indoor environments is an important aspect of assessing indoor air quality and health conditions associated with it. Keeping this in mind, measurements of radon, thoron and their progeny concentrations were carried out in Mohali, Northern India, using pinhole-based twin cup dosimeters. Radon exhalation rates of soil samples in the dwellings/areas were measured via an active technique of a continuous radon monitor. The indoor radon concentration in Mohali varied from 15.03 ± 0.61 Bq/m3 to 39.21 ± 1.46 Bq/m3 with an average of 26.95 Bq/m3 ,while thoron concentration in the same dwellings varied from 9.62 ± 0.54 Bq/m3 to 52.84 ± 2.77 Bq/m3 with an average of 31.09 Bq/m3. Radon progeny levels in dwellings under study varied from 1.63 to 4.24 mWL, with an average of 2.94 mWL, while thoron progeny levels varied from 0.26 to 1.43 mWL , with an average of 0.84 mWL. The annual dose received by the inhabitants of dwellings under study varied from 0.78 to 2.36 mSv, with an average of 1.61 mSv. The in situ gamma dose rate varied from 0.12 to 0.32 mSv/h.

  2. Urinary tract infection among pregnant women at a secondary level hospital in Northern India

    OpenAIRE

    Shashi Kant; Ayush Lohiya; Arti Kapil; Sanjeev Kumar Gupta

    2017-01-01

    Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) during pregnancy is frequently associated with complications. Currently, in India, there is no regular screening for UTI, and facility for diagnosis of UTI is not available at peripheral government health centers. Objective: To estimate the proportion of pregnant women with UTI among antenatal clinic attendees in rural Haryana. Methods: Eligible participants were pregnant women attending antenatal clinic of secondary care center of rural Haryana from ...

  3. Gambling experiences, problems and policy in India: a historical analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benegal, Vivek

    2013-12-01

    This paper seeks to provide a historical overview of gambling and contemporary anti-gambling legislation in India. Based on a review of available literature, including historical sources, publications in the lay press and internet sources, this paper draws together evidence to present a synopsis of gambling and anti-gambling measures from antiquity to present times. Gambling is a popular pastime and has been a ubiquitous part of daily life from antiquity until the present. Archaic laws, framed in the 19th century, still regulate gambling in India, with a formal ban on most forms of gambling. This has created a huge illegal gambling market, with its attendant problems. Recent developments, including an explosion of sports betting operations (especially in cricket) and internet betting sites, are challenging the status quo and leading to calls for legalizing gambling. Concern for the consequences of pathological/ problem gambling is conspicuous by its absence in popular discourse and academic research. Despite the importance and longevity of the practice of gambling in the daily life of India, and the opposition to it, due to the potential for individual and societal harm there is a surprising lack of contemporary curiosity and scholarly literature on pathological gambling from the region. The prohibitions against gambling are being increasingly challenged to change to a system of legalized gambling. To inform and guide public policy and future legislation, there is a serious need to initiate rational, scientific enquiries into the nature and impact of gambling in India. © 2012 The Author, Addiction © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  4. From 5 Million to 20 Million a Year: The Challenge of Scale, Quality and Relevance in India's TVET

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehrotra, Santosh

    2014-01-01

    In the first decade of this century, India became one of the world's fastest growing large economies, and began to face serious skill-related shortages of workers. Its TVET system has not responded adequately to the growth in demand for semi-skilled and skilled workers. This article describes six sets of reforms that India's educational planners…

  5. Potato processing scenario in India: Industrial constraints, future projections, challenges ahead and remedies - A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marwaha, R S; Pandey, S K; Kumar, Dinesh; Singh, S V; Kumar, Parveen

    2010-03-01

    Indian potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) processing industry has emerged fast due to economic liberalization coupled with growing urbanization, expanding market options and development of indegenous processing varieties. India's first potato processing varieties 'Kufri Chipsona-1' and 'Kufri Chipsona-2' were developed in 1998, followed by an improved processing variety 'Kufri Chipsona-3' in 2005 for the Indian plains and first chipping variety 'Kufri Himsona' for the hills. These varieties have >21% tuber dry matter content, contain low reducing sugars (products. The availability of these varieties and standardization of storage techniques for processing potatoes at 10-12°C with sprout suppressant isopropyl N-(3-chlorophenyl) carbamate have revolutionized the processing scenario within a short span of 10 years. Currently about 4% of total potato produce is being processed in organized and unorganized sector. Potato processing industry mainly comprises 4 segments: potato chips, French fries, potato flakes/powder and other processed products. However, potato chips still continue to be the most popular processed product. The major challenge facing the industries lies in arranging round the year supply of processing varieties at reasonable price for their uninterrupted operation, besides several others which have been discussed at length and addressed with concrete solutions.

  6. Indian heavy water programme - challenges and opportunities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aruldoss Kanthiah, W.S.

    2010-01-01

    Discovery of fission of uranium in 1939 opened up hitherto unknown possibilities for utilising the fission energy for use of mankind, mainly for the production of and electrical energy. It was realised that this nuclear energy could be an ideal substitute for the fast depleting fossil fuels which would one day get exhausted. Two main concepts of nuclear power reactor got evolved, one enriched uranium fuelled, ordinary water moderated reactor and another natural uranium fuelled heavy water moderated reactor. The concentration of uranium 235 U needed for ordinary water moderated reactors is 3% but the naturally occurring uranium in India contains only 0.7% of 235 U. The reactors utilising natural uranium as fuel require Heavy Water as moderator. The processing of uranium ore to achieve from 0.7% to 3% is highly complex. Recognising the fact that India has limited uranium resources but rich thorium resources, Dr. Bhabha formulated a three stage nuclear power generation programme for our country. The first generation reactors can use natural uranium as fuel with heavy water as moderator. Since the technology to generate such large scale heavy water to match the urgent need for nuclear power generation was not indigenously available, the technology available with Canada and France was utilised for installation of first generation heavy water plants in India. However, the peaceful nuclear experiment conducted by India in 1974 caused resentment among the countries that supplied Heavy Water technology to India and they stopped all technological help and assistance in nuclear field. Thereafter, it was the story of India going alone in heavy water production. That made India meets successfully all challenges on the way to installation, commissioning and sustained operation of all plants. Today we have six operating Heavy Water plants, spread all over the country. We have reached a stage, a change from a situation of crunch to a level of not only self sufficiency but to a

  7. Illegal pangolin trade in northernmost Myanmar and its links to India and China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingxia Zhang

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The northern Myanmar region has been identified as a potential transit and source place for the illegal trade of pangolins and their scales. In this study, we surveyed the trade links between Kachin State (northern Myanmar and China and Kachin and India based on interviews, market surveys and online seizure data. From our results we cannot extrapolate that there is a link between Myanmar and India. Based on the results from interviews (17 of 38, we found that around 140–168 pangolins/year are smuggled into China via three different routes from Kachin to China. Scales are the most traded parts of pangolins in this part of Myanmar. Based on the online sources, 30 seizures of pangolin and their products were made on the Kachin–China route during 2010–2016, with all seizures made on the Chinese side of the border. We thus, recommend an increase in law enforcement on the Myanmar side, with focused effort at identifying trade hubs and deterring wholesalers. We further suggest investigating possible trade links between Kachin and other source areas. We recommend, a reclassification of the pangolins’ protection status in China from a Class II to a Class I Key Protected Species, and the prohibition of the use of pangolins’ scales for Traditional Chinese Medicine.

  8. Oblique strike-slip motion off the Southeastern Continental Margin of India: Implication for the separation of Sri Lanka from India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desa, Maria Ana; Ismaiel, Mohammad; Suresh, Yenne; Krishna, Kolluru Sree

    2018-05-01

    The ocean floor in the Bay of Bengal has evolved after the breakup of India from Antarctica since the Early Cretaceous. Recent geophysical investigations including updated satellite derived gravity map postulated two phases for the tectonic evolution of the Bay of Bengal, the first phase of spreading occurred in the NW-SE direction forming its Western Basin, while the second phase occurred in the N-S direction resulting in its Eastern Basin. Lack of magnetic data along the spreading direction in the Western Basin prompted us to acquire new magnetic data along four tracks (totaling ∼3000 km) to validate the previously identified magnetic anomaly picks. Comparison of the synthetic seafloor spreading model with the observed magnetic anomalies confirmed the presence of Mesozoic anomalies M12n to M0 in the Western Basin. Further, the model suggests that this spreading between India and Antarctica took place with half-spreading rates of 2.7-4.5 cm/yr. The trend of the fracture zones in the Western Basin with respect to that of the Southeastern Continental Margin of India (SCMI) suggests that SCMI is an oblique transform margin with 37° obliquity. Further, the SCMI consists of two oblique transform segments separated by a small rift segment. The strike-slip motion along the SCMI is bounded by the rift segments of the Northeastern Continental Margin of India and the southern margin of Sri Lanka. The margin configuration and fracture zones inferred in its conjugate Western Enderby Basin, East Antarctica helped in inferring three spreading corridors off the SCMI in the Western Basin of the Bay of Bengal. Detailed grid reconstruction models traced the oblique strike-slip motion off the SCMI since M12n time. The strike-slip motion along the short northern transform segment ended by M11n time. The longer transform segment, found east of Sri Lanka lost its obliquity and became a pure oceanic transform fault by M0 time. The eastward propagation of the Africa

  9. Operational challenges in conducting a community-based technology-enabled mental health services delivery model for rural India: Experiences from the SMART Mental Health Project [version 1; referees: 2 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pallab K. Maulik

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: There are large gaps in the delivery of mental health care in low- and middle-income countries such as India, and the problems are even more acute in rural settings due to lack of resources, remoteness, and lack of infrastructure, amongst other factors. The Systematic Medical Appraisal Referral and Treatment (SMART Mental Health Project was conceived as a mental health services delivery model using technology-based solutions for rural India. This paper reports on the operational strategies used to facilitate the implementation of the intervention. Method: Key components of the SMART Mental Health Project included delivering an anti-stigma campaign, training of primary health workers in screening, diagnosing and managing stress, depression and increased suicide risk and task sharing of responsibilities in delivering care; and using mobile technology based electronic decision support systems to support delivery of algorithm based care for such disorders. The intervention was conducted in 42 villages across two sites in the state of Andhra Pradesh in south India. A pre-post mixed methods evaluation was done, and in this paper operational challenges are reported. Results: Both quantitative and qualitative results from the evaluation from one site covering about 5000 adults showed that the intervention was feasible and acceptable, and initial results indicated that it was beneficial in increasing access to mental health care and reducing depression and anxiety symptoms. A number of strategies were initiated in response to operational challenges to ensure smoother conduct of the project and facilitated the project to be delivered as envisaged. Conclusions: The operational strategies initiated for this project were successful in ensuring the delivery of the intervention. Those, coupled with other more systematic processes have informed the researchers to understand key processes that need to be in place to develop a more robust study, that

  10. On Race and Recruiting Practices in Foreign Firms in India

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lubinski, Christina

    This paper deals with Human Resource Management (HRM) in German multinationals in India before 1947. It identifies the most important HR challenges and how they changed over time, responding to recent calls for a stronger historical contextualization of HRM research. Drawing on theoretical concepts...

  11. Conducting pharmaceutical R&D in India - Critical components of entry strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gulati, Rajiv

    2008-11-01

    In the face of challenges associated with expiring patents, the rising cost of R&D and pressure on pricing, most major pharmaceutical companies are seeking ways to enhance productivity, reduce costs and augment the late-stage new-product pipeline. Exploiting the R&D capabilities in India is one option that can be helpful in achieving these goals. However, considering the challenges involved, important considerations must be incorporated to ensure that an appropriate R&D strategy is meticulously implemented. In creating suitable strategies, it is important to understand the historical perspective that provides insight into the relative strengths of companies in India across the R&D value chain. In addition, the ability of a company to take risks and commit to a long-term investment will largely determine the model that is selected. To implement a given model, an understanding of cultural differences and infrastructural challenges that must be overcome is extremely important. The ultimate factor that determines success or failure, however, lies within the organization. Preparing an organization by establishing appropriate structures and processes is imperative.

  12. Wind energy centre at Gujarat State, India. Business plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Hulle, F.; Jansen, J.C.; Prasad, N.S.; Suresh, R.

    1997-07-01

    The report describes the business plan for the establishment of a Wind Energy Centre in Gujarat. This Wind Energy Center has to provide a reliable delivery of a range of development and technical quality assurance services to the wind energy industry in northern India on the basis of sustained operations and recovery of all operating costs and - contingent on the way the Centre is financed - at least part of the initial investment costs. Core activities of the Wind Energy Centre are: Research and development supporting activities for the wind energy sector; Testing and certification of wind energy equipment; Consultancy, monitoring and information services; and Training courses on wind energy technology and implementation. The wind energy centre aims with its services at a number of customers: the manufacturing industry, wind farm developers and governmental authorities. An exploration of the market for the services of the envisaged wind energy centre shows that the concept is financially viable. A set of assumptions has been made about the growth rate of the installed wind power capacity in Northern India and about the number of wind turbine manufacturing companies in the target area of the centre. From these assumptions the total number of new wind turbine types coming on the Indian market annually is derived for a period of ten years. These figures have served as a basis for the determination of the required manpower and facilities of the centre for design and development support activities, feasibility and siting studies, testing and certification. Furthermore a projection has been made for providing expert manpower capacity for carrying out R and D, consultancy and other services. 14 tabs., 1 ref

  13. Seasonal cycle of sea level and currents along the coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Shankar, D.

    on their right (in the northern hemisphere). Their offshore e-folding scale varies with: latitude, but is of the order of 100 km. SPECIAL SECTION: Figure 6. Annual cycle of surface circulation simulated by a 1? -layer dynamical reduced-gravity model of the Indian... FEBRUARY 2000 PERSPECTIVES ON OCEAN RESEARCH IN INDIA e-folding scale of the order of 100 km, and they are not resolved by the gridded altimeter data. Numerical models developed in the 1990s have been fairly successful in simulating the basic features...

  14. Modelling Hotspots for Invasive Alien Plants in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adhikari, Dibyendu; Tiwary, Raghuvar; Barik, Saroj Kanta

    2015-01-01

    Identification of invasion hotspots that support multiple invasive alien species (IAS) is a pre-requisite for control and management of invasion. However, till recently it remained a methodological challenge to precisely determine such invasive hotspots. We identified the hotspots of alien species invasion in India through Ecological Niche Modelling (ENM) using species occurrence data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). The predicted area of invasion for selected species were classified into 4 categories based on number of model agreements for a region i.e. high, medium, low and very low. About 49% of the total geographical area of India was predicted to be prone to invasion at moderate to high levels of climatic suitability. The intersection of anthropogenic biomes and ecoregions with the regions of 'high' climatic suitability was classified as hotspot of alien plant invasion. Nineteen of 47 ecoregions of India, harboured such hotspots. Most ecologically sensitive regions of India, including the 'biodiversity hotspots' and coastal regions coincide with invasion hotspots, indicating their vulnerability to alien plant invasion. Besides demonstrating the usefulness of ENM and open source data for IAS management, the present study provides a knowledge base for guiding the formulation of an effective policy and management strategy for controlling the invasive alien species.

  15. What controls the seasonal cycle of columnar methane observed by GOSAT over different regions in India?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandra, Naveen; Hayashida, Sachiko; Saeki, Tazu; Patra, Prabir K.

    2017-10-01

    Methane (CH4) is one of the most important short-lived climate forcers for its critical roles in greenhouse warming and air pollution chemistry in the troposphere, and the water vapor budget in the stratosphere. It is estimated that up to about 8 % of global CH4 emissions occur from South Asia, covering less than 1 % of the global land. With the availability of satellite observations from space, variability in CH4 has been captured for most parts of the global land with major emissions, which were otherwise not covered by the surface observation network. The satellite observation of the columnar dry-air mole fractions of methane (XCH4) is an integrated measure of CH4 densities at all altitudes from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. Here, we present an analysis of XCH4 variability over different parts of India and the surrounding cleaner oceanic regions as measured by the Greenhouse gases Observation SATellite (GOSAT) and simulated by an atmospheric chemistry-transport model (ACTM). Distinct seasonal variations of XCH4 have been observed over the northern (north of 15° N) and southern (south of 15° N) parts of India, corresponding to the peak during the southwestern monsoon (July-September) and early autumn (October-December) seasons, respectively. Analysis of the transport, emission, and chemistry contributions to XCH4 using ACTM suggests that a distinct XCH4 seasonal cycle over northern and southern regions of India is governed by both the heterogeneous distributions of surface emissions and a contribution of the partial CH4 column in the upper troposphere. Over most of the northern Indian Gangetic Plain regions, up to 40 % of the peak-to-trough amplitude during the southwestern (SW) monsoon season is attributed to the lower troposphere ( ˜ 1000-600 hPa), and ˜ 40 % to uplifted high-CH4 air masses in the upper troposphere ( ˜ 600-200 hPa). In contrast, the XCH4 seasonal enhancement over semi-arid western India is attributed mainly ( ˜ 70 %) to the

  16. Clinical research regulation in India-history, development, initiatives, challenges and controversies: Still long way to go

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Imran

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and its chairman Drug Controller general of India are bequeathed to protect the citizens from the marketing of unsafe medication. The startling findings, of the 59 th report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, have uncovered the lax standards followed by the regulatory authorities in India. The growing clinical research after the product patents rights for the pharmaceutical industries as per the trade related aspects of intellectual property rights agreement and adverse drug reaction monitoring of the marketed drugs have raised many ethical and regulatory issues regarding the promotion of new drugs in Indian markets. Many controversial group of medicines; unauthorised and irrational FDCs not relevant to India′s medical needs, are available which are not sold in any of the countries with matured regulatory bodies. It becomes vital to understand the history, growth and evolution of the regulatory aspects of drugs which are handled by multiple Ministries and Departments of the Government of India. Although amendment to Schedule Y, registration of Contract Research Organisations, registration of Clinical Trials, Speeding up review process, Pharmacovigilance (PhV programme for India and Inspection of clinical trial sites have been started by the various regulatory agencies. However due to casual approach in marketing approval for sale of the drugs, the unethical steps taken by some pharmaceutical companies and medical practitioners has reiterated the need to get appropriate understanding of present regulation of drugs and clinical research especially regarding the practical rules and regulations.

  17. Human Papilloma Virus in Oral Cavity Cancer and Relation to Change in Quality of Life Following Treatment-a Pilot Study from Northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Abhishek Kumar; Kushwaha, Jitendra Kumar; Anand, Akshay; Sonkar, Abhinav Arun; Husain, Nuzhat; Srivastava, Kirti; Singh, Sudhir

    2016-12-01

    Human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated head and neck cancer (HNC) has generated significant amount of research interest in recent times with focus shifted to oral cavity squamous cell cancer (OCSCC) after oropharyngeal cancer. Due to high incidence of OCSCC and anecdotal reports on association of HPV infection from northern region of India, this study was conceived to investigate HPV infection and establish its association with lifestyle habits such as tobacco, alcohol consumption, oro-genital sex, number of sexual contacts, and change in quality of life posttreatment. A total of 43 primary OCSCC biopsy specimens were collected. These samples were analyzed for HPV DNA genotyping which was done by using 13 high-risk HPV real-time PCR kits. Quality of life was assessed using University of Washington questionnaire for HNC patients, which was administered pretreatment and 3-months posttreatment. HPV presence was confirmed in only three patients (7.0 %). HPV positivity did not find any statistical correlation with age, gender, residence, addiction habit, stage, tumor size, nodal status, tumor grade, and number of sexual contacts. There was no significant ( p  > 0.05) difference in the average percent change in QOL parameters from pretreatment to posttreatment when correlated with HPV status.

  18. Challenges constraining access to insulin in the private-sector market of Delhi, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Abhishek; Kaplan, Warren A

    2016-01-01

    India's majority of patients-including those living with diabetes-seek healthcare in the private sector through out-of-pocket (OOP) payments. We studied access to insulin in the private-sector market of Delhi state, India. A modified World Health Organization/Health Action International (WHO/HAI) standard survey to assess insulin availability and prices, and qualitative interviews with insulin retailers (pharmacists) and wholesalers to understand insulin market dynamics. In 40 pharmacy outlets analysed, mean availability of the human and analogue insulins on the 2013 Delhi essential medicine list was 44.4% and 13.1%, respectively. 82% of pharmacies had domestically manufactured human insulin phials, primarily was made in India under licence to overseas pharmaceutical companies. Analogue insulin was only in cartridge and pen forms that were 4.42 and 5.81 times, respectively, the price of human insulin phials. Domestically manufactured human phial and cartridge insulin (produced for foreign and Indian companies) was less expensive than their imported counterparts. The lowest paid unskilled government worker in Delhi would work about 1.5 and 8.6 days, respectively, to be able to pay OOP for a monthly supply of human phial and analogue cartridge insulin. Interviews suggest that the Delhi insulin market is dominated by a few multinational companies that import and/or license in-country production. Several factors influence insulin uptake by patients, including doctor's prescribing preference. Wholesalers have negative perceptions about domestic insulin manufacturing. The Delhi insulin market is an oligopoly with limited market competition. Increasing competition from Indian companies is going to require some additional policies, not presently in place. As more Indian companies produce biosimilars, brand substitution policies are needed to be able to benefit from market competition.

  19. Challenges constraining access to insulin in the private-sector market of Delhi, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaplan, Warren A

    2016-01-01

    Objective India's majority of patients—including those living with diabetes—seek healthcare in the private sector through out-of-pocket (OOP) payments. We studied access to insulin in the private-sector market of Delhi state, India. Methods A modified World Health Organization/Health Action International (WHO/HAI) standard survey to assess insulin availability and prices, and qualitative interviews with insulin retailers (pharmacists) and wholesalers to understand insulin market dynamics. Results In 40 pharmacy outlets analysed, mean availability of the human and analogue insulins on the 2013 Delhi essential medicine list was 44.4% and 13.1%, respectively. 82% of pharmacies had domestically manufactured human insulin phials, primarily was made in India under licence to overseas pharmaceutical companies. Analogue insulin was only in cartridge and pen forms that were 4.42 and 5.81 times, respectively, the price of human insulin phials. Domestically manufactured human phial and cartridge insulin (produced for foreign and Indian companies) was less expensive than their imported counterparts. The lowest paid unskilled government worker in Delhi would work about 1.5 and 8.6 days, respectively, to be able to pay OOP for a monthly supply of human phial and analogue cartridge insulin. Interviews suggest that the Delhi insulin market is dominated by a few multinational companies that import and/or license in-country production. Several factors influence insulin uptake by patients, including doctor's prescribing preference. Wholesalers have negative perceptions about domestic insulin manufacturing. Conclusions The Delhi insulin market is an oligopoly with limited market competition. Increasing competition from Indian companies is going to require some additional policies, not presently in place. As more Indian companies produce biosimilars, brand substitution policies are needed to be able to benefit from market competition. PMID:28588966

  20. ARE THE SERVICES DELIVERED EMPLOYABLE? A SCENARIO OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN RURAL INDIA

    OpenAIRE

    Mahajan, Prashant; Golahit, Suresh

    2017-01-01

    International audience; ABSRACT Purpose One of the most appalling challenges in India is persistently rising unemployment, explicitly in the rural region. More than 20% of Indian youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years are " seeking or available for work, " as per 2011 census data. There will be no peace and prosperity in the country unless jobless people get appropriate channel. In India deficiency of skills is among the main constraints for recruitment of Technical Education. Productivity...

  1. Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (E-cigarettes marketing, sale and availability - an emerging challenge for tobacco control in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravinder Kumar

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Background Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (E-cigarettes are being advertised as novel products in all media and platforms across the globe. Despite the fact that these products are still not evaluated for safety and effectiveness by any regulatory body in most countries including India; their advertisements claiming the e-cigarettes to be health friendly is on rampant especially in the internet media.To explore the availability of e-cigarette brands for Indian existing and potential consumers and to understand their distribution network and marketing tactics, the investigator did the internet search. Methods Investigator performed the keyword search on Google in May 2014 and November 2016. Brand websites were examined for specifics about each product (flavor and nicotine strength, ingredients, and their claims about the safety of the products and usefulness in smoking cessation. Distributor's network and kiosk selling these products were also searched for. Results Total 112 brands of different flavor (12 types and different nicotine strengths (9 types of the e-cigarettes were found. In majority brands (95%, most common ingredients were chemical nicotine, propylene glycol, water and flavours. 10% websites claimed that their product are useful as smoking cessation devices. Most brands claimed their product to be healthier and safer (90%, suitable to use in public places (92% and an economical option (70% than conventional cigarettes. Near half of the websites gave their distribution details in the websites. 12 websites offer free shipping services, 27 websites offers the web chat options for marketing the products. Conclusions ENDS (e-cigarette poses another challenge for tobacco control in India. The claims (especially healthier option and useful for cessation of the websites marketing these products are questionable and needs further research. Ongoing advertisements on internet are the gross violations of Indian tobacco control legislation

  2. Aircraft Observations of Soil Hydrological Influence on the Atmosphere in Northern India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Christopher M.; Barton, Emma J.; Belusic, Danijel; Böing, Steven J.; Hunt, Kieran M. R.; Mitra, Ashis K.; Parker, Douglas J.; Turner, Andrew G.

    2017-04-01

    India is considered to be a region of the world where the influence of land surface fluxes of sensible and latent heat play an important role in regional weather and climate. Indian rainfall simulations in GCMs are known to be particularly sensitive to soil moisture. However, in a monsoon region where seasonal convective rainfall dominates, it is a big challenge for GCMs to capture, on the one hand, a realistic depiction of surface fluxes during wetting up and drying down at seasonal and sub-seasonal scales, and on the other, the sensitivity of convective rainfall and regional circulations to space-time fluctuations in land surface fluxes. On top of this, most GCMs and operational atmospheric forecast models don't explicitly consider irrigation. In the Indo-Gangetic plains of the Indian sub-continent, irrigated agriculture has become the dominant land use. Irrigation suppresses temporal flux variability for much of the year, and at the same time enhances spatial heterogeneity. One of the key objectives of the Anglo-Indian Interaction of Convective Organization and Monsoon Precipitation, Atmosphere, Surface and Sea (INCOMPASS) collaborative project is to better understand the coupling between the land surface and the Indian summer monsoon, and build this understanding into improved prediction of rainfall on multiple time and space scales. During June and July 2016, a series of research flights was performed across the sub-continent using the NERC/Met Office BAe146 aircraft. Here we will present results for a case study from a flight on 30th June which sampled the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) on a 700 km low level transect, from the semi-arid region of Rajasthan eastwards into the extensively irrigated state of Uttar Pradesh. As well as crossing different land uses, the flight also sampled mesoscale regions with contrasting recent rainfall conditions. Here we will show how variations in surface hydrology, driven by both irrigation and rainfall, influence the

  3. Nuclear India. Vol. II. [India's nuclear policy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jain, J P

    1974-01-01

    The book contains 186 documents on India's nuclear policy covering a period from November 1948 to May 1974. It thus forms a comprehensive documentary account of India's nuclear policy. They include: texts of India's agreements for cooperation on the peaceful uses of atomic energy with the USA and Canada, the summary conclusions of India's atomic energy program for the decade 1970-80, the resolutions and amendments moved by India, the communications sent and the statements made by Indian representatives in various international forums--the conference of the IAEA statute, the Annual General Conference of the IAEA and its committees and the Board of Governors, the UN General Assembly and its First Committee, the conference of the Committee on Disarmaments etc. It also contains texts or extracts from the papers presented, statements made, and addresses and talks delivered by H. J. Bhabha, V. A. Sarabhai, H. N. Sethna and other eminent scientists at the international conferences on the peaceful uses of atomic energy, IAEA discussions on PNE, etc. Policy statements by India's Prime Ministers Nehru, Shastri and (Mrs.) Gandhi, and Foreign Ministers Chagla and Swaran Singh, made from time to time in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha--the two houses of the Indian parliaments--are also included. The sources of these documents are listed at the end. (MCB)

  4. Year-long simulation of gaseous and particulate air pollutants in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kota, Sri Harsha; Guo, Hao; Myllyvirta, Lauri; Hu, Jianlin; Sahu, Shovan Kumar; Garaga, Rajyalakshmi; Ying, Qi; Gao, Aifang; Dahiya, Sunil; Wang, Yuan; Zhang, Hongliang

    2018-05-01

    Severe pollution events occur frequently in India but few studies have investigated the characteristics, sources, and control strategies for the whole country. A year-long simulation was carried out in India to provide detailed information of spatial and temporal distribution of gas species and particulate matter (PM). The concentrations of O3, NO2, SO2, CO, as well as PM2.5 and its components in 2015 were predicted using Weather Research Forecasting (WRF) and the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) models. Model performance was validated against available observations from ground based national ambient air quality monitoring stations in major cities. Model performance of O3 does not always meet the criteria suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) but that of PM2.5 meets suggested criteria by previous studies. The performance of model was better on days with high O3 and PM2.5 levels. Concentrations of PM2.5, NO2, CO and SO2 were highest in the Indo-Gangetic region, including northern and eastern India. PM2.5 concentrations were higher during winter and lower during monsoon season. Winter nitrate concentrations were 160-230% higher than yearly average. In contrast, the fraction of sulfate in total PM2.5 was maximum in monsoon and least in winter, due to decrease in temperature and solar radiation intensity in winter. Except in southern India, where sulfate was the major component of PM2.5, primary organic aerosol (POA) fraction in PM2.5 was highest in all regions of the country. Fractions of secondary components were higher on bad days than on good days in these cities, indicating the importance of control of precursors for secondary pollutants in India.

  5. ​Reducing malnutrition in India's agri-biodiversity hotspots | CRDI ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The challenge. Many of India's poor live in rural areas that are heavily dependent on agriculture. Local crops have a rich heritage of genetic diversity, but this diversity is often threatened by government policies that promote rice and wheat cultivation.This results in a disconnect between the high potential of the agricultural ...

  6. ​Reducing malnutrition in India's agri-biodiversity hotspots | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The challenge. Many of India's poor live in rural areas that are heavily dependent on agriculture. Local crops have a rich heritage of genetic diversity, but this diversity is often threatened by government policies that promote rice and wheat cultivation.This results in a disconnect between the high potential of the agricultural ...

  7. Limits to Economic Growth: Why Direct Investments Are Needed to Address Child Undernutrition in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramanian, S V; Subramanyam, Malavika A

    2015-11-01

    About two of every five undernourished young children of the world live in India. These high levels of child undernutrition have persisted in India for several years, even in its relatively well-developed states. Moreover, this pattern was observed during a period of rapid economic growth. Evidence from India and other developing countries suggests that economic growth has little to no impact on reducing child undernutrition. We argue that a growth-mediated strategy is unlikely to be effective in tackling child undernutrition unless growth is pro-poor and leads to investment in programs addressing the root causes of this persistent challenge.

  8. [India: an expensive and dangerous drug].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Astrup, N

    1992-12-16

    India has launched a liberalization of its economy with restructuring, privatization, and increased imports in order to achieve higher economic performance. This drive also affected the pharmaceutical industry and drug distribution, but in a negative manner. In the 1980s there were 9000 drug manufacturers that together produced up to 60,000 different preparations. In 1992, only 20,000 drugs were produced. The Voluntary Health Organization of India (VHAI) has fought for 10 years for a rational policy on medicines to halt the production of worthless or outright harmful products. For instance, anabolic steroids are sold as nutritional supplements to children, and the banned clioquinol is regularly used against diarrhea despite an international boycott. In recent years unscrupulous manufacturers have sold contaminated water as glucose for infusion bags and anti-D-immunoglobulin which was contaminated with HIV-infected blood. In northern India, a criminal organization bought up used cannulas from hospitals and repacked them for resale as new supplies. While a new medicine policy is formulated, there is a serious shortage of life-saving drugs such as insulin and rifampicin. In the last years, prices have exploded as some products have become six times more expensive. The whole national health system has undergone cost cuts to comply with an ultimatum from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund; otherwise, sorely needed dollar loans would not be forthcoming. Funds for fighting tuberculosis and malaria have been trimmed, although AIDS and family planning budgets have been increased. One-fourth of the state health expenditures go to combat AIDS, since about 1 million people are infected with HIV. The pharmaceutical industry has also been embroiled in a patent protection wrangle with American drug exporters who claim that Retrovir or AZT (developed by Burroughs Wellcome) was pirated by the Cipla firm, whereas Cipla countered that it was ferreted out from

  9. Delivering breast cancer care in urban India: Heterotopia, hospital ethnography and voluntarism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macdonald, Alison

    2016-05-01

    Despite substantial strides to improve cancer control in India, challenges to deliver oncology services persist. One major challenge is the provision and accessibility of adequate infrastructure. This paper offers ethnographic insight on the conceptual and material conditions that are currently shaping the delivery of oncology in Mumbai, focusing specifically on the way India's socio-economic context necessitates non-biomedical acts of voluntarism or 'seva' (selfless service). Developing the premise that hospitals are not identical clones of a biomedical model, detailed attention is paid to the way 'care' emerges through 'praxis of place' (Casey, 2003) within the cancer hospital as a multi-scalar 'heterotopic' (Street and Coleman, 2012) site. Such a perspective enables global/local tensions to come into view, together with the heterogeneous confluence of juxtaposing materialities, imaginations, social practices and values that both propels and constrains the everyday delivery of care. The paper reflects on the theoretical implications of hospital seva in Mumbai in light of social science studies of hospital ethnography and health activism and contributes important ethnographic insight into the current global health debates regarding effective implementation of cancer services in India. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Development of a cognitive screening instrument for tribal elderly population of Himalayan region in northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunil Kumar Raina

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Cognitive impairment, characteristic of dementia, is measured objectively by standard neuropsychological (cognitive tests. Given the diversity of culture and language in India, it is difficult to use a single modified version of MMSE uniformly to Indian population. In this article, we report methods on the development of a cognitive screening instrument suitable for the tribal (Bharmour elderly (60 years and above population of Himachal Pradesh, India. Materials and Methods: We used a systematic, item-by-item, process for development of a modified version of MMSE suitable for elderly tribal population. Results: The modifications made in the English version of MMSE and the pretesting and pilot testing thereof resulted in the development of Bharmouri version of cognitive scale. Discussion: The study shows that effective modifications can be made to existing tests that require reading and writing; and that culturally sensitive modifications can be made to render the test meaningful and relevant, while still tapping the appropriate cognitive domains.

  11. Avoiding 100 New Power Plants by Increasing Efficiency of Room Air Conditioners in India: Opportunities and Challenges

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Phadke, Amol; Abhyankar, Nikit; Shah, Nihar

    2014-06-19

    Electricity demand for room ACs is growing very rapidly in emerging economies such as India. We estimate the electricity demand from room ACs in 2030 in India considering factors such as weather and income growth using market data on penetration of ACs in different income classes and climatic regions. We discuss the status of the current standards, labels, and incentive programs to improve the efficiency of room ACs in these markets and assess the potential for further large improvements in efficiency and find that efficiency can be improved by over 40percent cost effectively. The total potential energy savings from Room AC efficiency improvement in India using the best available technology will reach over 118 TWh in 2030; potential peak demand saving is found to be 60 GW by 2030. This is equivalent to avoiding 120 new coal fired power plants of 500 MW each. We discuss policy options to complement, expand and improve the ongoing programs to capture this large potential.

  12. Avoiding 100 new power plants by increasing efficiency of room air conditioners in India: opportunities and challenges

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Phadke, Amol; Abhyankar, Nikit; Shah, Nihar; [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technology Division

    2013-10-15

    Electricity demand for room ACs is growing very rapidly in emerging economies such as India. We estimate the electricity demand from room ACs in 2030 in India considering factors such as weather and income growth using market data on penetration of ACs in different income classes and climatic regions. We discuss the status of the current standards, labels, and incentive programs to improve the efficiency of room ACs in these markets and assess the potential for further large improvements in efficiency and find that efficiency can be improved by over 40% cost effectively. The total potential energy savings from Room AC efficiency improvement in India using the best available technology will reach over 118 TWh in 2030; potential peak demand saving is found to be 60 GW by 2030. This is equivalent to avoiding 120 new coal fired power plants of 500 MW each. We discuss policy options to complement, expand and improve the ongoing programs to capture this large potential.

  13. Late Cenozoic fluvial successions in northern and western India: an overview and synthesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinha, R.; Kumar, R.; Sinha, S.; Tandon, S. K.; Gibling, M. R.

    2007-11-01

    Late Cenozoic fluvial successions are widespread in India. They include the deposits of the Siwalik basin which represent the accumulations of the ancient river systems of the Himalayan foreland basin. Palaeomagnetic studies reveal that fluvial architecture and styles of deposition were controlled by Himalayan tectonics as well as by major climatic fluctuations during the long (∼13 Ma) span of formation. The Indo-Gangetic plains form the world's most extensive Quaternary alluvial plains, and display spatially variable controls on sedimentation: Himalayan tectonics in the frontal parts, climate in the middle reaches, and eustasy in the lower reaches close to the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta. Climatic effects were mediated by strong fluctuations in the SW Indian Monsoon, and Himalayan rivers occupy deep valleys in the western Ganga plains where stream power is high, cut in part during early Holocene monsoon intensification; the broad interfluves record the simultaneous aggradation of plains-fed rivers since ∼100 ka. The eastward increase in precipitation across the Ganga Plains results in rivers with low stream power and a very high sediment flux, resulting in an aggradational mode and little incision. The river deposits of semi-arid to arid western India form important archives of Quaternary climate change through their intercalation with the eolian deposits of the Thar Desert. Although the synthesis documents strong variability-both spatial and temporal-in fluvial stratigraphy, climatic events such as the decline in precipitation during the Last Glacial Maximum and monsoon intensification in the early Holocene have influenced fluvial dynamics throughout the region.

  14. Tricky typhus ticks two: A report of two sisters from North India presenting with acute respiratory distress syndrome due to scrub typhus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R Pai

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Scrub typhus is emerging as an important cause of acute febrile illness in Northern India. This is a report of two sisters presenting concurrently with acute respiratory distress syndrome. A diagnosis of scrub typhus was made in both the patients, and they were successfully treated with doxycycline.

  15. The Red Scourge Returns: The Strategic Challenge of Maoist Insurgency in India and South Asia

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Florig, William R

    2008-01-01

    With the United States and other powers focused on the struggle against Islamic terrorism and insurgency, the effects of globalization have swelled the ranks of Maoist insurgents in India and South Asia...

  16. Indian mutual fund industry: Opportunities and challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jayant R. Kale

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available This article presents an overview of the mutual fund industry in India and the reasons for its poor penetration, which includes lack of objective research. It benchmarks the industry globally, and raises key issues regarding the ownership and performance of mutual funds, the sensitivity of fund flows to performance, and the importance of regulation to its growth, all of which have been largely under researched in India. It then captures the views of leading practitioners on these and other issues, including the challenges posed by poor financial literacy, the equity culture in the country, and the weakly supportive regulatory environment.

  17. The Tibetan Wolf Canis lupus chanco Gray (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae in northeastern India with a recent sighting from northern Sikkim, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anwaruddin Choudhury

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The Tibetan Wolf Canis lupus chanco which is a relatively rarer subspecies of the wolf C. lupus occurs in Sikkim in North-east India with unconfirmed reports from Arunachal Pradesh. Its range in Sikkim is in the high elevation areas. There are very few sighting records from the state. This article reports an observation made recently between Thangu and Gyagong or Gogong in North Sikkim district at 4,250m elevation on 17 April 2014. Presence of feral dogs are threats to the Wolf as well as its prey base.  

  18. Healthcare financing: approaches and trends in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bajpai, Vikas; Saraya, Anoop

    2010-01-01

    Despite the importance of healthcare for the well-being of society, there is little public debate in India on issues relating to it. The 'human capital approach' to finance healthcare largely relies on private investment in health, while the 'human development approach' envisages the State as the guarantorof preventive as well as curative care to achieve universalization of healthcare. The prevailing health indices of India and challenges in the field of public health require a human developmentapproach to healthcare. On the eve of independence, India adopted the human development approach, with the report of the Bhore Committee emphasizing the role of the State in the development and provision of healthcare. However, more recently, successive governments have moved towards the human capital approach. Instead of increasing state spending on health and expanding the public health infrastructure, the government has been relying more and more on the private sector. The public-private partnership has been touted as the new-age panacea for the ills of the Indian healthcare system. This approach has led to a stagnation of public health indices and a decrease in the access of the poor to healthcare.

  19. Emerging Scenario of Trade Potentialities of North-East India: Challenges and Opportunities

    OpenAIRE

    Ram Krishna Mandal

    2009-01-01

    The North-East Region (NER) of India which comprises of eight states, namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura shares most of its boundary with China, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar. The NER accounts for about eight per cent of the country's geographical area and about four per cent of population. Tribals account for more than 30 per cent of the total population of NER. Inadequate and poor infrastructure, inhospitable terrain and a com¬parativ...

  20. The Lexicographic Treatment of Sublexical and Multilexical Items in a Northern Sotho Monolingual Dictionary: A Challenge for Lexicographers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Motlokwe Clifford Mphahlele

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available

    Abstract: Dictionaries have in the past used a word-based approach in which sublexical and multilexical items were not regarded as lemmata. Metalexicography as the theoretical component of lexicography requires that sublexical and multilexical items be lemmatized and treated as independent lemmata in the macrostructure of dictionaries. One of the greater challenges for compiling a better and user-oriented Northern Sotho monolingual dictionary is to treat sublexical and multi-lexical items as macrostructural elements. Treating these items, the lexicographer faces quite a number of challenges. This article proposes possible ways in which sublexical and multilexical elements could be successfully treated in a Northern Sotho monolingual dictionary. Taking stock of these challenges, the writer comes with suggestions that would assist lexicographers in the compi-lation of a user-friendly, lexicon-based monolingual dictionary that would lead users to successful information retrieval.

    Keywords: SUBLEXICAL ITEMS, MULTILEXICAL ITEMS, AFFIXES, PREFIXAL MOR-PHEMES, SUFFIXAL MORPHEMES, INTEGRATED MICROSTRUCTURE, WORD-BASED APPROACH, LEMMATIZATION, COLLOCATIONS, COMPOUNDS, COMPLEXES, GROUP PREPOSITIONS, FIXED EXPRESSIONS, MORPHEMES, METALEXICOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS, WORD-FORMATION PROCESSES, WORD-INTERNAL FUNCTION, USER-ORIENTED MONO-LINGUAL DICTIONARY, GRAMMAR, HOMONYMOUS LEMMA, POLYSEMOUS LEMMA, DECODING, ENCODING, SEMANTIC COMMENT, SEMANTIC TRANSPARENCY

    Opsomming: Die leksikografiese behandeling van subleksikale en multi-leksikale items in 'n Noord-Sotho- eentalige woordeboek: 'n Uitdaging vir leksikograwe. Woordeboeke het in die verlede 'n woordgebaseerde benadering gevolg waar-by subleksikale en multileksikale items nie as lemmas beskou is nie. Die metaleksikografie as die teoretiese komponent van die leksikografie vereis dat subleksikale en multileksikale items gelem-matiseer word en as onafhanklike lemmas in die makrostuktuur van woordeboeke

  1. Application of MODIS Land Products to Assessment of Land Degradation of Alpine Rangeland in Northern India with Limited Ground-Based Information

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masahiro Tasumi

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Land degradation of alpine rangeland in Dachigam National Park, Northern India, was evaluated in this study using MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS land products. The park has been used by a variety of livestock holders. With increasing numbers of livestock, the managers and users of the park are apprehensive about degradation of the grazing land. However, owing to weak infrastructure for scientific and statistical data collection and sociopolitical restrictions in the region, a lack of quality ground-based weather, vegetation, and livestock statistical data had prevented scientific assessment. Under these circumstances, the present study aimed to assess the rangeland environment and its degradation using MODIS vegetation, snow, and evapotranspiration products as primary input data for assessment. The result of the analysis indicated that soil water content and the timing of snowmelt play an important role in grass production in the area. Additionally, the possibility of land degradation in heavily-grazed rangeland was indicated via a multiple regression analysis at a decadal timescale, whereas weather conditions, such as rainfall and snow cover, primarily explained year-by-year differences in grass production. Although statistical uncertainties remain in the results derived in this study, the satellite-based data and the analyses will promote understanding of the rangeland environment and suggest the potential for unsustainable land management based on statistical probability. This study provides an important initial evaluation of alpine rangeland, for which ground-based information is limited.

  2. Impact of modular training on tobacco control on the knowledge of health workers in two jurisdictions of northern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goel, S; Singh, R J; Tripathy, J P

    2015-01-01

    National Tobacco Control Programme was launched in India in year 2007-08. It was realized that community health workers can play an important role of agents for positive change to bring down the tobacco morbidity and mortality in the country. Keeping this in view, a health worker guide was developed by the Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (GOI) in collaboration with The Union South-East Asia (The Union) in the year 2010. The guide provides the information needed by the most basic level of health workers to effectively address the problem of tobacco use in the community. A modular training was conducted in two jurisdictions in India (namely, Chandigarh and Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh)) to assess the usefulness of the guide as training material for community health workers in undertaking tobacco control activities at community and village levels. A total of 271 participants were trained, which included 133 from Chandigarh and 138 from Hamirpur. The pre and post-training assessment of knowledge of health worker was done. There was marked increase in post-test scores as compared to the pretest scores. The health workers scoring more than 60% increased from 40% in the pretest to over 80% in the post-test. Only three workers had a post-test score of less than 30% against 54 workers in the pretest. The understanding on tobacco control had increased significantly after the training in each group. It is strongly recommended that such training should be replicated to all community health workers across all the states in India.

  3. HIV/AIDS in women and children in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mothi, S N; Lala, M M; Tappuni, A R

    2016-04-01

    Management of HIV in India has significantly improved with many international and local programmes supporting prevention and treatment. However, there are areas in India where women and children living with HIV endure a myriad of medical, psychological and social challenges. Women in rural poor areas in India have little control over important aspects of their life. Often, they have little decision-making powers within their families on matters that affect them personally. They find themselves unable to negotiate to protect themselves from harm or risk of infection. Those who are known to have contracted HIV are reluctant to access health care for fear of discrimination and marginalization, leading to a disproportionate death rate in HIV women. India is arguably home to the largest number of orphans of the HIV epidemic. These children face an impenetrable barrier in many Indian societies and endure stigmatization. This situation encourages concealment of the disease and discourages children and their guardians from accessing available essential services. This article provides an overview of the relevant literature and presents an insight into a complex mix of issues that arise directly out of the HIV diagnosis, including the role of social attitudes in the spread of HIV, and in creating barriers to accessing care. The review identifies international programmes and local initiatives that have ensured better access to antiretroviral therapy and have led to prolonged survival and reduction in the vertical transmission of HIV in India. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Biodiesel scenario in India

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Taj, S. [Bangalore Univ., Al-Ameen College, Bangalore (India). Dept. of Chemistry; Prasad, H. [Bangalore Univ., Central College, Bangalore (India). Dept. of Chemistry; Ramesh, N. [Reva College, Bangladore (India); Papavinasam, S. [Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada). CANMET Materials Technology Lab

    2009-08-15

    This article presented an overview of biodiesel production in India. Biodiesel has gained widespread acceptance in the United States and the European Union as a substitute for diesel. In early 2003, the Indian National Planning Commission launched a program to also foster development of vegetable oil based biofuels in order to address the energy challenges facing India. Approximately 57 per cent of rural Indian households are still not connected to the power grid, and India imports 75 per cent of its total petroleum. The National Planning Commission advocated widespread planting of an inedible, but high-yielding tree-born oilseed known as jatropha curcas that would serve as the primary feedstock for the production of vegetable oil based biofuels. Jatropha and pongamia are widely recognized as the most economically viable and environmentally neutral feedstock options. Both of these tree-borne oilseeds are adaptable to reasonably harsh climatic and growing conditions, enabling them to be cultivated on wastelands that are not currently used in agricultural production. The Commission recommended that 11.2 million hectares of jatropha be cultivated on marginal waste lands which would, over time, replace 20 per cent of total national diesel consumption with biodiesel. Both public and private sector players have begun to act on the Commission's plan. More than a hundred thousand hectares of jatropha have been planted and private firms have begun to build biodiesel processing plants. State-owned petroleum product marketing firms have committed to distributing biodiesel through some existing distribution channels. 8 refs., 6 tabs., 3 figs.

  5. From the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative to the Northern Eurasia Future Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Streletskiy, D. A.; Groisman, P. Y.; Shugart, H. H., Jr.; Gulev, S.; Maksyutov, S. S.; Qi, J.

    2017-12-01

    -Session GC027). References:Groisman, P.Y. et al. 2017: Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): Facing the Challenges and Pathways of Global Change in the 21st Century. Progress Earth and Planet Sci in review.Monier, E., et al: 2017: A Review of and Perspectives on Global Change Modeling for Northern Eurasia. Enviro. Res Lett in press.

  6. Identification of opportunistic enteric parasites among immunocompetent patients with diarrhoea from Northern India and genetic characterisation of Cryptosporidium and Microsporidia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghoshal, U; Dey, A; Ranjan, P; Khanduja, S; Agarwal, V; Ghoshal, U C

    2016-01-01

    Enteric parasitic infestation is a major public health problem in developing countries. Parasites such as Cryptosporidium spp., Cyclospora spp., Cystoisospora spp. and Microsporidia may cause severe diarrhoea among immunocompromised patients. There is scanty data on their frequency among immunocompetent patients. Accordingly, we studied the frequency of enteric opportunistic parasites among immunocompetent patients with diarrhoea from northern India; we also performed genetic characterisation of Cryptosporidia and Microsporidia among them. Stool samples from 80 immunocompetent patients with diarrhoea, and 110 healthy controls were examined. Parasites were detected by direct microscopy, modified acid-fast (Kinyoun's) and modified trichrome stain. Polymerase chain reaction--restriction fragment length polymorphism was used for genetic characterisation of selected species such as Cryptosporidia and Microsporidia. Enteric parasites were detected in 16/80 (20%) patients (mean age 28.8±20 years, 45, 56% males) and in 2/110 (1.8%) healthy controls (P=0.00007). Parasites detected were Cryptosporidium spp. (8/16, 50.0%), Cystoisospora spp. (4/16, 25%), Microsporidia (1/16, 6.25%), Cyclospora spp. (1/16, 6.25%) and Giardia spp. (1/16, 6.25%). One patient had mixed infection with Cystoisospora spp. and Giardia spp. The species of Cryptosporidia and Microsporidia detected were Cryptosporidium hominis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi, respectively. Parasites were more often detected in younger patients (≤20 years of age) than in older. Most of the parasite infected patients presented with chronic diarrhoea. Opportunistic enteric parasitic infestation was more common among immunocompetent patients with diarrhoea than healthy subjects. Special staining as well as molecular methods are essential for appropriate diagnosis of these parasites.

  7. Socio-Economical, Environmental Evaluation of Ken-Betwa River Link Project, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pathak Hemant

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The India's ambitious Rs 9,393 crore Ken-Betwa river interlinking project will impact very significantly on Socio-economic life of two million people of Bundelkhand region, India. Water is an important input for survival and sustenance of life. The demand of this natural gift has been increasing exponentially. This ambitious project will help us in irrigation, potable water, cheap transportation, electricity as well as a source of livelihood for our ever increasing population. In Bundelkhand region, there is a severe problem of lack of irrigation in one region and water logging in others. Damage to crops due to drought and pitiable drainage facility could be managed. The objectives of the paper are to study socio-economical issues and environmental challenges in Ken-Betwa River link in India and to study environmental impact of this Project.

  8. A chronology of El niño events from primary documentary sources in northern Peru

    OpenAIRE

    García Herrera, Ricardo; Díaz, H. F.; García, R. R.; Prieto, M. R.; Barriopedro Cepero, David; Moyano, R.; Hernández Martín, Emiliano

    2008-01-01

    The authors present a chronology of El Niño (EN) events based on documentary records from northern Peru. The chronology, which covers the period 1550-1900, is constructed mainly from primary sources from the city of Trujillo (Peru), the Archivo General de Indias in Seville (Spain), and the Archivo General de la Nacion in Lima (Peru), supplemented by a reassessment of documentary evidence included in previously published literature. The archive in Trujillo has never been systematically evaluat...

  9. Prospects and challenges of radiation processing of meats and meat products in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chander, Ramesh

    2014-01-01

    In India goat, lamb and chicken meat are widely preferred, while, bovine meat and pork are consumed only by a small segment of the population. Meats in the country are mainly marketed fresh or in frozen state. Recently chilled poultry has been introduced in Indian market. In addition to fresh meats, several other ready to eat or ready to cook meat products like chicken chilly, chicken tikka, mutton shammi kababs, mutton seekh kababs etc are available in urban Indian market. These products are marketed only in the frozen state and have limited market due to expensive and inadequate freezing facilities. Major share of domestic fresh meat and poultry market is by unorganized sector and only a few corporate houses like Godrej and Venkey's are marketing poultry products. The time has come to benefit from radiation processing for safe, chilled meat and poultry in India. Shelf-stable, nutritious meat and meat products can also be produced by the process. Radiation processing of these foods will be of great economic and health significance and give boost to exports. This radiation processing can meet the needs of services of convenient and ready-to-eat meat and meat products

  10. The Challenges of Spanish Language Teaching in Multilingual India: A Case Study of Delhi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rai, Dhiraj Kumar

    2017-01-01

    The multilingual surrounding of Spanish Language Teaching (SLT) in India has presented a unique linguistic principle. This principle relies upon the application of English language instructions (as FL1) to combine several methods for teaching-learning Spanish language (as FL2). However, the effectiveness and appropriateness of this linguistic…

  11. Mainstreaming gender in HIV programs: issues, challenges and way forward

    OpenAIRE

    Mukherjee, Aprajita; Das, Madhumita

    2013-01-01

    Abstract. It is increasingly being recognized that gender inequality is a critical factor fuelling the HIV epidemic in India and elsewhere in the world. To undertake a research and programmatic review to understand how gender has been integrated in existing HIV interventions in India and to highlight the challenges associated with gender mainstreaming to propose recommendations to fill the gaps. Review of literature both published and grey along with exploration of selected HIV program both H...

  12. Sustainable food security in India-Domestic production and macronutrient availability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ritchie, Hannah; Reay, David; Higgins, Peter

    2018-01-01

    India has been perceived as a development enigma: Recent rates of economic growth have not been matched by similar rates in health and nutritional improvements. To meet the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG2) of achieving zero hunger by 2030, India faces a substantial challenge in meeting basic nutritional needs in addition to addressing population, environmental and dietary pressures. Here we have mapped-for the first time-the Indian food system from crop production to household-level availability across three key macronutrients categories of 'calories', 'digestible protein' and 'fat'. To better understand the potential of reduced food chain losses and improved crop yields to close future food deficits, scenario analysis was conducted to 2030 and 2050. Under India's current self-sufficiency model, our analysis indicates severe shortfalls in availability of all macronutrients across a large proportion (>60%) of the Indian population. The extent of projected shortfalls continues to grow such that, even in ambitious waste reduction and yield scenarios, enhanced domestic production alone will be inadequate in closing the nutrition supply gap. We suggest that to meet SDG2 India will need to take a combined approach of optimising domestic production and increasing its participation in global trade.

  13. What is India speaking? Exploring the "Hinglish" invasion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parshad, Rana D.; Bhowmick, Suman; Chand, Vineeta; Kumari, Nitu; Sinha, Neha

    2016-05-01

    Language competition models help understand language shift dynamics, and have effectively captured how English has outcompeted various local languages, such as Scottish Gaelic in Scotland, and Mandarin in Singapore. India, with a 125 million English speakers boasts the second largest number of English speakers in the world, after the United States. The 1961-2001 Indian censuses report a sharp increase in Hindi/English Bilinguals, suggesting that English is on the rise in India. To the contrary, we claim supported by field evidence, that these statistics are inaccurate, ignoring an emerging class who do not have full bilingual competence and switch between Hindi and English, communicating via a code popularly known as "Hinglish". Since current language competition models occlude hybrid practices and detailed local ecological factors, they are inappropriate to capture the current language dynamics in India. Expanding predator-prey and sociolinguistic theories, we draw on local Indian ecological factors to develop a novel three-species model of interaction between Monolingual Hindi speakers, Hindi/English Bilinguals and Hinglish speakers, and explore the long time dynamics it predicts. The model also exhibits Turing instability, which is the first pattern formation result in language dynamics. These results challenge traditional assumptions of English encroachment in India. More broadly, the three-species model introduced here is a first step towards modeling the dynamics of hybrid language scenarios in other settings across the world.

  14. Faculty development programs for medical teachers in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SANJAY ZODPEY

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: India has the highest number of medical colleges in the world and subsequently the higher number of medical teachers. There is a dire need of adopting a systematic approach to faculty development to enhance quality education to meet health challenges for 21st Century. This manuscript provides a landscape of faculty development programs in India, identifying gaps and opportunities for reforms in faculty development. Methods: Conventionally, FDPs are organized by medical colleges and universities through Basic Courses and Advanced Courses focusing on pedagogy. Medical Council of India is facilitating FDPs through 18 selected regional centers to enable medical teachers to avail modern education technology for teaching from July 2009. Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research has three Regional Institutes in India. Results: Recommendations include the need for formulating a national strategy for faculty development to not only enhance the quantity of medical teachers but also the quality of medical education; providing support for Departments of Medical Education/Regional Centers in terms of finance and staffing and incorporation of teaching skills in postgraduate training. Conclusion: Distance learning courses focusing on educational leadership and pedagogy for medical teachers can be an option to reach a wider audience. FDPs can be an asset in recruiting and retaining teachers as they offer valued professional development opportunities.

  15. Promoting India's development: energy security and climate security are convergent goals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rajan, Gupta [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Shankar, Harihar [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Joshi, Sunjoy [INDIA

    2009-01-01

    This paper investigates three aspects of the energy-climate challenges faced by India. First, we examine energy security in light of anticipated growth in power generation in response to the national goal of maintaining close to 10% growth in GDP. Second, we examine possible options for mitigation and adaptation to climate change for India that it can take to the coming Copenhagen meeting on climate change. Lastly, we introduce an open web based tool for analyzing and planning global energy systems called the Global Energy Observatory (GEO).

  16. Clinical profile and outcome of children with scrub typhus from Chennai, South India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganesh, Ramaswamy; Suresh, Natarajan; Pratyusha, L L; Janakiraman, Lalitha; Manickam, Mani; Andal, A

    2018-06-01

    Scrub typhus is an acute febrile illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi. We prospectively studied the clinico-laboratory profile and outcome of 358 children aged 1 day to 18 years diagnosed with scrub typhus from Chennai, South India. All children (100%) had fever. Eschar was seen in 67%. All children were treated with oral doxycycline and those with complications were treated with intravenous chloramphenicol/azithromycin. Rapid defervescence (within 48 h) after initiation of doxycline was seen in 306 (85%) and 52 (14.5%) developed complications. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that children who had an elevated aspartate amino transferase (> 120 IU/L) and the presence of thrombocytopenia (platelet count less than 1 lac cells/mm 3 ) at admission had high risk of developing complications. The overall mortality rate in this series was 0.8%. Our 4-year study highlights the clinico-laboratory profile of Scrub typhus in children from Chennai, South India. Early recognition and prompt treatment reduces the complication and mortality. What is Known: • Scrub typhus is endemic to tsutsugamushi triangle, a geographical triangle extending from northern Japan in the east to Pakistan and Afghanistan in the west and northern Australia in the south. • There is paucity of data regarding its clinico-laboratory profile in neonates as well as its predictors of outcome. What is New: • Children who had an elevated AST and the presence of thrombocytopenia at admission had high risk of developing complications.

  17. An assessment of EIA system in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panigrahi, Jitendra K.; Amirapu, Susruta

    2012-01-01

    Environmental impact assessment (EIA) was first introduced in India based on the Environmental Protection Act (EPA), 1986. But formally it came in to effect, when Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has passed a major legislative measure under EPA in January 1994 for Environmental Clearance (EC) known as EIA Notification, 1994. Subsequently, EIA processes have been strengthened by MoEF by a series of amendments. The current practice is adhering to EIA Notification, 2006 and its amendments. The pieces of evidence collected and analysis in the present assessment suggest that, despite a sound legislative, administrative and procedural set-up EIA has not yet evolved satisfactorily in India. An appraisal of the EIA system against systematic evaluation criteria, based on discussions with various stakeholders, EIA expert committee members, approval authorities, project proponents, NGOs and consulting professionals, reveals various drawbacks of the EIA system. These mainly include; inadequate capacity of EIA approval authorities, deficiencies in screening and scoping, poor quality EIA reports, inadequate public participation and weak monitoring. Overall, EIA is used presently as a project justification tool rather than as a project planning tool to contribute to achieving sustainable development. While shortcomings are challenging, Government of India is showing a high degree of commitment. The EIA system in the country is undergoing progressive refinements by steadily removing the constraints. The paper identifies opportunities for taking advantage of the current circumstances for strengthening the EIA process. - Highlights: ► An assessment has been carried out on Environmental Clearance under EIA Notification, 2006, MoEF, Government of India. ► EIA system is appraised against systematic evaluation criteria proposed by Ahmad and Wood (2002), Wood (2003), Fuller (1999). ► The analysis reveals reveals various drawbacks of the EIA system. ► The paper identifies

  18. PLACING INDIA IN THE EMERGING REGIONAL DYNAMICS OF CENTRAL ASIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meena Singh Roy

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The present article tries to examine India’s initiatives in the region in the context of the emerging regional geo-strategic landscape. With an aim to enhance political, economic and strategic ties, India’s policy towards the region has moved from ‘Look North’ to ‘Connect North’. Notably, the full membership of SCO offers India greater synergies to play a more active role in the region. India is, thus, all set to build more meaningful partnerships with the region in the context of new geo-political changes shaping Central Asia. More importantly, the region is seeking India to play a more active role. It is argued that the beginning of a new era of cooperation initiated by PM Modi can only be sustained if New Delhi continues to implement its various agreements and commitments. While building stronger bilateral ties with the region is important, working closely in the regional groupings will also help address regional economic and security challenges

  19. Frequency of β-thalassemia trait and other hemoglobinopathies in northern and western India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madan, Nishi; Sharma, Satendra; Sood, S. K.; Colah, Roshan; Bhatia, (Late) H. M.

    2010-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: India is an ethnically diverse country with an approximate population of 1.2 billion. The frequency of beta-thalassemia trait (βTT) has variously been reported from hemoglobinopathies in different regions and population groups in the country. A high frequency of Hb D has been reported from the North in the Punjabi population, Hb E in the eastern region of India and Hb S is mainly reported from populations of tribal origin from different parts of the country. OBJECTIVES: To study the gene frequency of βTT and other hemoglobinopathies in three regions East (Kolkata), West (Mumbai) and North (Delhi) in larghe population group (schoolchildren) for a more accurate assessment of gene frequency for planning of control programmes for haemoglobinopathies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 5408 children from 11 schools in Delhi, 5682 from 75 schools in Mumbai and 957 schoolchildren from Kolkata who were screened for βTT and haemoglobinopathies. These included 5684 children from 75 schools in Mumbai and 5408 children from 11 schools in Delhi. Children were 11-18 years of age of both sexes. The final report is, however, only on 11090 schoolchildren from Mumbai and Delhi as data from Kolkata was restricted both in numbers and objectives and could not be included for comparison. RESULTS: The overall gene frequency of βTT in Mumbai and Delhi was 4.05% being 2.68% and 5.47% in children of the two cities respectively. In Mumbai, the gene frequency was evenly distributed. Majority of the children with βTT from Mumbai were from Marathi (38.9%) and Gujarati (25%) speaking groups. Gene frequency was >5% in Bhatias, Khatris, Lohanas and Schedule Castes. In Delhi, a higher incidence was observed in schoolchildren of North and West Delhi (5.8-9.2%). The schoolchildren of North and West Delhi comprised predominantly of Punjabi origin compared to children in the South of the city (2.2%, 2.3%). When analyzed state-wise, the highest incidence was observed in

  20. Water Management To Meet Challenges In Food Production ­ An Example From South India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shadananan, K.

    Demands for food and water have been increasing with fast increasing population in many developing countries. Availability of water and fertile land, the two basic requirements for food production do not meet together in certain regions. In such regions, cooperation and efficient management practices can solve the problem to a good extend. The southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu of India are divided by the mountain chains, the Western Ghats the orography of which makes Kerala one among the heaviest rainfall region in the World itself and Tamil Nadu a scanty rainfall region. Kerala receives more than 300cm average annual rainfall, giving birth to a number of perennial rivers and other water bodies whereas Tamil Nadu receives rainfall less than100cm. Most of the rivers of Tamil Nadu are seasonal and it depends on interstate water transfer to face the permanent water shortage. Owing to the high density of population, peculiar topography and soil types, agricultural production in Kerala is quite inadequate and the State depends on neighbouring States, especially Tamil Nadu for rice and vegetables, but not willing to share water. According to the Constitution of India, control of rivers is by individual states and this often leads to transboundary water disputes that retard development activities. Around 80% of the rainfall of Kerala wastefully flows into the Sea, when there is acute water shortage in Tamil Nadu. All the rivers in Kerala originate in the Ghats and its steep slopes makes more water storage difficult. Cooperation among the States become essential for meeting the increasing needs in water and food. If some of the water from the catchments in Kerala is diverted into Tamil Nadu, and the States can do joint agriculture, it can meet the challenges due to increase in population and environmental changes and minimize unemployment problems. Water diversion to Tamil Naduwill reduce flood damage and soil erosion in Kerala. The existing socio

  1. Rayleigh lidar observations of double stratopause structure over three different northern hemisphere stations

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Sivakumar, V

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available observations of double stratopause structure over three different northern hemisphere stations V. Sivakumar1, H. Bencherif1, A. Hauchecorne2, P. Keckhut2, D. N. Rao3, S. Sharma4, H. Chandra4, A. Jayaraman4, and P. B. Rao5 1Laboratoire de l’Atmosphe`re et... des Cyclones, CNRS–UMR 8105, Universite´ de La Re´union, La Reunion, France 2Service d’Ae´ronomie, CNRS, Paris, France 3National Atmospheric Research Laboratory, P. B. No: 123, Tirupati-517 502, India 4Physical Research Laboratory, Navarangapura...

  2. Studies on radionuclide concentration along the Northern Coast of Krusadai Island

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inigo Valan, I.; Stephen, A.; Mathiyarasu, R.; Murthy, S.M.S.; Vijayalakshmi, I.

    2014-01-01

    Krusadai Island - The Biologist's Paradise, is situated in Gulf of Mannar (GaM) near Rameswaram of Tamilnadu, India. It has been recognized as Ecological sensitive area under Coastal regulation zone notification 1991 because these area act as the breeding zone for a variety of marine species, most of which are consumed by human population. Above all Govt. of India and Govt. of Tamil Nadu jointly declared Gulf of Mannar as Marine National Park under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. So it is essential to have a periodic radiological survey in this area in order to check the concentrations of various radionuclide. Apart from this 2004 Tsunami had many devastating effects along the coastal Tamil Nadu. GOM (Especially Rameswaram coast) didn't suffer a lot due to the barricade-like protection given by the island nation Sri Lanka. But reports suggest that northeastern part of the Krusadai Island had noticeable effects due to Tsunami, which interests to study this area. Current study is a preliminary radioactive report on the northern part of the Krusadai Island

  3. High prevalence of multidrug-resistant MRSA in a tertiary care hospital of northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hare Krishna Tiwari

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Hare Krishna Tiwari1, Darshan Sapkota2, Malaya Ranjan Sen11Department of Microbiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, India; 2Department of Microbiology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, NepalAbstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA is an important nosocomial and community pathogen. The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of multidrug-resistant MRSA strains in clinical specimens and to investigate the sensitivity pattern of these strains against various antibiotics used for treating hospitalized and out patients. Strains were identified using standard procedures, and their sensitivity pattern was investigated using such techniques as disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC, and the mecA gene PCR. Among 783 isolates of S. aureus, 301 (38.44% were methicillin-resistant, of which 217 (72.1% were found to be multidrug-resistant. Almost all MRSA strains were resistant to penicillin, 95.68% were resistant to cotrimoxazole, 92.36% were resistant to chloramphenicol, 90.7% were resistant to norfloxacin, 76.1% were resistant to tetracycline, and 75.75% were resistant to ciprofloxacin. Vancomycin was the most effective drug, with only 0.33% of MRSA strains being resistant to it. It is concluded that antibiotics other than vancomycin can be used as anti-MRSA agents after a sensitivity test so as to preclude the emergence of resistance to it and that prevailing problems in chemotherapy will escalate unless indiscriminate and irrational usage of antibiotics is checked.Keywords: multidrug-resistant MRSA, prevalence, India

  4. Using Satellite Data to Unpack Causes of Yield Gaps in India's Wheat Belt

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, M.; Singh, B.; Srivastava, A.; Malik, R. K.; McDonald, A.; Lobell, D. B.

    2016-12-01

    India will face significant food security challenges in the coming decades due to climate change, natural resource degradation, and population growth. Yields of wheat, one of India's staple crops, are already stagnating and will be significantly impacted by warming temperatures. Despite these challenges, wheat yields can be enhanced by implementing improved management in regions with existing yield gaps. To identify the magnitude and causes of current yield gaps, we produced 30 m resolution yield maps across India's main wheat belt, the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP), from 2000 to 2015. Yield maps were derived using a new method that translates satellite vegetation indices to yield estimates using crop model simulations, bypassing the need for ground calibration data that rarely exist in smallholder systems. We find that yields can be increased by 5% on average and up to 16% in the eastern IGP by improving management to current best practices within a given district. However, if policies and technologies are put in place to improve management to current best practices in Punjab, the highest yielding state, yields can be increased by 29% in the eastern IGP. Considering which factors most influence wheat yields, we find that later sow dates and warmer temperatures are most associated with low yields across the IGP. This suggests that strategies that reduce the negative effects of heat stress, like earlier sowing and planting heat-tolerant wheat varieties, are critical to India's current and future food security.

  5. Regional variation in the levels of macular xanthophylls and carotenoids in dietary components: comparing North and South India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velpandian, Thirumurthy; Arora, Beauty; Senthilkumari, Srinivasan; Ravi, Alok Kumar; Gayathri, Chandrasekar; Azad, Rajvardhan; Ghose, Supriyo

    2010-01-01

    Multiple epidemiological studies have emphasized the intake of dark green leafy vegetables rich in xanthophylls in reducing the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Therefore, the present study was undertaken to quantify the levels of major carotenoids in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables of Indian origin and of xanthophylls in the macula of Indian human donor eyes. Fresh fruits (n=20) and vegetables (n=51) collected from two zones of India were tested for the estimation of xanthophyll, lycopene and β-carotene by using HPLC with Photodiode Array Detection. Lutein and zeaxanthin were quantified from macula and in selected vegetables collected from both southern (SI) and northern (NI) regions of India. Xanthophylls, β-carotene and lycopene were found in many affordable vegetables commonly available for consumption in India. Higher content of lutein and zeaxanthin was confirmed in many economical leafy vegetables and fruits. Surprisingly, the mean macular levels of lutein and zeaxanthin of SI donor eyes (n=13) were found to be significantly (pxanthophylls in many of the commonly consumed fruit and vegetable sources in both parts of India. However, SI donor eyes showed lower levels as compared to NI donors and this warrants further investigation about the bioavailability of xanthophylls in their blood and food intake. The relevance of these findings with prevalence of AMD in South India needs to be explored.

  6. Northern pipelines : backgrounder

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-04-01

    Most analysts agree that demand for natural gas in North America will continue to grow. Favourable market conditions created by rising demand and declining production have sparked renewed interest in northern natural gas development. The 2002 Annual Energy Outlook forecasted U.S. consumption to increase at an annual average rate of 2 per cent from 22.8 trillion cubic feet to 33.8 TCF by 2020, mostly due to rapid growth in demand for electric power generation. Natural gas prices are also expected to increase at an annual average rate of 1.6 per cent, reaching $3.26 per thousand cubic feet in 2020. There are currently 3 proposals for pipelines to move northern gas to US markets. They include a stand-alone Mackenzie Delta Project, the Alaska Highway Pipeline Project, and an offshore route that would combine Alaskan and Canadian gas in a pipeline across the floor of the Beaufort Sea. Current market conditions and demand suggest that the projects are not mutually exclusive, but complimentary. The factors that differentiate northern pipeline proposals are reserves, preparedness for market, costs, engineering, and environmental differences. Canada has affirmed its role to provide the regulatory and fiscal certainty needed by industry to make investment decisions. The Government of the Yukon does not believe that the Alaska Highway Project will shut in Mackenzie Delta gas, but will instead pave the way for development of a new northern natural gas industry. The Alaska Highway Pipeline Project will bring significant benefits for the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and the rest of Canada. Unresolved land claims are one of the challenges that has to be addressed for both Yukon and the Northwest Territories, as the proposed Alaska Highway Pipeline will travel through traditional territories of several Yukon first Nations. 1 tab., 4 figs

  7. Stroke care challenges in rural India: Awareness of causes, preventive measures and treatment options of stroke among the rural communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kanaga Lakshmi

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Management of stroke in the remote rural areas in India faces major challenges because of lack of awareness. Stroke care services can be optimally implemented only if the communities have an understanding of the disease. Method: A population based, cross sectional survey of an adult general population sample between the ages of 31-60 years in a rural block in Tamil Nadu, India was carried out to study their knowledge, attitude, beliefs about cause, signs and symptoms, preventive measures and treatment options of stroke. Results: Of the 174 subjects studied only 69% were aware of the term stroke and 63% were able to list the symptoms. Only a little more than half the participants (58% were aware that diabetes, smoking and hypertension are risk factors for stroke. None of the participants were aware of the endovascular thrombolysis injection for better recovery from stroke. About quarter (23% of the participants did not think that the stroke is an emergency condition and they need to take the patient urgently to the hospital. Only 56% of the participants had checked their blood pressure and 49% for diabetes. A history of having either hypertension or diabetes and stroke in the family was the only factor that was significantly associated with better awareness (p=<0.001 independent of other potential facilitating factors including age, occupation, education and gender. Conclusion: There is a need to educate the rural communities about the risk factors, how to recognize the onset, the preventive measures and optimum care of stroke to reduce the burden.

  8. Textile and Garment Industry in India - Challenges of realising human rights and the impact of the Ruggie Framework

    OpenAIRE

    Torkelsen, Frida Hestad

    2017-01-01

    Master i International Social Welfare and Health Policy Many textile and garment (T&G) workers are facing human rights abuses on a regular basis, especially women since they make up a majority of the workers. Most T&G factories are located in less-developed countries (LDCs), and India represents one of the top T&G exporting countries. The industry provides India with economic benefits and have been an important factor to their rising GDP. Over the years, the media attention on ...

  9. Intervention,treatmentand care in autistic disorder. Challenging case reports from northern Finland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kielinen, Marko; Hjelmquist, Erland; Moilanen, Irma; Syrjälä, Leena

    2005-02-01

    Autism produces characteristic patterns of behaviour, and individuals with autistic disorder (AD) have a lot in common in terms of behaviour and mannerisms. Individuals with autism, however, also have their own overall personalities, which both underlie and interact with their autism. This article focuses on challenges of identifying AD and delivering appropriate services in face of long distances and limited resources. This study is a retrospective descriptive chart review and cases series. Hospital records and data on the treatment/habilitation status of 187 children and adolescents with autistic disorder aged 3-18 years were evaluated from Northern Finland. Nine subjects, representing the age group of 9- to 17-year-olds, did not show any improvement on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and in the clinical examination during the follow-up period 1990--97. In this study, these children and adolescents with AD were evaluated more carefully. The treatment programs and therapies varied, depending on the availability of trained staff. There were various reasons for the absence of the most suitable treatment, or habilitation, at the individual level. The difficulties also varied over time and between individuals. In addition, after the follow-up period, four of the nine (55.6%) individuals showed more positive outcome when the level of autism had been taken into account in the planning of the intervention for, treatment and care of AD. The possible reasons for poor outcome included the level of mental disability, impairments of speech and communication, lack of knowledge of autism at the municipal level, long distance to services, severe epilepsy, additional medical diagnosis, parental acceptance of the child's autism and late start of the intervention for, or habilitation of autism.

  10. THE PROBLEMS OF FALL, RISK FACTORS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT AMONG GERIATRIC POPULATION IN INDIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Kumar

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Falls, road accidents and burns are responsible for the highest rates of mortality among Geriatric Population, particularly in the age group 85 or over. In 2006, with approximately 76.6 million (above 7.7% of total population India alone accounted for one-seventh of world’s elderly. Their population has been steadily growing. It is estimated that India will soon become home to the second largest number of older people in the world. The challenges are unique, a majority (80% of them are in the rural areas, making service delivery a challenge, feminization of the elderly population (51% of the elderly population would be women by 2016, increase in the number of the older-old (persons above 80 years and 30% of the elderly are below poverty line.

  11. Root Cause Analysis of Diabetic Ketoacidosis Admissions at a Tertiary Referral Pediatric Emergency Department in North India

    OpenAIRE

    Jayashree, Muralidharan; Sasidharan, Rohit; Singhi, Sunit; Nallasamy, Karthi; Baalaaji, Mullai

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: To identify system-based factors contributing to Emergency Department (ED) admissions of children with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and related complications with emphasis on parental and physician awareness and prereferral management. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational root cause analysis study of all consecutive admissions of children with DKA to pediatric ED of a tertiary care referral hospital in northern India over a period of 1 year (July 2010–June 2011). Preh...

  12. Health issues amongst call center employees, an emerging occupational group in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raja, Jeyapal Dinesh; Bhasin, Sanjiv Kumar

    2014-07-01

    Call center sector in India is a relatively new industry and one of the fastest growing sectors driving employment and growth in modern India today. While employment in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector has meant that young adults are reaching their career milestones and financial goals much earlier than before, surveys and anecdotal evidence show that workers in the BPO sector experience high levels of stress and its related disorders, primarily due to its contemporary work settings. Safeguarding the health of youngsters employed in this new, growing economy becomes an occupational health challenge to public health specialists.

  13. Health issues amongst call center employees, an emerging occupational group in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeyapal Dinesh Raja

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Call center sector in India is a relatively new industry and one of the fastest growing sectors driving employment and growth in modern India today. While employment in the business process outsourcing (BPO sector has meant that young adults are reaching their career milestones and financial goals much earlier than before, surveys and anecdotal evidence show that workers in the BPO sector experience high levels of stress and its related disorders, primarily due to its contemporary work settings. Safeguarding the health of youngsters employed in this new, growing economy becomes an occupational health challenge to public health specialists.

  14. Depositional environments, provenance and paleoclimatic implications of Ordovician siliciclastic rocks of the Thango Formation, Spiti Valley, Tethys Himalaya, northern India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashid, Shaik A.; Ganai, Javid A.

    2018-05-01

    Recently published findings indicate that the Ordovician period has been much more dynamic than previously anticipated thus making this period significant in geological time. The Ordovician of India can best be studied in the Spiti region because the Spiti basin records the complete uninterrupted history of excellent marine sedimentary rocks starting from Cambrian to Paleogene which were deposited along the northern margin of India. Due to these reasons the geochemical data on the Ordovician rocks from the Spiti region is uncommon. The present geochemical study on the Ordovician Thango Formation (Sanugba Group) is mainly aimed to understand the provenance and the paleoclimatic conditions. The sandstones are the dominant lithology of the Thango Formation with intercalations of minor amount of shales. Detailed petrographic and sedimentological analysis of these rocks suggest that three major depositional environments, viz., fluvial, transitional and marine prevailed in the basin representing transgressive and regressive phases. The major and trace element ratios such as SiO2/Al2O3, K2O/Na2O and La-Th- Sc discrimination diagram suggest that these rocks were deposited in passive margin tectonic settings. Various geochemical discriminants and elemental ratios such as K2O/Na2O, Al2O3/TiO2, La/Sc, Th/Sc, Cr/Th, Zr/Sc, (Gd/Yb)N and pronounced negative Eu anomalies indicate the rocks to be the product of weathering of post-Archean granites. The striking similarities of the multi-elemental spider diagrams of the studied sediments and the Himalayan granitoids indicate that sediments are sourced from the Proterozoic orogenic belts of the Himalayan region. Chemical index of alteration (CIA) values of the studied sediments (55-72) suggest that the source rocks underwent low to moderate degree of chemical weathering. The span of the CIA values (55-72) recorded in the sediments from the Spiti region may have resulted from varying degrees of weathering conditions in the source area

  15. India moves towards menstrual hygiene: subsidized sanitary napkins for rural adolescent girls-issues and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garg, Rajesh; Goyal, Shobha; Gupta, Sanjeev

    2012-05-01

    The onset of menstruation is one of the most important physiological changes occurring among girls during the adolescent years. Menstruation heralds the onset of physiological maturity in girls. It becomes the part and parcel of their lives until menopause. Apart from personal importance, this phenomenon also has social significance. In India, menstruation is surrounded by myths and misconceptions with a long list of "do's" and "don'ts" for women. Hygiene-related practices of women during menstruation are of considerable importance, as it may increase vulnerability to Reproductive Tract Infections (RTI's). Poor menstrual hygiene is one of the major reasons for the high prevalence of RTIs in the country and contributes significantly to female morbidity. Most of the adolescent girls in villages use rags and old clothes during menstruation, increasing susceptibility to RTI's. Adolescents constitute one-fifths of India's population and yet their sexual health needs remain largely unaddressed in the national welfare programs. Poor menstrual hygiene in developing countries has been an insufficiently acknowledged problem. In June 2010, the Government of India proposed a new scheme towards menstrual hygiene by a provision of subsidized sanitary napkins to rural adolescent girls. But there are various other issues like awareness, availability and quality of napkins, regular supply, privacy, water supply, disposal of napkins, reproductive health education and family support which needs simultaneous attention for promotion of menstrual hygiene. The current article looks at the issue of menstrual hygiene not only from the health point of view, but also considers social and human rights values attached to it.

  16. FDI Climate in India

    OpenAIRE

    Khandelwal, Varun

    2007-01-01

    ABSTRACT Since 1991, after the external payment crisis in India, there has been liberalization of various policies by the Government of India. Due to this there has been rapid surge of FDI inflows in India. The current investment climate has attracted many foreign investors to India in various sectors. India is considered as one of the favorable destination of FDI. However the country also suffers from few weaknesses and constraints in terms of policy and regulatory framework, which rest...

  17. The Role of Technology in Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Power Sector in Developing Countries: the Case of China, India, and Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    For Frank Princiotta’s book, Global Climate Change—The Technology Challenge China, India, and Mexico are the top emitters of CO2 among developing nations. The electric power sectors in China and India is dominated by coal-fired power plants, whereas in Mexico, fuel oil and natur...

  18. Bridging the energy gap through small and medium sized nuclear reactors in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Srivastava, R.

    1987-01-01

    India is the only country in the world which is employing small sized nuclear reactors for its nuclear power programme. It has now embarked on a programme of augmenting the contribution of the nuclear power by way of employing both medium and small sized nuclear reactors in the next 15 years. This paper discusses the Indian experience and its efforts for industrial mobilisation for rapidly constructing 235/500 MWe nuclear reactor units in a period of about 8 to 9 years. The current energy situation in India and this context the near term role of nuclear power for supplementing the existing sources of commercial energy have been evaluated. Nuclear power has reached such a stage of maturity whereby it has now become a commercially viable source of electricity and it could be utilised on large scale to bridge the energy gap. At present six reactor units of 210/235 MWe capacity are in operation and eight more are in different stages of construction. While we are continuing with the construction of 235 MWe units, a programme of being pursued to construct 550 MWe capacity reactor units from midnineties onwards. This has become possible with the strengthening of regional electricity grids and simultaneous efforts undertaken for augmentation of fuel supply, heavy water production and industrial infrastructure. For a developing country like India, implementation of a sizable nuclear power programme has posed certain special challenges as major inputs are required to be made available with indigeneous efforts. This paper discusses such challenges and presents the ways and means adopted to surmount them. Other developing countries with conditions comparable to those in India could benefit from Indian experience in this regard. This paper also proposes India's willingness to cooperate with other countries for exchange of information and assistance in terms of technical knowhow. (author)

  19. Consequences of low birth weight, maternal illiteracy and poor access to medical care in rural India: infantile iatrogenic Cushing syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karande, Sunil

    2015-08-21

    Home delivery, low birth weight babies and maternal illiteracy among the poor in rural India are frequent. The rural poor prefer to seek healthcare from private providers, most of whom have no formal medical training and buy medicines from private pharmacies without a prescription owing to a weakly regulated environment. This report is of a 4-month-old baby from a remote village in northern India, who presented with exogenous Cushing syndrome. This baby was a full-term low birth weight home delivery. As the baby was not growing well, treatment was started at 1 month by a private doctor with betamethasone drops The mother on her own volition continued giving the betamethasone drops by buying the medicine over the counter from a private pharmacy. This case highlights the gaps in essential health services in rural India and the steps being taken to improve the situation. 2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

  20. Strengthening Regulatory Effectiveness in India – Lessons Learnt from Fukushima Accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solanki, R.

    2016-01-01

    Following the Fukushima Daiichi accident in Japan, one of the most important lessons learnt, among other things, was the issue of strengthening the effectiveness of the regulatory bodies. Immediately after the Fukushima accident, National level safety audits were conducted on all operating NPPs in India to review safety of NPPs in India. A national action plan has been prepared to implement the identified short term, midterm and long term measures. The assessment indicates that national response to the Fukushima Accident for safety assessment of NPPs and subsequent actions and initiatives taken for safety enhancement of the NPPs in India are in-line with the objectives of the IAEA Action plan. This paper highlights the actions taken by India in the light of Fukushima Daiichi accident in order to strengthen the regulatory effectiveness through improvements in the existing core processes, challenges faced, Insights gained from the recent initiatives on safety performance indicators and assessment of safety culture, relevant observations of IRRS mission report and Indian perspectives on the further cooperation among the member states for enhancing the regulatory effectiveness for nuclear oversight of regulated organizations. (author)

  1. Role of Education in the Empowement of Women in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhat, Rouf Ahmad

    2015-01-01

    Women education in India has a major preoccupation of both the government and civil society as educated women can play a very important role in the development of the country. Education is milestone of women empowerment because it enables them to responds to the challenges, to confront their traditional role and change their life. So that we can't…

  2. Oral healthcare challenges for older Punjabi-speaking immigrants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacEntee, Michael I; Wong, Sabrina T; Smith, André; Beattie, B Lynn; Brondani, Mario; Bryant, S Ross; Graf, Peter; Soheilipour, Shimae

    2014-06-01

    This study explored how older Punjabi-speaking South-Asian immigrants (four focus groups; 33 participants) in Surrey, British Columbia, perceive oral health and related problems. Content analysis revealed two umbrella themes: (a) interpretations of mouth conditions and (b) challenges to oral health. The umbrella themes had four sub-themes: damage caused by heat (wai), disturbances caused by caries, coping with dentures, and quality of life. Three challenges were considered: home remedies, Western dentistry, and difficulties accessing dentists. Participants explained oral diseases in terms of a systemic infection (resha), and preferred to decrease imbalances of wai in the mouth with home remedies from India. We conclude that older Punjabi-speaking immigrants interpret oral health and disease in the context of both Western and Ayurvedic traditions, and that they manage dental problems with a mix of traditional remedies supplemented, if possible, by elective oral health care in India, and by emergency dental care in Canada.

  3. Climatic Droughts and the Impacts on Crop Yields in Northern India during the Past Century

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ge, Y.; Cai, X.; Zhu, T.

    2014-12-01

    Drought has become an increasingly severe threat to water and food security recently. This study presents a novel method to calculate the return period of drought, considering drought as event characterized by expected drought inter-arrival time, duration, severity and peak intensity. Recently, Copula distribution, a multivariable probability distribution, is used to deal with strongly correlated variables in analyzing complex hydrologic phenomenon. This study assesses drought conditions in Northern India, including 8 sites, in the past century using Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) from two latest datasets, Dai (2011, 2013) and Sheffield et al. (2012), which concluded conflicting results about global average drought trend. Our results include the change of the severity, intensity and duration of drought events during the past century and the impact of the drought condition on crop yields in the region. It is found that drought variables are highly correlated, thus copulas joint distribution enables the estimation of multi-variate return period. Based on Dai's dataset from 1900 to 2012, for a fixed drought return period the severity and duration is lower for the period before1955 in sites close to the Indus basin (site 1) or off the coast of the Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal) (site 8), while they are higher for the period after 1955 in other inland sites (sites 3-7), (e.g., severity in Fig.1). Projections based on two models (IPCC AR4 and AR5) in Dai (2011, 2013) suggested less severity and shorter duration in longer-year drought (e.g., 100-year drought), but larger in shorter-year drought (e.g., 2-year drought). Drought could bring nonlinear responses and unexpected losses in agriculture system, thus prediction and management are essential. Therefore, in the years with extreme drought conditions, impact assessment of drought on crop yield of corn, barley, wheat and sorghum will be also conducted through correlating crop yields with drought conditions during

  4. Health workforce in India: assessment of availability, production and distribution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazarika, Indrajit

    2013-01-01

    India faces an acute shortage of health personnel. Together with inequalities in distribution of health workers, this shortfall impedes progress towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The aim of this study was to assess health-workforce distribution, identify inequalities in health-worker provision and estimate the impact of this maldistribution on key health outcomes in India. Health-workforce availability and production were assessed by use of year-end data for 2009 obtained from the Indian Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Inequalities in the distribution of doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives were estimated by use of the Gini coefficient and the relation between health-worker density and selected health outcomes was assessed by linear regression. Inequalities in the availability of health workers exist in India. Certain states are experiencing an acute shortage of health personnel. Inequalities in the distribution of health workers are highest for doctors and dentists and have a significant effect on health outcomes. Although the production of health workers has expanded greatly in recent years, the problems of imbalances in their distribution persist. As India seeks to achieve universal health coverage by 2020, the realization of this goal remains challenged by the current lack of availability and inequitable distribution of appropriately trained, motivated and supported health workers.

  5. Challenges and Solutions for Mapping Innovation in a Large Emerging Economy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rai, Sudhanshu

    this paper is an outcome of my experience as a team member of the Euro-India Innovation mapping project. The project set out to map India’s IT Innovativeness over two years from January 2008-to December 2009. Here I bring to the fore the different methodologies that we reviewed in order...... to implement the innovation mapping project and our realization that each methodology in itself though useful may not be sufficient to address the complexity of the subject matter due to the vastness of India and its emerging nature. I outline some of the challenges faced by us when designing a methodology...... for mapping innovation in a large emerging economy. I discuss some solutions and report on how we solved the problem only to be faced with newer challenges. A methodological design is a challenging endeavor in the normal of time, when it comes to doing the same in a large emerging economy the problems becomes...

  6. Coastal sea level response to the tropical cyclonic forcing in the northern Indian Ocean

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Mehra, P.; Soumya, M.; Vethamony, P.; Vijaykumar, K.; Nair, T.M.B.; Agarvadekar, Y.; Jyoti, K.; Sudheesh, K.; Luis, R.; Lobo, S.; Halmalkar, B.

    –173, 2015 www.ocean-sci.net/11/159/2015/ doi:10.5194/os-11-159-2015 © Author(s) 2015. CC Attribution 3.0 License. Coastal sea level response to the tropical cyclonic forcing in the northern Indian Ocean P. Mehra1, M. Soumya1, P. Vethamony1, K. Vijaykumar1, T.... Note: sea level data at Colombo, Kochi, Karachi, Chabahar, Jask, Masirah, Minocoy and Hanimaadhoo are downloaded from www.gloss-sealevel.org and are shown with red stars. (Time is in Indian standard time (IST).) land locations of India are provided...

  7. India Emerging

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Traditionally, India has had an extremely poor collection of direct taxes, not least due to ...... Economic Impact of Mobile in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Serbia, ...... in India owes its origin to Gandhian principles, philosophy and practices.

  8. The challenge of biomass production. Analysis of Chinnahagari and Upparahalla watersheds, Bellary District, India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avornyo, F.; Ballal, F.; Husseini, R.; Mysore, A.; Nabi, S.A.; Guevara, A.L.P.

    2003-01-01

    Results are presented of a field study conducted in the Chinnahagari and Upparahalla watersheds in the Karnataka state of India, with the objective of identifying the opportunities for and constraints in efforts for enhancing biomass production. The Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) procedure which is a process of integrating different perspectives of stakeholders was used for planning strategies to combat low biomass problems

  9. CHALLENGING THE MAINSTREAM: BADRUDDIN TYABJI’S OPPOSITION TO MUSLIM SEPARATISM IN BRITISH INDIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    BELKACEM BELMEKKI

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Contrary to the widespread belief that the Muslim community in British India unanimously championed the idea of separatism in the Subcontinent, there were, after all, some key figures among them who opposed this tendency wholeheartedly. This paper seeks to set out the example of a prominent Muslim leader, Badruddin Tyabji (1844-1906, a lawyer and later a judge, who had a different conception as to the lot of his coreligionists in the Indian Subcontinent.

  10. Risks and opportunities for emerging markets: The cases of India and China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanjay Peters

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, the re-emergence of China and India as influential economic powers is commonly accepted as a fact. However, the path taken by each of the two countries over the past 15 years in order for them to reach the highest growth rates in the world has been quite different. In the case of China, much of the macroeconomic growth can be attributed (at least from the 1990s onwards to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI. In India, meanwhile, the organic or autonomous development of businesses and consumption are the two main factors that have boosted the growth of GDP. Based on this premise, this article enumerates and explores the main economic, political, environmental and social challenges that must be dealt with in each case, thus presenting a panoramic view of each country’s impending economic and political agenda. Finally, and by way of a conclusion, the article tackles the most important challenges and opportunities for investment in the two countries.

  11. Legal hurdles for gastroenterologists in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagpal, Neeraj

    2017-05-01

    Litigation and compensation claims have started occurring with increasing frequency against gastroenterologists in India. A study of few such cases decided by Indian Courts shows that commonest reason for allegations of negligence being upheld by Indian Courts is an improper consent being taken. Professional organisations need to focus on these issues more aggressively than has been done in the past. Judgments which do not appear to be in conformity with standard medical practices need to be challenged in higher courts, failing in which they would become precedents for future similar judgments.

  12. Searching for Sexual Revolutions in India: Non-Governmental Organisation-Designed Sex Education Programmes as a Means towards Gender Equality and Sexual Empowerment in New Delhi, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabler, Mette

    2012-01-01

    At the foundation of most inequalities in expression of sexuality lie social constructions of gender. In this paper, sex education is considered as a possibility to challenge sexism and promote healthy and self-affirmative sex lives. In the past decade, the discourse of sex education in India has become a "battle of morality" where…

  13. Management experiences and trends for water reuse implementation in Northern California.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bischel, Heather N; Simon, Gregory L; Frisby, Tammy M; Luthy, Richard G

    2012-01-03

    In 2010, California fell nearly 300,000 acre-ft per year (AFY) short of its goal to recycle 1,000,000 AFY of municipal wastewater. Growth of recycled water in the 48 Northern California counties represented only 20% of the statewide increase in reuse between 2001 and 2009. To evaluate these trends and experiences, major drivers and challenges that influenced the implementation of recycled water programs in Northern California are presented based on a survey of 71 program managers conducted in 2010. Regulatory requirements limiting discharge, cited by 65% of respondents as a driver for program implementation, historically played an important role in motivating many water reuse programs in the region. More recently, pressures from limited water supplies and needs for system reliability are prevalent drivers. Almost half of respondents (49%) cited ecological protection or enhancement goals as drivers for implementation. However, water reuse for direct benefit of natural systems and wildlife habitat represents just 6-7% of total recycling in Northern California and few financial incentives exist for such projects. Economic challenges are the greatest barrier to successful project implementation. In particular, high costs of distribution systems (pipelines) are especially challenging, with $1 to 3 million/mile costs experienced. Negative perceptions of water reuse were cited by only 26% of respondents as major hindrances to implementation of surveyed programs.

  14. Patient safety in maternal healthcare at secondary and tertiary level facilities in Delhi, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chandrakant Lahariya

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: There is insufficient information on causes of unsafe care at facility levels in India. This study was conducted to understand the challenges in government hospitals in ensuring patient safety and to propose solutions to improve patient care. Materials and Methods: Desk review, in-depth interviews, and focused group discussions were conducted between January and March 2014. Healthcare providers and nodal persons for patient safety in Gynecology and Obstetrics Departments of government health facilities from Delhi state of India were included. Data were analyzed using qualitative research methods and presented adopting the "health system approach." Results: The patient safety was a major concern among healthcare providers. The key challenges identified were scarcity of resources, overcrowding at health facilities, poor communications, patient handovers, delay in referrals, and the limited continuity of care. Systematic attention on the training of care providers involved in service delivery, prescription audits, peer reviews, facility level capacity building plan, additional financial resources, leadership by institutional heads and policy makers were suggested as possible solutions. Conclusions: There is increasing awareness and understanding about challenges in patient safety. The available local information could be used for selection, designing, and implementation of measures to improve patient safety at facility levels. A systematic and sustained approach with attention on all functions of health systems could be beneficial. Patient safety could be used as an entry point to improve the quality of health care services in India.

  15. Grasslands in India: Problems and perspectives for sustaining livestock and rural livelihoods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ajoy K. Roy

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available In India, grazing-based livestock husbandry plays an important role in the rural economy as around 50% of animals depend on grazing. Pasturelands over an area of 12 Mha constitute the main grazing resources that are available. Temperate/alpine pastures are spread across elevations higher than 2000 m in the Eastern and Western Himalayas including the Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim states. Nearly 30 pastoral communities in hilly or arid/semi-arid regions in northern and western parts of India, as well as 20 in temperate/hilly regions, depend on grazing-based livestock production. Due to overgrazing coupled with poor management and care, these grazing lands have deteriorated to a large extent and need amelioration or rehabilitation. Appropriate technologies have been developed, refined and tested in various research and academic institutions. These technologies need to be implemented on a large scale in different parts of the country for augmenting forage resources, enhancing livestock production and sustaining livelihood options in an eco-friendly manner.

  16. The cost of universal health care in India: a model based estimate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prinja, Shankar; Bahuguna, Pankaj; Pinto, Andrew D; Sharma, Atul; Bharaj, Gursimer; Kumar, Vishal; Tripathy, Jaya Prasad; Kaur, Manmeet; Kumar, Rajesh

    2012-01-01

    As high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses pose heavy financial burden on the families, Government of India is considering a variety of financing and delivery options to universalize health care services. Hence, an estimate of the cost of delivering universal health care services is needed. We developed a model to estimate recurrent and annual costs for providing health services through a mix of public and private providers in Chandigarh located in northern India. Necessary health services required to deliver good quality care were defined by the Indian Public Health Standards. National Sample Survey data was utilized to estimate disease burden. In addition, morbidity and treatment data was collected from two secondary and two tertiary care hospitals. The unit cost of treatment was estimated from the published literature. For diseases where data on treatment cost was not available, we collected data on standard treatment protocols and cost of care from local health providers. We estimate that the cost of universal health care delivery through the existing mix of public and private health institutions would be INR 1713 (USD 38, 95%CI USD 18-73) per person per annum in India. This cost would be 24% higher, if branded drugs are used. Extrapolation of these costs to entire country indicates that Indian government needs to spend 3.8% (2.1%-6.8%) of the GDP for universalizing health care services. The cost of universal health care delivered through a combination of public and private providers is estimated to be INR 1713 per capita per year in India. Important issues such as delivery strategy for ensuring quality, reducing inequities in access, and managing the growth of health care demand need be explored.

  17. Future of endemic flora of biodiversity hotspots in India.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vishwas Sudhir Chitale

    Full Text Available India is one of the 12 mega biodiversity countries of the world, which represents 11% of world's flora in about 2.4% of global land mass. Approximately 28% of the total Indian flora and 33% of angiosperms occurring in India are endemic. Higher human population density in biodiversity hotspots in India puts undue pressure on these sensitive eco-regions. In the present study, we predict the future distribution of 637 endemic plant species from three biodiversity hotspots in India; Himalaya, Western Ghats, Indo-Burma, based on A1B scenario for year 2050 and 2080. We develop individual variable based models as well as mixed models in MaxEnt by combining ten least co-related bioclimatic variables, two disturbance variables and one physiography variable as predictor variables. The projected changes suggest that the endemic flora will be adversely impacted, even under such a moderate climate scenario. The future distribution is predicted to shift in northern and north-eastern direction in Himalaya and Indo-Burma, while in southern and south-western direction in Western Ghats, due to cooler climatic conditions in these regions. In the future distribution of endemic plants, we observe a significant shift and reduction in the distribution range compared to the present distribution. The model predicts a 23.99% range reduction and a 7.70% range expansion in future distribution by 2050, while a 41.34% range reduction and a 24.10% range expansion by 2080. Integration of disturbance and physiography variables along with bioclimatic variables in the models improved the prediction accuracy. Mixed models provide most accurate results for most of the combinations of climatic and non-climatic variables as compared to individual variable based models. We conclude that a regions with cooler climates and higher moisture availability could serve as refugia for endemic plants in future climatic conditions; b mixed models provide more accurate results, compared to single

  18. Future of endemic flora of biodiversity hotspots in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chitale, Vishwas Sudhir; Behera, Mukund Dev; Roy, Partha Sarthi

    2014-01-01

    India is one of the 12 mega biodiversity countries of the world, which represents 11% of world's flora in about 2.4% of global land mass. Approximately 28% of the total Indian flora and 33% of angiosperms occurring in India are endemic. Higher human population density in biodiversity hotspots in India puts undue pressure on these sensitive eco-regions. In the present study, we predict the future distribution of 637 endemic plant species from three biodiversity hotspots in India; Himalaya, Western Ghats, Indo-Burma, based on A1B scenario for year 2050 and 2080. We develop individual variable based models as well as mixed models in MaxEnt by combining ten least co-related bioclimatic variables, two disturbance variables and one physiography variable as predictor variables. The projected changes suggest that the endemic flora will be adversely impacted, even under such a moderate climate scenario. The future distribution is predicted to shift in northern and north-eastern direction in Himalaya and Indo-Burma, while in southern and south-western direction in Western Ghats, due to cooler climatic conditions in these regions. In the future distribution of endemic plants, we observe a significant shift and reduction in the distribution range compared to the present distribution. The model predicts a 23.99% range reduction and a 7.70% range expansion in future distribution by 2050, while a 41.34% range reduction and a 24.10% range expansion by 2080. Integration of disturbance and physiography variables along with bioclimatic variables in the models improved the prediction accuracy. Mixed models provide most accurate results for most of the combinations of climatic and non-climatic variables as compared to individual variable based models. We conclude that a) regions with cooler climates and higher moisture availability could serve as refugia for endemic plants in future climatic conditions; b) mixed models provide more accurate results, compared to single variable based

  19. Securing India's energy future

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raghuraman, V.

    2009-01-01

    India's development aspirations are challenged by energy security and climate change considerations. The integrated energy policy clearly deliberates the need to intensify all energy options with emphasis on maximizing indigenous coal production, harnessing hydropower, increasing adoption of renewables, intensifying hydrocarbon exploration and production and anchoring nuclear power development to meet the long-term requirements. The report also emphasizes the need to secure overseas hydrocarbon and coal assets. Subsequently the National Action Plan on climate change has underscored the need to wean away from fossil fuels, the ambitious National Solar Mission is a case in point. Ultimately securing India's energy future lies in clean coal, safe nuclear and innovative solar. Coal is the key energy option in the foreseeable future. Initiatives are needed to take lead role in clean coal technologies, in-situ coal gasification, tapping coal bed methane, coal to liquids and coal to gas technologies. There is need to intensify oil exploration by laying the road-map to open acreage to unlock the hydrocarbon potential. Pursue alternate routes based on shale, methane from marginal fields. Effectively to use oil diplomacy to secure and diversify sources of supply including trans-national pipelines and engage with friendly countries to augment strategic resources. Technologies to be accessed and developed with international co-operation and financial assistance. Public-Private Partnerships, in collaborative R and D projects need to be accelerated. Nuclear share of electricity generation capacity to be increased 6 to 7% of 63000 MW by 2031-32 and further to 25% (300000 MW) capacity by 2050 is to be realized by operationalizing the country's thorium programme. Nuclear renaissance has opened up opportunities for the Indian industry to meet not only India's requirements but also participate in the global nuclear commerce; India has the potential to emerge as a manufacturing hub

  20. (rehabilitating Heritage Places) Structural Repairs and Conservation Works for Astor Kolkata, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dasgupta, S.; Fournier, L.

    2017-08-01

    Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta in English, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and is located in eastern India on the east bank of the River Hooghly. The city was a colonial city developed by the British East India Company and then by the British Empire. Kolkata was the capital of the British Indian empire until 1911 when the capital was relocated to Delhi. Kolkata grew rapidly in the 19th century to become the second city of the British Empire. This was accompanied by the development of a culture that fused European philosophies with Indian tradition. The city has been known by many names "Cultural Capital of India", "The City of Processions", "The City of Palaces", and the "City of Joy". Problems related to rapid urbanisation started to plaque Kolkata from the 1930s and the city remains an example of the urbanization challenges of the developing nations. The exercise included Archival research, Field surveys, Condition Mapping, structural evaluation and preparation of restoration & conservation solutions along with post conservation management plan. The Major challenges encountered were identifying the correct consolidation techniques using modern technology and incorporation of modern services. The Documentation and Mapping was used as a significant tool to guide towards the structural consolidation, conservation and Management strategy of the complex.

  1. Eliciting a policy response for the rising epidemic of overweight-obesity in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khandelwal, S; Reddy, K S

    2013-11-01

    India is experiencing multiple transitions with respect to nutrition patterns, epidemiology and demography. Along with staggering childhood undernutrition, a rapid rise in chronic diseases and their risk factors including overweight-obesity (O-O), among all sections of society, is compounding India's health challenges. We present an overview of the O-O scenario (prevalence, determinants) and profile existing initiatives to address this modifiable risk factor in India. Urgent attention from all sectors, committed resources, policy support and targeted actions are warranted to combat the dual burden of malnutrition. The health systems should be reoriented and strengthened, in addition to enabling actions in other sectors, to address prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and associated risk factors like O-O. © 2013 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

  2. Magnitude of crustal shortening and structural framework of the easternmost Himalayan orogen, northern Indo-Burma Ranges of northeastern India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haproff, P. J.; Yin, A.

    2016-12-01

    Along-strike variation in crustal shortening throughout the Himalayan orogen has been attributed to (1) diachronous, eastward-increasing convergence, or (2) localized controls including pre-collisional stratigraphic configuration and climate. In this study, we present new geologic maps and balanced cross-sections across the easternmost segment of the Himalayan orogen, the N-S-trending N. Indo-Burma Ranges of northeastern India. First order structures are NE-dipping, km-wide ductile thrust shear zones with mylonitic fabrics indicating top-to-the SW motion. Major structures include the Mayodia klippe and Hunli window, generated during folding of the SW-directed Tidding thrust and duplexing of Lesser Himalayan rocks (LHS) at depth. Reconstruction of two balanced cross-sections yields minimum shortening estimates of 70% (48 km) and 71% (133 km), respectively. The widths of the orogen for each transect are 21 km and 54 km, respectively. Our percent strain values are comparable to that of western Arunachal Himalaya, reflecting eastward-increasing strain due to counterclockwise rotation of India during convergence or along-strike variation in India's subduction angle. However, shortening magnitudes much less than that of the Sikkim (641 km), Bhutan (414-615 km), and western Arunachal Himalaya (515-775 km) could signal eastward increasing shortening of a unique Himalayan stratigraphic framework, evidenced by few GHC rocks, absence of Tethyan strata, and an extensive subduction mélange and forearc complex.

  3. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for thalassemia major in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vikram Mathews

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT is the only currently available curative treatment for thalassemia major. Since it was first done in 1981, several thousand patients have benefited from it and it is now possible to offer this treatment in different parts of the world with good results. With better risk stratification and supportive care, the results of allo-SCT are now very good even in high risk patients who have significant iron overload related organ dysfunction. The improvements have mainly been in the conditioning strategies with less toxic myeloablation and management of the complications of SCT. However, several challenges remain. Transplant related complications still cause significant morbidity and mortality. There is data to show that the results of transplantation as best if done in well transfused and chelated patients <7 years of age. As only a third of the patients will have a matched related donor, there is need for investigating SCT with alternative donors. Experience with SCT for thalassemia major from matched unrelated donors or haplo-identical donors is still limited but needs further exploration. Adequate management needs to be provided post-SCT for all pre-existing complications particularly iron chelation to prevent further organ dysfunction. Systematic follow-up is needed to measure long term outcomes. The biggest challenges in India are the cost of this treatment and access to centres capable of providing this treatment. With greater support from the government, health insurance and philanthropic programs, there has been a rapid increase in the number of SCTs for thalassemia major in India. The number centres providing this treatment are also increasing making this curative treatment more widely available in India.

  4. Translating India

    CERN Document Server

    Kothari, Rita

    2014-01-01

    The cultural universe of urban, English-speaking middle class in India shows signs of growing inclusiveness as far as English is concerned. This phenomenon manifests itself in increasing forms of bilingualism (combination of English and one Indian language) in everyday forms of speech - advertisement jingles, bilingual movies, signboards, and of course conversations. It is also evident in the startling prominence of Indian Writing in English and somewhat less visibly, but steadily rising, activity of English translation from Indian languages. Since the eighties this has led to a frenetic activity around English translation in India's academic and literary circles. Kothari makes this very current phenomenon her chief concern in Translating India.   The study covers aspects such as the production, reception and marketability of English translation. Through an unusually multi-disciplinary approach, this study situates English translation in India amidst local and global debates on translation, representation an...

  5. An assessment of EIA system in India

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Panigrahi, Jitendra K., E-mail: Jitu@scientist.com [Department of Marine Sciences, Berhampur University, Berhampur-760007 (India); Amirapu, Susruta, E-mail: susrutaa@gmail.com [EIA Department, L and T-RAMBOLL, Hyderabad-500029 (India)

    2012-07-15

    Environmental impact assessment (EIA) was first introduced in India based on the Environmental Protection Act (EPA), 1986. But formally it came in to effect, when Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has passed a major legislative measure under EPA in January 1994 for Environmental Clearance (EC) known as EIA Notification, 1994. Subsequently, EIA processes have been strengthened by MoEF by a series of amendments. The current practice is adhering to EIA Notification, 2006 and its amendments. The pieces of evidence collected and analysis in the present assessment suggest that, despite a sound legislative, administrative and procedural set-up EIA has not yet evolved satisfactorily in India. An appraisal of the EIA system against systematic evaluation criteria, based on discussions with various stakeholders, EIA expert committee members, approval authorities, project proponents, NGOs and consulting professionals, reveals various drawbacks of the EIA system. These mainly include; inadequate capacity of EIA approval authorities, deficiencies in screening and scoping, poor quality EIA reports, inadequate public participation and weak monitoring. Overall, EIA is used presently as a project justification tool rather than as a project planning tool to contribute to achieving sustainable development. While shortcomings are challenging, Government of India is showing a high degree of commitment. The EIA system in the country is undergoing progressive refinements by steadily removing the constraints. The paper identifies opportunities for taking advantage of the current circumstances for strengthening the EIA process. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer An assessment has been carried out on Environmental Clearance under EIA Notification, 2006, MoEF, Government of India. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer EIA system is appraised against systematic evaluation criteria proposed by Ahmad and Wood (2002), Wood (2003), Fuller (1999). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The analysis

  6. On the possibilities and limits of "DEAF DEAF SAME": Tourism and empowerment camps in Adamorobe (Ghana), Bangalore and Mumbai (India).

    OpenAIRE

    Michele Ilana Friedner; Annelies Kusters

    2014-01-01

    This article qualitatively analyzes the ways that the discourse of "deaf universalism" circulates within two common deaf practices: tourism and engaging in interventions. Arguing that the largely Northern-situated discipline of Deaf Studies does not adequately examine how deaf bodies and discourses travel, ethnographic data compiled in India and Ghana during transnational encounters is employed to examine how claims of "sameness" and "difference" are enacted and negotiated. Similarly, this ar...

  7. Leopard in a tea-cup: A study of leopard habitat-use and human-leopard interactions in north-eastern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kshettry, Aritra; Vaidyanathan, Srinivas; Athreya, Vidya

    2017-01-01

    There is increasing evidence of the importance of multi-use landscapes for the conservation of large carnivores. However, when carnivore ranges overlap with high density of humans, there are often serious conservation challenges. This is especially true in countries like India where loss of peoples' lives and property to large wildlife are not uncommon. The leopard (Panthera pardus) is a large felid that is widespread in India, often sharing landscapes with high human densities. In order to understand the ecology of leopards in a human use landscape and the nature of human-leopard interactions, we studied (i) the spatial and temporal distribution and the characteristics of leopard attacks on people, (ii) the spatial variability in the pattern of habitat use by the leopard, and (iii) the spatial relationship between attack locations and habitat use by leopards. The study site, located in northern West Bengal, India, is a densely populated mixed-use landscape of 630 km2, comprising of forests, tea plantations, agriculture fields, and human settlements. A total of 171 leopard attacks on humans were reported between January 2009 and March 2016, most of which occurred within the tea-gardens. None of the attacks was fatal. We found significant spatial clustering of locations of leopard attacks on humans. However, most of the attacks were restricted to certain tea estates and occurred mostly between January and May. Analysis of habitat use by leopards showed that the probability of use of areas with more ground vegetation cover was high while that of areas with high density of buildings was low. However, locations of leopard attacks on people did not coincide with areas that showed a higher probability of use by leopards. This indicates that an increased use of an area by leopards, by itself, does not necessarily imply an increase in attacks on people. The spatial and temporal clustering of attack locations allowed us to use this information to prioritize areas to focus

  8. Pediatric rheumatology: An under-recognized subspecialty in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akhila Kavirayani

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Pediatrics in India at the levels of both undergraduate and postgraduate training is often viewed upon as an acute disease specialty with little emphasis on chronic medical musculoskeletal diseases. Pediatric rheumatology is an under-recognized subspecialty of pediatrics which deals specifically with childhood arthritis, noninflammatory joint pains, connective tissue diseases, autoimmune diseases, vasculitis, and other rare inflammatory disorders. This article aims to give a bird's eye view of the repertoire of commonly encountered problems seen by a pediatric rheumatologist, via a classical case vignette for each topic followed by discussion. There is also mention of some rare diseases managed within pediatric rheumatology to give a flavor of the spectrum of diseases encountered. This is to raise awareness of the importance of pediatric rheumatology as a subspecialty within India and to prompt readers to seek specialist advice when encountering challenging cases. Pediatric rheumatologists network and work collaboratively with many other specialties such as ophthalmology, dermatology, neurology, orthopedics, nephrology, infectious diseases, immunology, and gastroenterology for combined care of diverse conditions. There is an unmet need in India to develop a training program for pediatric rheumatology so that shared care pathways with sensitized pediatricians and other specialists can be developed nationwide, to serve these children better to achieve optimal outcomes.

  9. Beach sand mineral industries in India and challenges of value addition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patra, R.N.

    2016-01-01

    Beach sand minerals (BSM) are a suite of seven minerals that often occur together in various proportions in the beach sands of coastal India. They are also called heavy minerals as they have densities in the range 3.2 gms/cc to 5.2 gms/cc, which are higher than the sand. Ilmenite, leucoxene and rutile are oxide minerals of titanium metal. Zircon is silicate of zirconium where as silimanite is silicate of aluminum. The titanium, zirconium and thorium bearing minerals are atomic minerals under the atomic energy act 1962 and need no objection from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) for their mining. Further authorization is necessary from DAE to handle and process monazite as it contains thorium, as it is a prescribed substance under the notification issued under the atomic energy act. Radioactive nature of monazite also mandates obtaining permission from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) with a view to ensure regulatory compliance with radiological safety. Monazite is processed to produce rare earths, trisodium phosphate (TSP) and thorium compounds.Thorium values are stockpiled in engineered trenches for use in nuclear power program of the country where as rare earths are used for manufacture of high power permanent magnets, energy efficient optical phosphors, metal alloys for battery to store electricity and hydrogen, as additives to glass for imparting special optical properties and myriads of applications in defence and strategic sectors. Rare earths of late have assumed importance as high power rare earths based permanent magnets are used in manufacture of wind mills, MRI machines, magnetic levitated bearings etc, having minimal impact on green house gas generation and use in renewable energy sector. The presentation brings out the limitation of value added product industries in India, the efforts taken by Indian Rare Earths Ltd. (IREL) in developing value added products in the face of technology denial regime and hostile market dynamics. The road map for

  10. "When the obvious brother is not there": political and cultural contexts of the orphan challenge in northern Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oleke, Christopher; Blystad, Astrid; Rekdal, Ole Bjørn

    2005-12-01

    It is estimated that two million of Uganda's children today are orphaned primarily due to AIDS. While recognising the immense impact of HIV/AIDS on the present orphan problem, this article calls for a broader historic and cultural contextualisation to reach an understanding of the vastness of the orphan challenge. The study on which the article is based was carried out among the Langi in Lira District, northern Uganda, with a prime focus on the situation of orphans within the extended family system. The data were collected through ethnographic fieldwork (8 months); in-depth interviews with community leaders (21), heads of households (45) and orphans (35); through focus group discussions (5) with adult men and women caring for orphans, community leaders and with orphans; and also through documentary review. A survey was conducted in 402 households. The findings reveal a transition over the past 30 years from a situation dominated by 'purposeful' voluntary exchange of non-orphaned children to one dominated by 'crisis fostering' of orphans. Sixty-three percent of the households caring for orphans were found to be no longer headed by resourceful paternal kin in a manner deemed culturally appropriate by the patrilineal Langi society, but rather by marginalised widows, grandmothers or other single women receiving little support from the paternal clan. This transition is partly linked to an abrupt discontinuation of the Langi 'widow inheritance' (laku) practice. It is argued that the consequential transformations in fostering practices in northern Uganda must be historically situated through a focus on the effects of armed conflicts and uprooting of the local pastoral and cotton-based economy, which have occurred since the late 1970s. These processes jointly produced dramatic economic marginalisation with highly disturbing consequences for orphans and their caretakers.

  11. India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, R.W.

    1990-01-01

    Interest has grown recently in the issues of third tier or emerging nuclear suppliers. These are states that could export nuclear equipment, services, or technology but are outside the export control framework of the London Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG). The concern is that they may conduct nuclear trade without adequate safeguards, thus weakening the nonproliferation regime or even contributing to nuclear proliferation. The volume of nuclear sales by emerging suppliers is still minuscule, and it is unclear how far their export practices will diverge from the NSG framework. This case study of Indian nuclear supplier capability and practice is an effort to discern the type of path India is likely to adopt. This paper examines four aspects of India's nuclear activity for clues to India's potential role as an emerging nuclear supplier: foreign transactions; nuclear decision making; policy norms; and nuclear industrial capabilities

  12. School lunch program in India: background, objectives and components.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chutani, Alka Mohan

    2012-01-01

    The School Lunch Program in India (SLP) is the largest food and nutrition assistance program feeding millions of children every day. This paper provides a review of the background information on the SLP in India earlier known as national program for nutrition support to primary education (NP-NSPE) and later as mid day meal scheme, including historical trends and objectives and components/characteristics of the scheme. It also addresses steps being taken to meet challenges being faced by the administrators of the program in monitoring and evaluation of the program. This program was initially started in 1960 in few states to overcome the complex problems malnutrition and illiteracy. Mid Day Meal Scheme is the popular name for school meal program. In 2001, as per the supreme court orders, it became mandatory to give a mid day meal to all primary and later extended to upper primary school children studying in the government and government aided schools. This scheme benefitted 140 million children in government assisted schools across India in 2008, strengthening child nutrition and literacy. In a country with a large percent of illiterate population with a high percent of children unable to read or write; governmental and non-governmental organizations have reported that mid day meal scheme has consistently increased enrollment in schools in India. One of the main goals of school lunch program is to promote the health and well-being of the Nation's children.

  13. Attrition of Knowledge Workforce in Healthcare in Northern parts of India – Health Information Technology as a Plausible Retention Strategy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Indrajit Bhattacharya

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Faced with a global shortage of skilled health workers due to attrition, countries are struggling to build and maintain optimum knowledge workforce in healthcare for delivering quality healthcare services. Forces that affect healthcare professionals’ turnover needs to be addressed before a competent uniformly adoptable strategy could be proposed for mitigating the problem. In this study we investigate the effects of the socio–demographic characteristics on attrition of healthcare knowledge workforce in northern parts of India that have a wide gradient of rural and urban belt, taking into account both public and private healthcare organizations. For this purpose healthcare professional attrition tracking survey (HATS was designed. The data has been collected from a random sample of 807 respondents consisting of doctors, nurses, paramedics and administrators to explore the relationships between various factors acting as antecedents in affecting the job satisfaction, commitment and intention of a healthcare professional to stay in the job. Structured questionnaires were utilized as the data collection tools. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis and path analysis were carried out using multiple regression and correlation to propose a model that best explains the theoretical assumption of factors leading to attrition. Six factors of attrition namely compensation and perks, work life balance, sense of accomplishment, work load, need for automation and technology improvement, substandard nature of work have been identified as the main factors with a data reliability of 0.809%. It has also been identified that the intention to shift is a major decision maker that affects attrition and in turn affected by job satisfaction dimensions. Based on the survey response and analysis, a highly possible strategy of utilizing information technology implementation for increasing worker motivation, job satisfaction and commitment to reduce attrition has been

  14. India's nuclear spin-off

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaul, Ravi.

    1974-01-01

    After examining world-wide reactions of the foreign governments and news media to the India's peaceful nuclear experiment (PNE) in the Rajasthan Desert on 18 May 1974, development of nuclear technology in India is assessed and its economic advantages are described. Implications of the Non-Proliferation Treaty are explained. Psychological impact of India's PNE on India's neighbours and superpowers and associated political problems in context of proliferation of nuclear weapons are discussed in detail. (M.G.B.)

  15. India's future: it's about jobs

    OpenAIRE

    Geoffrey N. Keim; Beth Anne Wilson

    2007-01-01

    Projections of sustained strong growth in India depend importantly on the utilization of the huge increase in India's working-age population projected over the next two decades. To date, however, India's economic growth has been concentrated in high-skill and capital-intensive sectors, and has not generated strong employment growth. In this paper, we highlight the tension between India's performance in output and employment, describe the characteristics of India's demographic dividend, and di...

  16. National Guidelines for Prevention and Control of Iron Deficiency Anemia in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asha Bellad

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Anaemia is a serious public health challenge in India with more than 50% prevalence across vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, infants, young children and adolescents. It has adverse effects on health, physical and mental productivity affecting quality of life. Guideline is any document containing recommendations about health interventions, whether these are clinical, public health or policy recommendations. The National Anemia Prevention and control guidelines have been developed taking cognizance of the current scientific evidence. The National Iron+ Initiative guidelines have been developed by the Adolescent Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW, Government of India.  Prevention and control of anaemia is one of the key strategies of the Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Programmes for reducing maternal, neonatal and childhood mortality and improving maternal, adolescent and childhood health status. It is estimated that anaemia causes 20 per cent of maternal deaths in India.

  17. The Achievements of the Jesuit Educational Mission in India and the Contemporary Challenges It Faces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinto, Ambrose

    2014-01-01

    The Jesuit project of education in India that began with St Francis Xavier and flourished due to the support of colonial masters at its establishment was distinctive in its aims and objectives. The Jesuits taught the lowly and the mighty with the sole aim of "evangelisation", a term that has changed its meaning depending on contexts and…

  18. Atlantic SSTs control regime shifts in forest fire activity of Northern Scandinavia

    OpenAIRE

    Drobyshev, Igor; Bergeron, Yves; Vernal, Anne de; Moberg, Anders; Ali, Adam A.; Niklasson, Mats

    2016-01-01

    Understanding the drivers of the boreal forest fire activity is challenging due to the complexity of the interactions driving fire regimes. We analyzed drivers of forest fire activity in Northern Scandinavia (above 60 N) by combining modern and proxy data over the Holocene. The results suggest that the cold climate in northern Scandinavia was generally characterized by dry conditions favourable to periods of regionally increased fire activity. We propose that the cold conditions over the nort...

  19. Low palaeoelevation of the northern Lhasa terrane during late Eocene: Fossil foraminifera and stable isotope evidence from the Gerze Basin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Yi; Zhang, Kexin; Garzione, Carmala N; Xu, Yadong; Song, Bowen; Ji, Junliang

    2016-06-08

    The Lhasa terrane is a key region for understanding the paleoelevation of the southern Tibetan Plateau after India-Asia collision. The Gerze Basin, located in the northern part of the Lhasa terrane, is a shortening-related basin. We discovered Lagena laevis (Bandy) fossils in upper Eocene strata of the Gerze Basin. This type of foraminifera is associated with lagoon and estuarine environments, indicating that the northern part of the Lhasa terrane was near sea level during the late Eocene. We speculate that these foraminifera were transported inland by storm surges to low elevation freshwater lakes during times of marine transgressions. This inference is consistent with the relatively positive δ(18)O values in carbonate from the same deposits that indicate low palaeoelevations close to sea level. Considering the palaeoelevation results from the nearby Oligocene basins at a similar latitude and the volcanic history of the Lhasa terrane, we infer that large-magnitude surface uplift of the northern Lhasa terrane occurred between late Eocene and late Oligocene time.

  20. Long-term Agroecosystem Research in the Northern Great Plains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmer, M.; Sanderson, M.; Liebig, M. A.; Wienhold, B.; Awada, T.; Papiernik, S.; Osborne, S.; Kemp, W.; Okalebo, J. A.; Riedall, W.

    2015-12-01

    The Northern Great Plains is the bread basket of the United States, accounting for a substantial portion of U.S. agricultural production. This region faces critical challenges regarding balancing food needs, resource conservation (e.g Ogallala aquifer), environmental concerns, and rural economy development. Developing transformative, multifunctional systems will require equally imaginative and efficient tools to help farmers manage complex agroecosystems in a rapidly changing climate. The Northern Plains long-term agroecosystem research (LTAR) site at Mandan, ND and the Platte River High Plains LTAR (ARS/University of Nebraska-Lincoln) at Lincoln, NE in collaboration with USDA-ARS research units in Brookings, SD and Fargo, ND are collaborating to address the grand challenge of providing and sustaining multiple service provisions from Northern Great Plains agroecosystems. We propose to attain these goals through sustainable intensification based on the adoption of conservation agriculture principles including reduced soil disturbance, livestock integration, and greater complexity and diversity in the cropping system. Here, we summarize new concepts these locations have pioneered in dynamic cropping systems, resource use efficiency, and agricultural management technologies. As part of the LTAR network, we will conduct long-term cross-site research to design and assess new agricultural practices and systems aimed at improving our understanding of decision making processes and outcomes across an array of agricultural systems.

  1. Prevalence and Identification of Burkholderia pseudomallei and Near-Neighbor Species in the Malabar Coastal Region of India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peddayelachagiri, Bhavani V.; Paul, Soumya; Nagaraj, Sowmya; Gogoi, Madhurjya; Sripathy, Murali H.; Batra, Harsh V.

    2016-01-01

    Accurate identification of pathogens with biowarfare importance requires detection tools that specifically differentiate them from near-neighbor species. Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of a fatal disease melioidosis, is one such biothreat agent whose differentiation from its near-neighbor species is always a challenge. This is because of its phenotypic similarity with other Burkholderia species which have a wide spread geographical distribution with shared environmental niches. Melioidosis is a major public health concern in endemic regions including Southeast Asia and northern Australia. In India, the disease is still considered to be emerging. Prevalence surveys of this saprophytic bacterium in environment are under-reported in the country. A major challenge in this case is the specific identification and differentiation of B. pseudomallei from the growing list of species of Burkholderia genus. The objectives of this study included examining the prevalence of B. pseudomallei and near-neighbor species in coastal region of South India and development of a novel detection tool for specific identification and differentiation of Burkholderia species. Briefly, we analyzed soil and water samples collected from Malabar coastal region of Kerala, South India for prevalence of B. pseudomallei. The presumptive Burkholderia isolates were identified using recA PCR assay. The recA PCR assay identified 22 of the total 40 presumptive isolates as Burkholderia strains (22.72% and 77.27% B. pseudomallei and non-pseudomallei Burkholderia respectively). In order to identify each isolate screened, we performed recA and 16S rDNA sequencing. This two genes sequencing revealed that the presumptive isolates included B. pseudomallei, non-pseudomallei Burkholderia as well as non-Burkholderia strains. Furthermore, a gene termed D-beta hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (bdha) was studied both in silico and in vitro for accurate detection of Burkholderia genus. The optimized bdha

  2. An Exploration of Decision-Making Processes on Infant Delivery Site from the Perspective of Pregnant Women, New Mothers, and Their Families in Northern Karnataka, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanchard, Andrea Katryn; Bruce, Sharon Gail; Jayanna, Krishnamurthy; Gurav, Kaveri; Mohan, Haranahalli L; Avery, Lisa; Moses, Stephen; Blanchard, James Frederick; Ramesh, Banadakoppa M

    2015-09-01

    This study was conducted to explore the decision-making processes regarding sites for delivery of infants among women, their husbands, and mothers-in-law in a rural area of northern Karnataka state, south India. Qualitative semi-structured, individual in-depth interviews were conducted in 2010 among 110 pregnant women, new mothers, husbands and mothers-in-law. Interviews were conducted by trained local researchers in participants' languages and then translated into English. Decisions were made relationally, as family members weighed their collective attitudes and experiences towards a home, private or public delivery. Patterns of both concordance and discordance between women and their families' preferences for delivery site were present. The voice of pregnant women and new mothers was not always subordinate to that of other family members. Still, the involvement of husbands and mothers-in-law was important in decision-making, indicating the need to consider the influence of household gender and power dynamics. All respondent types also expressed shifts in social context and cultural attitudes towards increasing preference for hospital delivery. An appreciation of the interdependence of family members' roles in delivery site decision-making, and how they are influenced by the socio-cultural context, must be considered in frameworks used to guide the development of relevant interventions to improve the utilization and quality of maternal, neonatal and child health services.

  3. Community pharmacy based research activity in India: A bibliometric study of the past ten years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basak, Subal Chandra; Sathyanarayana, Dondeti

    2010-02-01

    The objective of this study was to analyze and record the published evidence regarding community pharmacy practice in India during the past decade (1998-2008). A bibliometric review analysis of the original papers was undertaken to assess the different aspects of community pharmacy practice in India. The MEDLINE, Index Copernicus, IndMed, DOAJ databases and the journals such as Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Indian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy were used as data sources. Type of papers, type of journals, category of papers, production indicators and impact factor of the journals were analyzed. Thirty papers were included in the study. The papers were published in 13 different journals, 33.3% of them being in the Indian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy. The average number of authors per paper was 2.73 (SD=1.41). Impact factor was available for only three journals. There are limited studies being published in India which cover the community pharmacy related activities in India. The key indicators which emerge from the literature review present some fundamental challenges to the development of the role of the community pharmacist in India.

  4. Solid waste management in Kolkata, India: Practices and challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hazra, Tumpa; Goel, Sudha

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents an overview of current solid waste management (SWM) practices in Kolkata, India and suggests solutions to some of the major problems. More than 2920 ton/d of solid waste are generated in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area and the budget allocation for 2007-2008 was Rs. 1590 million (US$40 million), which amounts to Rs. 265/cap-y (US$6.7/cap-d) on SWM. This expenditure is insufficient to provide adequate SWM services. Major deficiencies were found in all elements of SWM. Despite 70% of the SWM budget being allocated for collection, collection efficiency is around 60-70% for the registered residents and less than 20% for unregistered residents (slum dwellers). The collection process is deficient in terms of manpower and vehicle availability. Bin capacity provided is adequate but locations were found to be inappropriate, thus contributing to the inefficiency of the system. At this time, no treatment is provided to the waste and waste is dumped on open land at Dhapa after collection. Lack of suitable facilities (equipment and infrastructure) and underestimates of waste generation rates, inadequate management and technical skills, improper bin collection, and route planning are responsible for poor collection and transportation of municipal solid wastes

  5. Nursing during World War II: Finnmark County, Northern Norway

    OpenAIRE

    Immonen, Ingrid

    2013-01-01

    Introduction. This study is part the project “Nursing in Borderland – Finnmark 1939–1950” within nursing history that sheds light on nursing and health care during World War II in Finnmark County, Northern Norway. The study focuses on challenges in nursing care that arose during the war because of war activities in the Barents area. This article focuses on challenges caused by shortage of supplies. The aim of the project is to widen the understanding of development within health care and livi...

  6. India; 2007 Article IV Consultation: Staff Report; Staff Statement; Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for India

    OpenAIRE

    International Monetary Fund

    2008-01-01

    India’s strong growth and macroeconomic stability is owed to its sound macroeconomic policies and past structural reforms. Swelling capital inflows have highlighted the key policy challenges: managing financial globalization and tackling the supply constraints to growth. Monetary operations and communications are adapting to financial globalization. The Reserve Bank of India maintains a strong focus on preserving financial stability. Further fiscal consolidation is essential to sustain inclus...

  7. 'Rakter dosh'--corrupting blood: The challenges of preventing thalassemia in Bengal, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chattopadhyay, Sreeparna

    2006-11-01

    Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that has been receiving increasing attention in India. However, prevention of thalassemia in India continues to be difficult despite efforts of public health professionals and the government. Using West Bengal as a case study, this paper attempts to unravel some of the barriers to the prevention campaign and the consequent under utilization of the program. Lack of access, low awareness, low-risk perception and poverty are all important proximate constraints; however, one of the greatest barriers to the program is rooted in cultural notions of blood, marriage, identity, personhood and kinship in Bengali society. Blood is so deeply valued in the Bengali kinship system that this genetic mutation is perceived to be corrupting the blood (rakter dosh). Being a thalassemia carrier (i.e., having thalassemia minor) renders an individual unfit as a suitable marriage partner because of beliefs related to purity of blood, its association with the continuity of the lineage, and subsequent transmission of desirable traits to future generations. The risk of non-marriage affects women disproportionately, and parents are not inclined to test their daughters because of the possibility of not being able to marry them off to eligible suitors. The stigma associated with having thalassemia minor (TMI) is a deterrent to the disclosure of thalassemia status as well as to testing. Using anthropological theories and ethnographic methods, this paper focuses on the gendered process by which the diagnosis of a thalassemia carrier 'spoils' identities, thereby creating a disjuncture between the goals of the prevention program and people's need for social conformity, and ultimately between medical desirability and social desirability. The paper also suggests policies for enhancing the utilization of the program. Finally the conclusions from this study have potential applications for public health prevention programs that confront problems of stigma in

  8. The cost of universal health care in India: a model based estimate.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shankar Prinja

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: As high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses pose heavy financial burden on the families, Government of India is considering a variety of financing and delivery options to universalize health care services. Hence, an estimate of the cost of delivering universal health care services is needed. METHODS: We developed a model to estimate recurrent and annual costs for providing health services through a mix of public and private providers in Chandigarh located in northern India. Necessary health services required to deliver good quality care were defined by the Indian Public Health Standards. National Sample Survey data was utilized to estimate disease burden. In addition, morbidity and treatment data was collected from two secondary and two tertiary care hospitals. The unit cost of treatment was estimated from the published literature. For diseases where data on treatment cost was not available, we collected data on standard treatment protocols and cost of care from local health providers. RESULTS: We estimate that the cost of universal health care delivery through the existing mix of public and private health institutions would be INR 1713 (USD 38, 95%CI USD 18-73 per person per annum in India. This cost would be 24% higher, if branded drugs are used. Extrapolation of these costs to entire country indicates that Indian government needs to spend 3.8% (2.1%-6.8% of the GDP for universalizing health care services. CONCLUSION: The cost of universal health care delivered through a combination of public and private providers is estimated to be INR 1713 per capita per year in India. Important issues such as delivery strategy for ensuring quality, reducing inequities in access, and managing the growth of health care demand need be explored.

  9. Scrub typhus complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome and multiorgan failure; an unrecognized alarming entity in central India: A report of two cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amrish Saxena

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Scrub typhus is an acute infectious illness, distributed throughout the Asia Pacific rim. In India, it has been reported from northern, eastern, and southern India. However, cases of scrub typhus have not been well-documented from Vidarbha, an eastern region of Maharashtra state in central India. We report two cases of complicated scrub typhus from Vidarbha region. These cases admitted in unconscious state with 8-10 days history of fever, body ache, cough, and progressive breathlessness. The diagnosis in both cases was based on presence of eschar, a positive Weil-Felix test, and a positive rapid diagnostic test (immunochromatographic assay. Both cases were complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS and multiorgan failure. Both of them presented in their 2 nd week of illness and died during the hospital course in spite of intensive supportive care. The main cause of mortality was delayed referral leading to delay in diagnosis and treatment.

  10. Lead isotopic fingerprinting of aerosols to characterize the sources of atmospheric lead in an industrial city of India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sen, Indra S.; Bizimis, Michael; Tripathi, Sachchida Nand; Paul, Debajyoti

    2016-03-01

    Anthropogenic Pb in the environment is primarily sourced from combustion of fossil fuel and high-temperature industries such as smelters. Identifying the sources and pathways of anthropogenic Pb in the environment is important because Pb toxicity is known to have adverse effects on human health. Pb pollution sources for America, Europe, and China are well documented. However, sources of atmospheric Pb are unknown in India, particularly after leaded gasoline was phased out in 2000. India has a developing economy with a rapidly emerging automobile and high temperature industry, and anthropogenic Pb emission is expected to rise in the next decade. In this study, we report on the Pb-isotope compositions and trace metal ratios of airborne particulates collected in Kanpur, a large city in northern part of India. The study shows that the PM10 aerosols had elevated concentration of Cd, Pb, Zn, As, and Cu in the Kanpur area, however their concentrations are well below the United States Environmental Protection Agency chronic exposure limit. Lead isotopic and trace metal data reveal industrial emission as the plausible source of anthropogenic Pb in the atmosphere in Kanpur. However, Pb isotopic compositions of potential source end-members are required to fully evaluate Pb contamination in India over time. This is the first study that characterizes the isotopic composition of atmospheric Pb in an Indian city after leaded gasoline was phased out by 2000.

  11. Energy India 'dependence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cygler, C.

    2007-01-01

    India has an economic growth between 8 to 10 % by year. To become a great country of the twenty first century and to stop poverty it is necessary to keep this growth but the growth of India is dependant of its ability to supply electric power necessary to increase the industrial production. The country has to multiply by four its energy production. The electric production comes from thermal power plants for 65%, 26% from hydroelectric power plants, 6% from renewable energy sources and 3% from nuclear energy. Between solar energy ( India has three hundred solar days by years) and nuclear energy using thorium that can be increased India has to choose an energy policy to answer its energy demand and independence need. (N.C.)

  12. Drug-resistant tuberculosis in Mumbai, India: An agenda for operations research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mistry, Nerges; Tolani, Monica; Osrin, David

    2012-01-01

    Operations research (OR) is well established in India and is also a prominent feature of the global and local agendas for tuberculosis (TB) control. India accounts for a quarter of the global burden of TB and of new cases. Multidrug-resistant TB is a significant problem in Mumbai, India’s most populous city, and there have been recent reports of totally resistant TB. Much thought has been given to the role of OR in addressing programmatic challenges, by both international partnerships and India’s Revised National TB Control Programme. We attempt to summarize the major challenges to TB control in Mumbai, with an emphasis on drug resistance. Specific challenges include diagnosis of TB and defining cure, detecting drug resistant TB, multiple sources of health care in the private, public and informal sectors, co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and a concurrent epidemic of non-communicable diseases, suboptimal prescribing practices, and infection control. We propose a local agenda for OR: modeling the effects of newer technologies, active case detection, and changes in timing of activities, and mapping hotspots and contact networks; modeling the effects of drug control, changing the balance of ambulatory and inpatient care, and adverse drug reactions; modeling the effects of integration of TB and HIV diagnosis and management, and preventive drug therapy; and modeling the effects of initiatives to improve infection control. PMID:24501697

  13. India's Health Initiative: Financing Issues and Options

    OpenAIRE

    Deolalikar, Anil B.; Jamison, Dean T.; Laxminarayan, Ramanan

    2007-01-01

    In response to the challenge of sustaining the health gains achieved in the better-performing states and ensuring that the lagging states catch up with the rest of the country, the Indian government has launched the National Rural Health Mission. A central goal of the effort is to increase public spending on health from the current 1.1 percent of GDP to roughly 2–3 percent of GDP within the next five years. In this paper, we examine the current status of health financing in India, as well as ...

  14. Very high volume fly ash green concrete for applications in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Jing; Mishra, Dhanada K; Wu, Chang; Leung, Christopher Ky

    2018-06-01

    Safe disposal of fly ash generated by coal-based thermal power plants continues to pose significant challenges around the world and in India in particular. Green structural concrete with 80% cement replaced by local Chinese fly ash has been recently developed to achieve a target characteristic compressive strength of 45 MPa. Such green concrete mixes are not only cheaper in cost, but also embody lower energy and carbon footprint, compared with conventional mixes. This study aims to adopt such materials using no less than 80% fly ash as binder in routine concrete works in countries like India with the commonly used lower target characteristic compressive strength of 30 MPa. It is achieved by the simple and practical method of adjusting the water/binder ratio and/or superplasticiser dosage. The proposed green concrete shows encouraging mechanical properties at 7 days and 28 days, as well as much lower material cost and environmental impact compared with commercial Grade 30 concrete. This technology can play an important role in meeting the huge infrastructure demands in India in a sustainable manner.

  15. Futures project anticipates changes and challenges facing forests of the northern United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephen R. Shifley; W. Keith Moser; Michael E. Goerndt; Nianfu Song; Mark D. Nelson; David J. Nowak; Patrick D. Miles; Brett J. Butler; Ryan D. DeSantis; Francisco X. Aguilar; Brian G. Tavernia

    2014-01-01

    The Northern Forest Futures Project aims to reveal how today's trends and choices are likely to change the future forest landscape in the northeastern and midwestern United States. The research is focused on the 20-state quadrant bounded by Maine, Maryland, Missouri, and Minnesota. This area, which encompasses most of the Central Hardwood Forest region, is the...

  16. Addressing Geriatric Oral Health Concerns through National Oral Health Policy in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abhinav Singh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available There is an escalating demand for geriatric oral healthcare in all developed and developing countries including India. Two-thirds of the world’s elderly live in developing countries. This is a huge population that must receive attention from policy-makers who will be challenged by the changing demands for social and health services including oral health services. Resources are limited thus rather than being aspirational in wanting to provide all treatment needed for everybody, this critique presents a road map of how we might answer the present and future geriatric oral health concerns in a most efficient manner in a developing country. Viewing the recent Indian demographic profile and the trends in oral health, pertinent policy subjects have been discussed concerning the oral health needs of the elderly and also the associated challenges which include strategies to improve quality of life, strategies to train and educate the dental workforce and above all the role of healthcare systems towards realization of better aged society in India and other developing countries

  17. Deteriorating food security in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milesi, C.; Samanta, A.; Hashimoto, H.; Kumar, K.; Ganguly, S.; Thenkabail, P. S.; Srivastava, A. N.; Nemani, R. R.; Myneni, R. B.

    2009-12-01

    One of the major challenges we face on our planet is increasing agricultural production to meet the dietary requirements of an additional 2.5 billion people by the mid of the century while limiting cropland expansion and other damages to natural resources. This problem is even more so challenging given that nearly all the population growth will take place where the majority of the hungry live today and where ongoing and future climate changes are projected to most negatively impact agricultural production, the semi-arid tropics (SAT). The SAT contain 40% of the global irrigated and rainfed croplands in over 50 developing countries and a growing population of over a billion and half people, many of which live in absolute poverty and strongly depend on agriculture that is constrained by chronic water shortages. Rates of food grain production in many of the countries of the SAT have progressively increased since the mid 1960s aided by the Green Revolution and relatively favourable climatic conditions. However, aggregated agricultural production statistics indicate that the rate of food grain production has recently stalled or declined in several of the countries in this region, escalating the concerns over matters of food security, that is availability of food and one’s access to it, in a region where many people live in extreme poverty, depend on an agrarian economy and are expected to face increasingly worse climatic conditions in the near future. In this paper we analyze the agricultural deceleration and its drivers over the country of India, which faces the daunting challenge of needing a 50-100% increase in yields of major crops by the middle to the 21st century to feed its growing population. We analyze the long term (1982-2006) record of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (NOAA/AVHRR) together with climate, land use, and crop production

  18. Health system challenges in organizing quality diabetes care for urban poor in South India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhojani, Upendra; Devedasan, Narayanan; Mishra, Arima; De Henauw, Stefaan; Kolsteren, Patrick; Criel, Bart

    2014-01-01

    Weak health systems in low- and middle-income countries are recognized as the major constraint in responding to the rising burden of chronic conditions. Despite recognition by global actors for the need for research on health systems, little attention has been given to the role played by local health systems. We aim to analyze a mixed local health system to identify the main challenges in delivering quality care for diabetes mellitus type 2. We used the health system dynamics framework to analyze a health system in KG Halli, a poor urban neighborhood in South India. We conducted semi-structured interviews with healthcare providers located in and around the neighborhood who provide care to diabetes patients: three specialist and 13 non-specialist doctors, two pharmacists, and one laboratory technician. Observations at the health facilities were recorded in a field diary. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. There is a lack of functional referral systems and a considerable overlap in provision of outpatient care for diabetes across the different levels of healthcare services in KG Halli. Inadequate use of patients' medical records and lack of standard treatment protocols affect clinical decision-making. The poor regulation of the private sector, poor systemic coordination across healthcare providers and healthcare delivery platforms, widespread practice of bribery and absence of formal grievance redress platforms affect effective leadership and governance. There appears to be a trust deficit among patients and healthcare providers. The private sector, with a majority of healthcare providers lacking adequate training, operates to maximize profit, and healthcare for the poor is at best seen as charity. Systemic impediments in local health systems hinder the delivery of quality diabetes care to the urban poor. There is an urgent need to address these weaknesses in order to improve care for diabetes and other chronic conditions.

  19. Health system challenges in organizing quality diabetes care for urban poor in South India.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Upendra Bhojani

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Weak health systems in low- and middle-income countries are recognized as the major constraint in responding to the rising burden of chronic conditions. Despite recognition by global actors for the need for research on health systems, little attention has been given to the role played by local health systems. We aim to analyze a mixed local health system to identify the main challenges in delivering quality care for diabetes mellitus type 2. METHODS: We used the health system dynamics framework to analyze a health system in KG Halli, a poor urban neighborhood in South India. We conducted semi-structured interviews with healthcare providers located in and around the neighborhood who provide care to diabetes patients: three specialist and 13 non-specialist doctors, two pharmacists, and one laboratory technician. Observations at the health facilities were recorded in a field diary. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. RESULT: There is a lack of functional referral systems and a considerable overlap in provision of outpatient care for diabetes across the different levels of healthcare services in KG Halli. Inadequate use of patients' medical records and lack of standard treatment protocols affect clinical decision-making. The poor regulation of the private sector, poor systemic coordination across healthcare providers and healthcare delivery platforms, widespread practice of bribery and absence of formal grievance redress platforms affect effective leadership and governance. There appears to be a trust deficit among patients and healthcare providers. The private sector, with a majority of healthcare providers lacking adequate training, operates to maximize profit, and healthcare for the poor is at best seen as charity. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic impediments in local health systems hinder the delivery of quality diabetes care to the urban poor. There is an urgent need to address these weaknesses in order to improve care for diabetes

  20. Situational analysis of services for diabetes and diabetic retinopathy and evaluation of programs for the detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy in India: Methods for the India 11-city 9-state study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murthy, G V S; Gilbert, Clare E; Shukla, Rajan; Vashist, Praveen; Shamanna, B R

    2016-04-01

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of visual impairment in India. Available evidence shows that there are more than 60 million persons with diabetes in India and that the number will increase to more than a 100 million by 2030. There is a paucity of data on the perceptions and practices of persons with diabetes and the available infrastructure and uptake of services for DR in India. Assess perception of care and challenges faced in availing eye care services among persons with diabetics and generate evidence on available human resources, infrastructure, and service utilization for DR in India. The cross-sectional, hospital-based survey was conducted in eleven cities across 9 States in India. In each city, public and private providers of eye-care were identified. Both multispecialty and standalone facilities were included. Specially designed semi-open ended questionnaires were administered to the clients. Semi-structured interviews were administered to the service providers (both diabetic care physicians and eye care teams) and observational checklists were used to record findings of the assessment of facilities conducted by a dedicated team of research staff. A total of 859 units were included in this study. This included 86 eye care and 73 diabetic care facilities, 376 persons with diabetes interviewed in the eye clinics and 288 persons with diabetes interviewed in the diabetic care facilities. The findings will have significant implications for the organization of services for persons with diabetes in India.

  1. Can methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus prevalence from dairy cows in India act as potential risk for community-associated infections?: A review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sathish Gopal

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA is classified as hospital associated (HA, community associated (CA, livestock associated (LA and is a global concern. Developing countries, like India, are densely populated country challenging for public hygiene practices. HA-MRSA is comfortably recorded in India, and CA-MRSA is also reported as increasing one. CA-MRSA is serious disease which affects the community as endemic. MRSA is one among major mastitis-causing organisms in India as LA-MRSA. There were reports for transmission of MRSA as community between milk handlers and cow in global perspective. In India reports of MRSA in short among milk handlers and also transmission between animal and human. Hence, proper monitoring of MRSA transmission in India should be elucidated in account among milk handlers and dairy cows to avoid emerging CA-MRSA as outbreak.

  2. Polar and non-polar organic aerosols from large-scale agricultural-waste burning emissions in Northern India: Implications to organic mass-to-organic carbon ratio.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajput, Prashant; Sarin, M M

    2014-05-01

    This study focuses on characteristics of organic aerosols (polar and non-polar) and total organic mass-to-organic carbon ratio (OM/OC) from post-harvest agricultural-waste (paddy- and wheat-residue) burning emissions in Northern India. Aerosol samples from an upwind location (Patiala: 30.2°N, 76.3°E) in the Indo-Gangetic Plain were analyzed for non-polar and polar fractions of organic carbon (OC1 and OC2) and their respective mass (OM1 and OM2). On average, polar organic aerosols (OM2) contribute nearly 85% of the total organic mass (OM) from the paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. The water-soluble-OC (WSOC) to OC2 ratio, within the analytical uncertainty, is close to 1 from both paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. However, temporal variability and relatively low WSOC/OC2 ratio (Av: 0.67±0.06) is attributed to high moisture content and poor combustion efficiency during paddy-residue burning, indicating significant contribution (∼30%) of aromatic carbon to OC2. The OM/OC ratio for non-polar (OM1/OC1∼1.2) and polar organic aerosols (OM2/OC2∼2.2), hitherto unknown for open agricultural-waste burning emissions, is documented in this study. The total OM/OC ratio is nearly identical, 1.9±0.2 and 1.8±0.2, from paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. What's in a country average? Wealth, gender, and regional inequalities in immunization in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pande, Rohini P; Yazbeck, Abdo S

    2003-12-01

    Recent attention to Millennium Development Goals by the international development community has led to the formation of targets to measure country-level achievements, including achievements on health status indicators such as childhood immunization. Using the example of immunization in India, this paper demonstrates the importance of disaggregating national averages for a better understanding of social disparities in health. Specifically, the paper uses data from the India National Family Health Survey 1992-93 to analyze socioeconomic, gender, urban-rural and regional inequalities in immunization in India for each of the 17 largest states. Results show that, on average, southern states have better immunization levels and lower immunization inequalities than many northern states. Wealth and regional inequalities are correlated with overall levels of immunization in a non-linear fashion. Gender inequalities persist in most states, including in the south, and seem unrelated to overall immunization or the levels of other inequalities measured here. This suggests that the gender differentials reflect deep-seated societal factors rather than health system issues per se. The disaggregated information and analysis used in this paper allows for setting more meaningful targets than country averages. Additionally, it helps policy makers and planners to understand programmatic constraints and needs by identifying disparities between sub-groups of the population, including strong and weak performers at the state and regional levels.

  4. Time to Revisit Recommendations on Doctor to Population Ratio in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deo, Madhav G

    2017-10-01

    A buzzword in Indian press and amongst the policy makers is that India is short of the WHO recommended doctor to population ratio of 1:1000. The recommendations were formulated to facilitate programs to achieve some of the health related UN-Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Infections and malnutrition, which can be comfortably handled by a basic MBBS doctor, were the dominant health issues at the time of the formulation of the MDGs. However, all countries worldwide are going through health epidemiological transition and health impact of the non-communicable disorders (NCDs) can be no more ignored even by the low income nations. Very soon India will need large number of specialists and super-specialists to meet the challenge posed by the avalanche of NCDs, as an ordinary MBBS is not trained to handle the NCDs. One of the major flaws in the recommendations is that for the purposes of computation of the ratio, doctors of all hue, basic doctors, specialists and super-specialists are lumped together. It is time to define the requirements discipline wise and tailor medical education to produce specialists and super-specialists on a fast track. Expansion of specialization in medicine should be associated with simultaneous strengthening of primary health care, a challenged faced even by the most developed nations. To provide health services for routine minor health problems a cadre of Nurse Practitioners (NPs), a concept developed 50 years ago in the USA and now endorsed by many nations, could be adopted. © Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2011.

  5. Adapting online learning for Canada's Northern public health workforce

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marnie Bell

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Background . Canada's North is a diverse, sparsely populated land, where inequalities and public health issues are evident, particularly for Aboriginal people. The Northern public health workforce is a unique mix of professional and paraprofessional workers. Few have formal public health education. From 2009 to 2012, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC collaborated with a Northern Advisory Group to develop and implement a strategy to strengthen public health capacity in Canada's 3 northern territories. Access to relevant, effective continuing education was identified as a key issue. Challenges include diverse educational and cultural backgrounds of public health workers, geographical isolation and variable technological infrastructure across the north. Methods . PHAC's Skills Online program offers Internet-based continuing education modules for public health professionals. In partnership with the Northern Advisory Group, PHAC conducted 3 pilots between 2008 and 2012 to assess the appropriateness of the Skills Online program for Northern/Aboriginal public health workers. Module content and delivery modalities were adapted for the pilots. Adaptations included adding Inuit and Northern public health examples and using video and teleconference discussions to augment the online self-study component. Results . Findings from the pilots were informative and similar to those from previous Skills Online pilots with learners in developing countries. Online learning is effective in bridging the geographical barriers in remote locations. Incorporating content on Northern and Aboriginal health issues facilitates engagement in learning. Employer support facilitates the recruitment and retention of learners in an online program. Facilitator assets included experience as a public health professional from the north, and flexibility to use modified approaches to support and measure knowledge acquisition and application, especially for First Nations, Inuit and

  6. Adapting online learning for Canada's Northern public health workforce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Marnie; MacDougall, Karen

    2013-01-01

    Canada's North is a diverse, sparsely populated land, where inequalities and public health issues are evident, particularly for Aboriginal people. The Northern public health workforce is a unique mix of professional and paraprofessional workers. Few have formal public health education. From 2009 to 2012, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) collaborated with a Northern Advisory Group to develop and implement a strategy to strengthen public health capacity in Canada's 3 northern territories. Access to relevant, effective continuing education was identified as a key issue. Challenges include diverse educational and cultural backgrounds of public health workers, geographical isolation and variable technological infrastructure across the north. PHAC's Skills Online program offers Internet-based continuing education modules for public health professionals. In partnership with the Northern Advisory Group, PHAC conducted 3 pilots between 2008 and 2012 to assess the appropriateness of the Skills Online program for Northern/Aboriginal public health workers. Module content and delivery modalities were adapted for the pilots. Adaptations included adding Inuit and Northern public health examples and using video and teleconference discussions to augment the online self-study component. Findings from the pilots were informative and similar to those from previous Skills Online pilots with learners in developing countries. Online learning is effective in bridging the geographical barriers in remote locations. Incorporating content on Northern and Aboriginal health issues facilitates engagement in learning. Employer support facilitates the recruitment and retention of learners in an online program. Facilitator assets included experience as a public health professional from the north, and flexibility to use modified approaches to support and measure knowledge acquisition and application, especially for First Nations, Inuit and Metis learners. Results demonstrate that

  7. Epidemiology of burns in teaching hospital of Northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mumtazudin Wani

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: There is no information on the pattern of outcomes among burn patients in relation to clinical aspects in India. Hence, the present study was undertaken in a burn unit to determine selected epidemiological variables, assess the clinical aspects (etiology, extent and anatomical location and finally to analyze the outcomes in cases of burn injury. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was undertaken to analyze the patients admitted to the Burn Unit of Government Medical college Srinagar. The study was carried over a period 2 years from January 2013 to December 2014. Various variables including age and sex distribution, nature of burn injuries, Anatomical location, percentage of total body surface area burnt, depth of burns, Survival of expired patients and mortality were recorded and analyzed. Results: Highest incidence of burns was in the age group between 21 and 40 years; 61% patients were females and 39% were males; majority of our patients had burns in the range of 20 to 40% TBSA (total body surface area; mortality rate in our study was 36.82%; most common site of the burn injury was upper limb(30.19%;among patients who died those with TBSA burn of >60%, 41 to 60% and 31 to 40% succumbed within three, six and nine days respectively. Age ranged from 6 months to 93 years. Mean age of the patients was 31 years. Eighty percent patients belonged to rural areas and 20% belonged to Urban locality. Conclusion: People with low educational qualification should be taught about the proper and safe usage of modern appliances based on electricity, LPG or kerosene. People with psychiatric problems or low intelligence quotient (I.Q should be helped by their care takers in avoiding the burn injuries and also devices with alarms should be used in their households. Fuel or electric devices should be checked by a trained person regularly (e.g once in month to avoid usage of faulty devices.

  8. Operation for LHC Cryomagnet Tests Concerns, Challenges & Successful Collaboration

    CERN Document Server

    Chohan, V

    2007-01-01

    The LHC construction phase is coming to a close, with installation work progressing rapidly and beam start-up foreseen by end 2007. For the testing of the 1706 LHC cryomagnets in cryogenic conditions and its successful completion by early 2007, considerable challenges had to be overcome since 2002 to assure certain semi-routine tests operation at CERN. In particular, the majority of staff for tests and measurement purposes was provided by India on a rotating, one-year-stay basis, as part of the CERN-India Collaboration for LHC. This was complemented by some CERN accelerator Operation staff. While only 95 dipoles were tested till 2003, the efforts and innovative ideas coming from the Operation team contributed significantly to the completion of tests of nearly all 1706 magnets by end-2006. These included the improvements and management of the tests work flow as well as the test rates. Amongst these, certain pivotal ideas to stream-line the tests methodology as proposed and implemented successfully by the India...

  9. Natural Gas Exploration and Supply in India and the Prospects of a Bangladesh-to-India Pipeline

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rashid, Mamunur [Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan)

    2009-07-01

    Energy consumption in India is growing very rapidly. India.s own existing as well as any new discoveries of natural gas revenues may meet only a fraction of its growing demand for energy. Hence, it will become more dependent on the global market for the supply of gas. But it is always difficult for different nations to reach a bilateral agreement on joint projects such as gas pipelines. India has been importing natural gas mostly in the form of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). But for the last two decades, it has shown an increasing interest in importing gas from international market by a pipeline. For example, it has planned to import natural gas from Iran, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Turkmenistan via a pipeline. But India.s best option is to purchase gas from its neighbor Bangladesh via a pipeline. Union Oil of California (Unocal), a large investor in Bangladeshi gas, has proposed to build a pipeline, to sell the gas from its Bibiyana field. A Bangladesh-India pipeline potentially offers several socio-economic benefits. But the project, however, so far has made a little progress. Political issues attached to the project. If the Bangladeshi pipeline plan fails, India will turn other alternative options to meet its gas demand. India already has entered into agreement with International consortiums for LNG purchase. Furthermore, the country is also keen on increasing its effort to develop non-conventional sources in the near future. If these alternatives become viable, India.s demand for and dependence on foreign natural gas will decrease and natural gas (of Bangladesh, for example) might lose some of its value. Keywords: Natural gas exploration and supply in India and Bangladesh, Bangladesh-to-India pipeline, Unocal, natural gas import, market, politics, LNG, non-conventional hydrocarbon sources.

  10. India's Unfinished Telecom Tasks

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    India's Telecom Story is now well known · Indian Operators become an enviable force · At the same time · India Amongst the Leaders · Unfinished Tasks as Operators · LightGSM ON: Innovation for Rural Area from Midas · Broadband Access Options for India · Broadband driven by DSL: still too slow · Is Wireless the answer?

  11. Traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine approaches to mental health care and psychological wellbeing in India and China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thirthalli, Jagadisha; Zhou, Liang; Kumar, Kishore; Gao, Jie; Vaid, Henna; Liu, Huiming; Hankey, Alex; Wang, Guojun; Gangadhar, Bangalore N; Nie, Jing-Bao; Nichter, Mark

    2016-07-01

    India and China face the same challenge of having too few trained psychiatric personnel to manage effectively the substantial burden of mental illness within their population. At the same time, both countries have many practitioners of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine who are a potential resource for delivery of mental health care. In our paper, part of The Lancet and Lancet Psychiatry's Series about the China-India Mental Health Alliance, we describe and compare types of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine in India and China. Further, we provide a systematic overview of evidence assessing the effectiveness of these alternative approaches for mental illness and discuss challenges in research. We suggest how practitioners of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine and mental health professionals might forge collaborative relationships to provide more accessible, affordable, and acceptable mental health care in India and China. A substantial proportion of individuals with mental illness use traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine, either exclusively or with biomedicine, for reasons ranging from faith and cultural congruence to accessibility, cost, and belief that these approaches are safe. Systematic reviews of the effectiveness of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine find several approaches to be promising for treatment of mental illness, but most clinical trials included in these systematic reviews have methodological limitations. Contemporary methods to establish efficacy and safety-typically through randomised controlled trials-need to be complemented by other means. The community of practice built on collaborative relationships between practitioners of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine and providers of mental health care holds promise in bridging the treatment gap in mental health care in India and China. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Urban climate and energy demand interaction in Northern Eurasia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasilova, E. V.; Ginzburg, A. S.; Demchenko, P. F.

    2017-11-01

    The regional and urban climate change in Northern Eurasia is one of the main challenges for sustainable development of human habitats situated in boreal and temperate areas. The half of primary energy is spent for space heating even under quite a mild European climate. Implementation of the district heating in urban areas is currently seen as one of the key conditions of sustainable development. The clear understanding of main problems of the urban climateenergy demand interaction is crucial for both small towns and megacities. The specific features of the urban energy systems in Finland, Russia and China under the changing climate conditions were studied. Regional manifestations of the climate change were examined. The climate projections were established for urban regions of the Northern Eurasia. It was shown that the climate warming is likely to continue intensively there. History and actual development trends were discussed for the urban district heating systems in Russia, China and Finland. Common challenges linked with the climate change have been identified for the considered areas. Adaptation possibilities were discussed taking into account climate-energy interactions.

  13. Adaptation and Evaluation of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale in India (NEWS-India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deepti Adlakha

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, with most of these deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries (LMICs like India. Research from developed countries has consistently demonstrated associations between built environment features and physical activity levels of populations. The development of culturally sensitive and reliable measures of the built environment is a necessary first step for accurate analysis of environmental correlates of physical activity in LMICs. This study systematically adapted the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS for India and evaluated aspects of test-retest reliability of the adapted version among Indian adults. Cultural adaptation of the NEWS was conducted by Indian and international experts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with local residents and key informants in the city of Chennai, India. At baseline, participants (N = 370; female = 47.2% from Chennai completed the adapted NEWS-India surveys on perceived residential density, land use mix-diversity, land use mix-access, street connectivity, infrastructure and safety for walking and cycling, aesthetics, traffic safety, and safety from crime. NEWS-India was administered for a second time to consenting participants (N = 62; female = 53.2% with a gap of 2–3 weeks between successive administrations. Qualitative findings demonstrated that built environment barriers and constraints to active commuting and physical activity behaviors intersected with social ecological systems. The adapted NEWS subscales had moderate to high test-retest reliability (ICC range 0.48–0.99. The NEWS-India demonstrated acceptable measurement properties among Indian adults and may be a useful tool for evaluation of built environment attributes in India. Further adaptation and evaluation in rural and suburban settings in India is essential to create a version that could be used throughout India.

  14. Challenges of ecological restoration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Halme, Panu; Allen, Katherine A.; Aunins, Ainars

    2013-01-01

    we introduce northern forests as an ecosystem, discuss the historical and recent human impact and provide a brief status report on the ecological restoration projects and research already conducted there. Based on this discussion, we argue that before any restoration actions commence, the ecology......The alarming rate of ecosystem degradation has raised the need for ecological restoration throughout different biomes and continents. North European forests may appear as one of the least vulnerable ecosystems from a global perspective, since forest cover is not rapidly decreasing and many...... on Biological Diversity. Several northern countries are now taking up this challenge by restoring forest biodiversity with increasing intensity. The ecology and biodiversity of boreal forests are relatively well understood making them a good model for restoration activities in many other forest ecosystems. Here...

  15. 47 Ethical Challenge of Desertification in Northern Nigeria Mark ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Tracie1

    people, force migration of people, destruction of human lives and properties, and so on. ... critical analytic method, to examine the ethical challenges that desertification ..... forest resources; the Burning of Bush (control) Edict. (Borno State Edict ...

  16. Nuclear policy for India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaushik, B.M.

    1977-01-01

    Changes in India's nuclear policy from time to time are discussed. Though firmly wedded to the principle of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, India did not sign in 1965 the NPT as it discriminated between nuclear weapons powers and non-nuclear weapon powers as regards the safeguards. India wanted to keep open the option of conducting peaceful nuclear explosions (PNEs). In May 1974, India did conduct a PNE which, however, resulted into the stoppage of Canadian aid for India's nuclear power programme and created difficulties in obtaining enriched uranium for the Tarapur Atomic Power Station from the U.S.. The new Indian Government formed after the March 1977 general electtions has endorsed the earlier government's policy of opposing manufacture of nuclear weapons and has gone a step further by declearing 'If it (PNE) not necessary it should never be done'. (M.G.B.)

  17. Marine Microbiology: Challenges and Future Directions

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Chandramohan, D.

    Microbiology: Challenges and Future Directions D. Chandramohan Biological Oceanography Division, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India Introduction The planet earth is believed to have formed about 4600 million years ago and life forms originated... and all-important tasks that include everything from pathogenesis to fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. An interesting question to be asked, therefore, is: has there been any realistic estimate of these bacteria on Earth? Now, for the first time, a...

  18. [History of acupuncture in India].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Xinghua

    India and China are both featured with ancient civilization. During the communication between the two countries, the communication from Indian culture, especially Buddhism, to China was predominant, while communication from Chinese culture to India was rare. So it was with medical communication until the end of 1950s when acupuncture was introduced to India. In this article, the medical communication between India and China as well as the introduction of acupuncture to India were discussed, and the resulting phenomenon was analyzed. The introduction of acupuncture to India proved personnel exchange was not necessary to acupuncture communication, and several invisible factors, such as language, religion and culture tradition might be the reasons for foreign nations to accept acupuncture. Therefore, these factors should be valued in the future international communication of acupuncture.

  19. So many, yet few: Human resources for health in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rao Krishna D

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In many developing countries, such as India, information on human resources in the health sector is incomplete and unreliable. This prevents effective workforce planning and management. This paper aims to address this deficit by producing a more complete picture of India’s health workforce. Methods Both the Census of India and nationally representative household surveys collect data on self-reported occupations. A representative sample drawn from the 2001 census was used to estimate key workforce indicators. Nationally representative household survey data and official estimates were used to compare and supplement census results. Results India faces a substantial overall deficit of health workers; the density of doctors, nurses and midwifes is a quarter of the 2.3/1000 population World Health Organization benchmark. Importantly, a substantial portion of the doctors (37%, particularly in rural areas (63% appears to be unqualified. The workforce is composed of at least as many doctors as nurses making for an inefficient skill-mix. Women comprise only one-third of the workforce. Most workers are located in urban areas and in the private sector. States with poorer health and service use outcomes have a lower health worker density. Conclusions Among the important human resources challenges that India faces is increasing the presence of qualified health workers in underserved areas and a more efficient skill mix. An important first step is to ensure the availability of reliable and comprehensive workforce information through live workforce registers.

  20. India's nuclear security

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, Raju G.C.; Gupta, Amit

    2000-01-01

    The nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests conducted by India and Pakistan in the late 1990s substantially altered the security environment, both in the region and globally. Examining the complexities, and dynamics of this new strategic context, this timely and significant book examines the claim of many Indian strategists that stability in the region is better served under conditions of declared-rather than covertly developed-nuclear weapons. Bringing together original essays by a diverse group of scholars, this volume discusses a number of important issues such as: the political considerations that caused India and Pakistan to go nuclear; the type of nuclear doctrine that is likely to emerge and its implications for the safety of nuclear weapons, the potential for an arms race in the region, and the likelihood of war; the political and economic consequences for India after Pokhran-II and the impact of economic sanctions; the technological ramifications of the nuclear program on India's defence science scenario; the impact of these tests on the future of India's relationship with the United States, the main bulwark against nuclear weapons proliferation, also, the changed role that India sees for itself in international fora; the possible arms control measures that might succeed in stabilizing the South Asian nuclear rivalry. This insightful, comprehensive and topical volume is a must-read for all those in the fields of political science, international relations, strategic affairs, conflict/peace studies, economics, and policy studies

  1. Hub and spoke model: making rural healthcare in India affordable, available and accessible.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devarakonda, Srichand

    2016-01-01

    Quality health care should be within everyone's reach, especially in a developing country. While India has the largest private health sector in the world, only one-fifth of healthcare expenditure is publically financed; it is mostly an out-of-pocket expense. About 70% of Indians live in rural areas making about $3 per day, and a major portion of that goes towards food and shelter and, thus, not towards health care. Transportation facilities in rural India are poor, making access to medical facilities difficult, and infrastructure facilities are minimal, making the available medical care insufficient. The challenge presented to India was to provide health care that was accessible, available and affordable to people in rural areas and the low-income bracket. The intent of this article is to determine whether the hub and spoke model (HSM), when implemented in the healthcare industry, can expand the market reach and increase profits while reducing costs of operations for organizations and, thereby, cost to customers. This article also discusses the importance of information and communications technologies (ICT) in the HSM approach, which the handful of published articles in this topic have failed to discuss. This article opts for an exploratory study, including review of published literature, web articles, viewpoints of industry experts, published journals, and in-depth interviews. This article will discuss how and why the HSM works in India's healthcare industry while isolating its strengths and weaknesses, and analyzing the impact of India's success. India's HSM implementation has become a paramount example of an acceptable model that, while exceeding the needs and expectations of its patients, is cost-effective and has obtained operational and health-driven results. Despite being an emerging nation, India takes the top spot in terms of affordability of ICT as well as for having the highest number of computer-literate graduates and healthcare workers in the world

  2. India's nuclear program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1992-01-01

    India made an early commitment to being as self-sufficient as possible in nuclear energy and has largely achieved that goal. The country operates eight nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 1,304 MWe, and it remains committed to an aggressive growth plan for its nuclear industry, with six reactors currently under construction, and as many as twelve more planned. India also operates several heavy water production facilities, fabrication facilities, reprocessing works, and uranium mines and mills. Due to India's decision not to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the country has had to develop nearly all of its nuclear industry and infrastructure domestically. Overall, India's nuclear power program is self-contained and well integrated, with plans to expand to provide up to ten percent of the country's electrical generating capacity

  3. On the effectiveness of a license scheme for E-waste recycling: The challenge of China and India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shinkuma, Takayoshi; Managi, Shunsuke

    2010-01-01

    It is well known that China and India have been recycling centers of WEEE, especially printed circuit boards, and that serious environmental pollution in these countries has been generated by improper recycling methods. After the governments of China and India banned improper recycling by the informal sector, improper recycling activities spread to other places. Then, these governments changed their policies to one of promoting proper recycling by introducing a scheme, under which E-waste recycling requires a license issued by the government. In this paper, the effectiveness of that license scheme is examined by means of an economic model. It can be shown that the license scheme can work effectively only if disposers of E-waste have a responsibility to sell E-waste to license holders. Our results run counter to the idea that international E-waste trade should be banned and provide an alternative solution to the problem.

  4. The challenges of a good use of electricity: China, United States, India and the European Union

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dessus, B.; Laponche, B.

    2011-01-01

    After a discussion of the peculiar characteristics of electricity as energy vector (electricity production, transport and distribution, usages, the issue of load curves and power), this report identifies and discusses criteria corresponding to a 'good use' of electricity. These criteria are related to several issues: greenhouse gas emissions, availability and costs of natural resources, safety, local and global environment, economical and social issues. These issues are addressed through the examination of electricity consumption in China and India, of its evolution in comparison with two other regions (United States and Europe). A third part discusses opportunities and perspectives of a good use of electricity in China and India, in the main socio-economic sectors, and their consequences for the environment, for the preservation of natural resources, and for the Indian and Chinese economy. These aspects are also addressed in comparison with the United States and Europe. Thus, the authors highlight the contrast between the electricity consumption curves for some sectors depending on strategic choices by the Chinese and Indian governments

  5. Status and Evolution of Environmental Education at School Level in Delhi, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sudarshana Kalita

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The need for imparting environmental education in school students has been well understood in Delhi, India and efforts have been made to incorporate environmental education (EE in the curriculum. At the same time, increasing interest in the protection and conservation of environment, nature and natural resources has led to the initiation and adoption of several campaigns, programmes and projects by various schools. Consequently, the integration of EE in the curriculum as well as through extra-curricular activities is exposing the school students to contemporary environmental challenges and their solutions. This research work is an attempt at exploring the various measures being taken to promote environmental awareness and create better attitude towards the environment in the schools in Delhi, India.

  6. Documentation & Condition Mapping for Restoration & Revitalisation of Historic Sheesh Mahal & Char Bagh Complex in Patiala (punjab), India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dasgupta, S.

    2017-08-01

    Located in the Northern State of Punjab, the historic city of Patiala has always been a centre of culture in north India, and has seen the evolution of its own distinct style of architecture with Rajput and Mughal influences. The city is renowned for its rich architectural heritage, Music, Craft, Sports and Cuisine. The fourth Maharaja Narinder Singh was a great patron of art, architecture and music and it was during his time that several palaces like the Moti Bagh Palace, Sheesh Mahal and Banasur Bagh were designed followed by Baradari Palace. Later it was Maharaja Bhupinder Singh (1900-1938) who made Patiala State famous with his lavish lifestyle.This paper describes the process followed for Documentation and condition assessment of the historic Sheesh Mahal & Char Bagh Complex in order to restore and revitalise the palace building and the Mughal garden. The exercise included Archival research, Field surveys, Condition Mapping, inventories using traditional methods as well as GIS and preparation of restoration & conservation solutions along with post conservation management manual. The Major challenges encountered were identifying the correct documentation methodology for mapping as well as managing the large database generated on site. The Documentation and Mapping was used as a significant tool to guide towards the conservation and Management strategy of the complex.

  7. Tackling CO2 reduction in India through use of CO2 capture and storage (CCS): Prospects and challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shackley, Simon; Verma, Preeti

    2008-01-01

    CO 2 capture and storage (CCS) is not currently a priority for the Government of India (GOI) because, whilst a signatory to the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol, there are no existing greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and most commentators do not envisage compulsory targets for India in the post-2012 phase. The overwhelming priority for the GOI is to sustain a high level of economic growth (8%+) and provision of secure, reliable energy (especially electricity) is one of the widely recognised bottlenecks in maintaining a high growth rate. In such a supply-starved context, it is not easy to envisage adoption of CCS-which increases overall generation capacity and demand for coal without increasing actual electricity supply-as being acceptable. Anything which increases costs-even slightly-is very unlikely to happen, unless it is fully paid for by the international community. The majority viewpoint of the industry and GOI interviewees towards CCS appears to be that it is a frontier technology, which needs to be developed further in the Annex-1 countries to bring down the cost through RD and D and deployment. More RD and D is required to assess in further detail the potential for CO 2 storage in geological reservoirs in India and the international community has an important role to play in cultivating such research

  8. Social and Economic Implications of Noncommunicable diseases in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J S Thakur

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs have become a major public health problem in India accounting for 62% of the total burden of foregone DALYs and 53% of total deaths. In this paper, we review the social and economic impact of NCDs in India. We outline this impact at household, health system and the macroeconomic level. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs figure at the top among the leading ten causes of adult (25-69 years deaths in India. The effects of NCDs are inequitable with evidence of reversal in social gradient of risk factors and greater financial implications for the poorer households in India. Out-of-pocket expenditure associated with the acute and long-term effects of NCDs is high resulting in catastrophic health expenditure for the households. Study in India showed that about 25% of families with a member with CVD and 50% with cancer experience catastrophic expenditure and 10% and 25%, respectively, are driven to poverty. The odds of incurring catastrophic hospitalization expenditure were nearly 160% higher with cancer than the odds of incurring catastrophic spending when hospitalization was due to a communicable disease. These high numbers also pose significant challenge for the health system for providing treatment, care and support. The proportion of hospitalizations and outpatient consultations as a result of NCDs rose from 32% to 40% and 22% to 35%, respectively, within a decade from 1995 to 2004. In macroeconomic term, most of the estimates suggest that the NCDs in India account for an economic burden in the range of 5-10% of GDP, which is significant and slowing down GDP thus hampering development. While India is simultaneously experiencing several disease burdens due to old and new infections, nutritional deficiencies, chronic diseases, and injuries, individual interventions for clinical care are unlikely to be affordable on a large scale. While it is clear that "treating our way out" of the NCDs may not be the efficient way, it has

  9. Situational analysis of services for diabetes and diabetic retinopathy and evaluation of programs for the detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy in India: Methods for the India 11-city 9-state study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. V. S. Murthy

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR is a leading cause of visual impairment in India. Available evidence shows that there are more than 60 million persons with diabetes in India and that the number will increase to more than a 100 million by 2030. There is a paucity of data on the perceptions and practices of persons with diabetes and the available infrastructure and uptake of services for DR in India. Objectives: Assess perception of care and challenges faced in availing eye care services among persons with diabetics and generate evidence on available human resources, infrastructure, and service utilization for DR in India. Methods: The cross-sectional, hospital-based survey was conducted in eleven cities across 9 States in India. In each city, public and private providers of eye-care were identified. Both multispecialty and standalone facilities were included. Specially designed semi-open ended questionnaires were administered to the clients. Semi-structured interviews were administered to the service providers (both diabetic care physicians and eye care teams and observational checklists were used to record findings of the assessment of facilities conducted by a dedicated team of research staff. Results: A total of 859 units were included in this study. This included 86 eye care and 73 diabetic care facilities, 376 persons with diabetes interviewed in the eye clinics and 288 persons with diabetes interviewed in the diabetic care facilities. Conclusions: The findings will have significant implications for the organization of services for persons with diabetes in India.

  10. The public health challenge of early growth failure in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, M F; Martorell, R

    2013-05-01

    Recent recognition of the early onset and high prevalence of wasting (30%) and stunting (20%) among infants 0-5 months in India draws attention to the need to understand the causes and develop prevention strategies. Such growth failure has dire consequences in the short (increased mortality) and long-term (loss of human capital and increased risk of chronic diseases). Food interventions before 6 months will increase morbidity/mortality through contamination in settings of poor sanitation and hygiene. Waiting to improve nutrition only after the initiation of complementary feeding at 6 months is a missed opportunity and may permanently alter life trajectory and potential. This underscores the importance of maternal nutrition. Iron and folic acid and protein energy supplementation during pregnancy are interventions that can improve maternal nutrition and birth outcomes. Maternal supplementation during lactation should be considered as a means to improve maternal and child outcomes, although the evidence needs strengthening. Support and counseling are also required to improve maternal diets and promote exclusive breastfeeding. Programs focused on improving maternal nutrition across the continuum of preconception, pregnancy and lactation are likely to have the greatest impact as mothers are central gatekeepers to the health and future of their children.

  11. Mobility Challenges in the Region of Northern Jutland, Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vestergaard, Maria Quvang Lund; Laursen, Lea Louise Holst; Jensen, Ole B.

    distance between home and work and the possibility for job changes is declining. In this paper we would argue that as opposed to many traditional regional geography approaches or tourism studies this analysis put focus on the challenges to a peripheral region from the vantage point of an explicit mobilites...... perspective. Thus in accordance with the mobilities perspective (Urry 2002, Lassen, Jensen 2003, Cresswell 2010) we see that what may be thought of as issues of lack of tourism infrastructures also relate in a very detailed manner to the internal mobilities potentials of the residents in the region. But more...... interestingly, the “regional mobility assemblage” is wedded to social practices and everyday life ways of being mobile in the region. In order to understand and ultimately face the challenges facing this region one therefore needs to understand the culture of mobilities as a profound regional feature leading...

  12. Doing Disability Research in a Southern Context: Challenges and Possibilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singal, Nidhi

    2010-01-01

    Research on disability issues in countries of the South is primarily dominated by a focus on generating large scale quantitative data sets. This paper discusses the many challenges, opportunities and dilemmas faced in designing and undertaking a qualitative research study in one district in India. The Disability, Education and Poverty Project…

  13. Sustainable Approaches for Materials Management in Remote, Economically Challenged Areas of the Pacific

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remote, economically challenged areas in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) and American Samoa in the US Pacific island territories face unique challenges with respect to solid waste management. These islands are remote and isolated, with some islands suppo...

  14. Technical vocational education in India

    OpenAIRE

    溝上, 智恵子

    1999-01-01

    In India, several efforts have been made for the development of skilled manpower during the last twenty years since the launch of formal technical vocational education at school. A huge education infrastructure has developed in India. However, 45~50 percent of the population of India is still illiterate. To solve the mismatch between education and employment, a revolution in education is really needed. Additionally, there is a need for a system of National Vocational Qualifications in India a...

  15. Challenges and Negative Effects of Divorce among Muslim Women in Northern Nigeria

    OpenAIRE

    Rafatu Abdul Hamid; Imam Abdul Rahim Muhammad Sanusi

    2016-01-01

    The alarming explosion of divorce in our present times is a cause of great concern. In fact the divorce rate in Northern Nigeria is high and this is scandalous. The mention of the word (Talaq) divorce has now become so cheap that in some marriages, every argument futures this word, either the husband threatens with it or the wife demands it. Hence women are married and divorce at will for minor reasons. This paper is therefore an attempt to highlight some of the causes of rampant divorce and ...

  16. India Culture Trunk. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad, 1997 (India).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doeksen, Peggy

    This unit is intended to provide students with a general knowledge of the history and culture of India. Activities include: (1) "What Do You Know about India?"; (2) "What Is All This Stuff For?"; (3) "Name That Spice and Why It's Nice"; (4) "Where and How Are These Elephants Marching?"; (5) "Why Is…

  17. A Milestone in Cancer Research and Treatment in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tata Memorial Center is celebrating 75 years of leadership service towards cancer control and research in India. In honor of this anniversary, TMC is hosting A Conference of New Ideas in Cancer – Challenging Dogmas on February 26-28th, 2016 as part of its platinum jubilee events. CGH Director, Dr. Ted Trimble, will give a plenary talk: "Thinking Outside the Box in Cancer Research - Perspectives from the US NCI” in the session titled: Future of Cancer Research: US and European perspectives.

  18. Mitigating India's health woes: Can health insurance be a remedy to achieve universal health coverage?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B Savitha

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A low level of public investments in preventive health facilities and medical care facilities and health professionals has given rise to poor health status for an average Indian. Insufficient government funding for health care, inadequate and ineffective health financing mechanisms, poor delivery of health care, especially in public facilities, and excessive reliance on unregulated high-cost private providers have contributed to the poor accomplishment of Millennium Development Goals, especially in the informal sector. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs consider health to be one of the important objectives to be achieved by all the nations in the world. This paper reappraises the current status, unmet needs, challenges, and the way forward to implement and achieve universal health coverage (UHC in India by thrusting the focus on three elements (pillars of universal access to health services. Despite seven decades of independence, India does still face the formidable challenge of providing health services to its population at an affordable cost. One of the major obstacles in reaching universal coverage and universal health entitlement of every Indian citizen has been the absence of effective health financing mechanism that promotes affordable access to weaker and vulnerable sections of the society. In this respect, health insurance certainly does have the potential to expedite the process of UHC if various stakeholders work in cohesion under the government stewardship. In rural India, the health infrastructure and workforce are inadequate to serve the unserved and underserved population. Hence, the government should invest in public health facilities while promoting pan-India health insurance to ensure and guarantee easy access and affordability for its citizens. The way forward should not only be centered on financial protection, but also to have renewed emphasis on restructuring the health-care system, ensuring the adequate availability of

  19. Rapid growth within India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayes, D.

    2000-01-01

    The Indian government has published (in Hydrocarbon Vision 2025) its ideas for a long term strategy for its oil industry which is currently growing at an unprecedented rate. Increasing domestic production and investment in oil exploration and production overseas figure strongly in the plan. At present, India has a refining surplus but with an annual growth of 8-10%, this will disappear in the next 2-3 years. The report recommends that India should maintain 90% self-sufficiency in refining. The report sees development of the domestic oil industry as globally competitive and helping safeguard India's assets. The capability of India's refineries, current upgrading, the newer refineries and plans for new projects are all mentioned

  20. Stakeholder-based SWOT analysis for successful municipal solid waste management in Lucknow, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, P K; Kulshreshtha, K; Mohanty, C S; Pushpangadan, P; Singh, A

    2005-01-01

    The present investigation is a case study of Lucknow, the main metropolis in Northern India, which succumbs to a major problem of municipal solid waste and its management. A qualitative investigation using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis (SWOT) has been successfully implemented through this community participation study. This qualitative investigation emphasizes the limited capabilities of the municipal corporation's resources to provide proper facilitation of the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) services without community participation in Lucknow city. The SWOT analysis was performed to formulate strategic action plans for MSWM in order to mobilize and utilize the community resources on the one hand and municipal corporation's resources on the other. It has allowed the introduction of a participatory approach for better collaboration between the community and municipal corporation in Lucknow (India). With this stakeholder-based SWOT analysis, efforts were made to explore the ways and means of converting the possible "threats" into "opportunities" and changing the "weaknesses" into "strengths" regarding a community-based MSWM programme. By this investigation, concrete strategic action plans were developed for both the community and municipal corporation to improve MSWM in Lucknow.

  1. Stakeholder-based SWOT analysis for successful municipal solid waste management in Lucknow, India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Srivastava, P.K.; Kulshreshtha, K.; Mohanty, C.S.; Pushpangadan, P.; Singh, A.

    2005-01-01

    The present investigation is a case study of Lucknow, the main metropolis in Northern India, which succumbs to a major problem of municipal solid waste and its management. A qualitative investigation using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis (SWOT) has been successfully implemented through this community participation study. This qualitative investigation emphasizes the limited capabilities of the municipal corporation's resources to provide proper facilitation of the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) services without community participation in Lucknow city. The SWOT analysis was performed to formulate strategic action plans for MSWM in order to mobilize and utilize the community resources on the one hand and municipal corporation's resources on the other. It has allowed the introduction of a participatory approach for better collaboration between the community and municipal corporation in Lucknow (India). With this stakeholder-based SWOT analysis, efforts were made to explore the ways and means of converting the possible 'threats' into 'opportunities' and changing the 'weaknesses' into 'strengths' regarding a community-based MSWM programme. By this investigation, concrete strategic action plans were developed for both the community and municipal corporation to improve MSWM in Lucknow

  2. Ecology and social system of northern gibbons living in cold seasonal forests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Zhen-Hua; Ma, Chang-Yong; Fei, Han-Lan; Huang, Bei; Ning, Wen-He; Ni, Qing-Yong; Jiang, Xue-Long; Fan, Peng-Fei

    2018-07-18

    Gibbons in China represent the northernmost margin of present day gibbon species distribution (around N25°). Compared to tropical habitats, northern gibbon habitats are characterized by low temperatures and remarkable seasonal variation in fruit abundance. How gibbons adapt to their cold and seasonal habitats and what ecological factors affect their sociality are key questions for understanding their ecology and social system evolution, the elucidation of which will contribute to the conservation of these special populations/species. According to preliminary short-term studies, northern gibbons consume more leaves and use larger home ranges than tropical gibbons. Interestingly, some Nomascus groups consist of more than one adult female. However, these preliminary results are not well understood or incorporated into current socio-ecological theories regarding gibbon species. To better understand northern gibbons, our team has systematically studied three habituated groups of Nomascus concolor, three groups of N. nasutus, and two habituated groups of Hoolock tianxing since 2002. In this paper, we stress the challenges facing gibbons living in northern habitats and summarize their behavioral adaptations to their harsh environments. We also describe the northern gibbon social system and discuss the potential relationships between their ecology and sociality. Finally, we highlight future research questions related to northern gibbons in China.

  3. Ecology and social system of northern gibbons living in cold seasonal forests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhen-Hua Guan

    2018-07-01

    Full Text Available Gibbons in China represent the northernmost margin of present day gibbon species distribution (around N25°. Compared to tropical habitats, northern gibbon habitats are characterized by low temperatures and remarkable seasonal variation in fruit abundance. How gibbons adapt to their cold and seasonal habitats and what ecological factors affect their sociality are key questions for understanding their ecology and social system evolution, the elucidation of which will contribute to the conservation of these special populations/species. According to preliminary short-term studies, northern gibbons consume more leaves and use larger home ranges than tropical gibbons. Interestingly, some Nomascus groups consist of more than one adult female. However, these preliminary results are not well understood or incorporated into current socio-ecological theories regarding gibbon species. To better understand northern gibbons, our team has systematically studied three habituated groups of Nomascus concolor, three groups of N. nasutus, and two habituated groups of Hoolock tianxing since 2002. In this paper, we stress the challenges facing gibbons living in northern habitats and summarize their behavioral adaptations to their harsh environments. We also describe the northern gibbon social system and discuss the potential relationships between their ecology and sociality. Finally, we highlight future research questions related to northern gibbons in China.

  4. TOURISM AND POVERTY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THE CASE OF INDIA AND ROMANIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel BADULESCU

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Sustainable tourism has become lately an important issue addressing the question of over-exploiting and degradation of resources. The topic is quite more challenging and presents particular importance in the case of developing countries, facing also social issues and the poverty of large segments of population. This paper investigates, based on surveying experts’ opinion, the impact of mass tourism vs. voluntary tourism vs. pro-poor tourism in India and Romania, two very different countries but facing similar challenges, and it highlights the similar issues but also the differences concerning the economic, social and environmental effects of these forms of tourism.

  5. Breaking the Logic of Groundwater-Led Agrarian Change in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siegfried, T.

    2007-12-01

    for the investigation of the trajectories of agrarian change is to properly account for social and natural system dynamics. For this purpose, an integrated, hierarchical computational modeling framework will be presented. More precisely, the agent-based allocation, production and trade model allows studying incomplete markets with few participants and limited information environments. It will help to identify mixed allocation baskets at different spatial scales. These baskets may consist to a variable degree of the allocation of renewable runoff, the development of renewable and non-renewable storage (e.g. rainwater harvesting, artificial groundwater recharge, surface reservoir, and fossil groundwater), investment in alternative sources (desalinization, wastewater reuse, inter-basin water transfer, etc.) and int. commodity trade so as to increase system resilience of economic activity. With such model, local and regional policy interventions (such as cap and trade, differential pricing, etc.) can be tested and consequently ranked based on benchmarks of observable outcomes. These benchmarks include sustainability, Pareto optimality, equitability and the exposure to production risk. Case studies from the Gangetic Plain in Northern India will be presented.

  6. Regulating promotion of tobacco through films - a pioneering endeavor of India

    OpenAIRE

    Ranjit Singh; Ashish Kumar Pandey

    2018-01-01

    Background and challenges to implementation Cinema influences children of young impressionable mind. A LANCET publication revealed that viewing smoking scenes in movies promotes smoking initiation among adolescent. The findings indicated that the effect of exposure to movie smoking was stronger on the adolescent than parental smoking. The Government of India and the WHO supported study on “tobacco in movies and impact on youth” also revealed that after the b...

  7. Landslide susceptibility assessment using logistic regression and its comparison with a rock mass classification system, along a road section in the northern Himalayas (India)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Iswar; Sahoo, Sashikant; van Westen, Cees; Stein, Alfred; Hack, Robert

    2010-02-01

    Landslide studies are commonly guided by ground knowledge and field measurements of rock strength and slope failure criteria. With increasing sophistication of GIS-based statistical methods, however, landslide susceptibility studies benefit from the integration of data collected from various sources and methods at different scales. This study presents a logistic regression method for landslide susceptibility mapping and verifies the result by comparing it with the geotechnical-based slope stability probability classification (SSPC) methodology. The study was carried out in a landslide-prone national highway road section in the northern Himalayas, India. Logistic regression model performance was assessed by the receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve, showing an area under the curve equal to 0.83. Field validation of the SSPC results showed a correspondence of 72% between the high and very high susceptibility classes with present landslide occurrences. A spatial comparison of the two susceptibility maps revealed the significance of the geotechnical-based SSPC method as 90% of the area classified as high and very high susceptible zones by the logistic regression method corresponds to the high and very high class in the SSPC method. On the other hand, only 34% of the area classified as high and very high by the SSPC method falls in the high and very high classes of the logistic regression method. The underestimation by the logistic regression method can be attributed to the generalisation made by the statistical methods, so that a number of slopes existing in critical equilibrium condition might not be classified as high or very high susceptible zones.

  8. Challenges in augmenting the uranium supply position in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Padmanabhan, N.P.H.; Suri, A.K.

    2007-01-01

    Realizing the importance of attaining the projected GDP growth rate of 8% for sustained economic growth of our country for poverty alleviation and also for increasing the standard of living of the people of the country, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has charted ambitious plans to enhance the nuclear power component in the overall electricity generation. This calls for intensive efforts to improve every component of the nuclear fuel cycle right from the exploration for atomic minerals to construction and operation of nuclear power reactors, fuel reprocessing and recycle. DAE is fully poised to meet the challenges in discovering and proving additional nuclear resource in the country by well coordinated exploratory efforts, their techno-economic exploitation, fuel fabrication by adequate capacity addition and electricity generation by construction of adequate power reactors using natural and enriched fuels. This paper describes various plans and strategies adopted by DAE in meeting the challenges in the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle. (author)

  9. Management of Chronic Hepatitis B Infection in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amarapurkar, Deepak N; Mada, Kaushal; Kapoor, Dharmesh

    2015-11-01

    Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection is a substantial global health problem with highest prevalence observed in the sub-Saharan Africa and East Asia. India lies in the intermediate endemicity zone with prevalence ranging from 0.1% to 11.7%. The predominant route of transmission is horizontal and the most commonly occurring genotypes are A and D. The high mortality and morbidity associated with CHB constitutes significant health and economic burden in developing countries like India. Antiviral agents decrease HBV DNA load and prevent disease progression. Several regional and country expert associations have developed treatment guidelines for appropriate management of CHB; however, various factors like prevalence, disease awareness, immunization status, cost implications, availability of resources, type of transmission and emerging significance of HBV genotypes have influenced the management of CHB in a country. This article focuses on expert’s recommendations on CHB management including initiation, monitoring and termination of treatment with emphasis on borderline cases. The article also throws light on the challenges to optimum management and provides preferred therapeutic approaches in Indian perspective.

  10. Viewing India from Religious Angle

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Qiu Yonghui

    2004-01-01

    @@ It would be impossible to understand India without any knowledge about the religions of this country. India is a developing country with many religions, nationalities and languages. This nation has long been noted for its democratic politics and multiculture. India was founded on the principle of secularism, but at the same time it has suffered from religions. Therefore, to have a clear idea about the basic conditions of India's multiple religious beliefs is the foundation for studies of its religions of the country, and is also one key to grasping Indian social politics. In early September 2004, the Indian government published religious data from the 2001 census. Accordingly, we can make some basic judgments about the religions in today's India.

  11. Parental Stress in Raising a Child with Disabilities in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naveen Mehrotra

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available  Purpose: To determine the parenting stress and its determinants among parents of children with disabling conditions in India.Methods: The Parenting Stress Index – short form and a few open ended questions were administered to a convenience sample of sixty-six patient families in July, 2009 in the cities of New Delhi and Faridabad regions of Northern India through six non- governmental organizations (NGOs that serve children with disabling conditions. Results: Female sex of the child was associated with higher stress related to failure of the child to meet parent’s expectations and to satisfy the parents in their parenting role. Parents engaged in more lucrative and prestigious occupations had more stress than parents engaged in less prestigious and lucrative occupations irrespective of their income. Many parents reported receiving little support from their extended families in taking care of their child. Religion was found to be a common coping resource used by the parents.Conclusion and Implications: Higher parenting stress in parents of girls raises the possibility of abuse and neglect. Little support from informal family resources underscores the need for developing formal resources for supporting the parents. The specific resources of parenting stress among parents of different socioeconomic status should be explored in future studies so that appropriate interventions can be planned.doi 10.5463/DCID.v23i2.119

  12. American College of Cardiology (ACC’s PINNACLE India Quality Improvement Program (PIQIP—Inception, progress and future direction: A report from the PIQIP Investigators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ankur Kalra

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Cardiovascular diseases have surpassed infectious disorders to become the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in India.1 A national-level registry comprehensively documenting the current-day prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and disease burden among patients seeking care in the outpatient setting in India is currently non-existent. With a burgeoning urban population, the cardiovascular disease burden in India is set to skyrocket, with an estimated 18 million productive years of life lost by 2030.2 While there are limited quality improvement registries in India, for example, the Kerala acute coronary syndrome and Trivandrum heart failure registries, their focus is on in-patient care quality improvement, while the vast majority of patients with cardiovascular diseases worldwide, including India, interact with the health care system in the outpatient setting.3,4 Recognizing this unmet need, the American College of Cardiology partnered with local stakeholders in India to establish India's first outpatient cardiovascular disease performance measurement initiative in 2011, the PINNACLE (Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence India Quality Improvement Program (PIQIP.5 This manuscript discusses the inception of the PIQIP registry, the progress it has made and challenges thus far, and its future direction and the promise it holds for cardiovascular care quality improvement in India.

  13. High proportion of modern genotypes of M. tuberculosis and their affinity with drug resistance in northern region of India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhatwalia, Sunil Kumar; Yadav, Rakesh; Behera, Digambar; Kaur, Harsimran; Kumar, Manoj; Sethi, Sunil

    2017-09-01

    Comparative genomics on the basis of TbD1 deletion has differentiated the members of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) in two major genogroups. They exhibit differential distribution and virulence potential. The present study was carried out to see the proportion of these genogroups and their association with drug resistance. The drug resistance pattern of 205 culture positive cases of M. tuberculosis and their relation with TbD1 deletion was analysed from the tertiary care centre. Overall proportion of genotypes (TbD1- and Tbd1+) and their association with drug resistance was also observed from the various studies from India. Our study reports that 85.4% of the isolates of M. tuberculosis were modern genotypes (TbD1-) and rest of 14.6% were ancient genotypes (TbD1+). 37 cases were of multiple drug resistant-TB (MDR-TB), 35 of them belongs to modern genogrop and rest of (2) were in ancient genogroup (p=0.12). Overall pooled estimate of proportion of modern genotype is 75.5% (CI 95%, 73.03-77.87) and 24.55% (CI 95%, 22.13-26.97) for ancient genotypes from the studies carried out in India. Modern genotypes were more rarely drug sensitive phenotypes with a relative risk (RR) of 0.89 (CI 95%, 0.74-1.07) while MDR cases were more in this group with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.27 (CI 95%, 0-1.07). This study demonstrates a higher proportion of modern genotypes in our region/India; which are more likely to be associated with drug resistance. Future, epidemiological/in vitro studies are required to ascertain the relationship between genotypes and their virulence potential. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Prevalence of household-level food insecurity and its determinants in an urban resettlement colony in north India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chinnakali, Palanivel; Upadhyay, Ravi P; Shokeen, Deepa; Singh, Kavita; Kaur, Manpreet; Singh, Arvind K; Goswami, Anil; Yadav, Kapil; Pandav, Chandrakant S

    2014-06-01

    An adequate food intake, in terms of quantity and quality, is a key to healthy life. Malnutrition is the most serious consequence of food insecurity and has a multitude of health and economic implications. India has the world's largest population living in slums, and these have largely been underserved areas. The State of Food Insecurity in the World (2012) estimates that India is home to more than 217 million undernourished people. Various studies have been conducted to assess food insecurity at the global level; however, the literature is limited as far as India is concerned. The present study was conducted with the objective of documenting the prevalence of food insecurity at the household level and the factors determining its existence in an urban slum population of northern India. This cross-sectional study was conducted in an urban resettlement colony of South Delhi, India. A pre-designed, pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was used for collecting socioeconomic details and information regarding dietary practices. Food insecurity was assessed using Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with food insecurity. A total of 250 women were interviewed through house-to-house survey. Majority of the households were having a nuclear family (61.6%), with mean family-size being 5.5 (SD +/- 2.5) and the mean monthly household income being INR 9,784 (SD +/- 631). Nearly half (53.3%) of the mean monthly household income was spent on food. The study found that a total of 77.2% households were food-insecure, with 49.2% households being mildly food-insecure, 18.8% of the households being moderately food-insecure, and 9.2% of the households being severely food-insecure. Higher education of the women handling food (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.15-0.92; p insecure. The study demonstrated a high prevalence of food insecurity in the marginalized section of the urban society. The Government of India

  15. Challenges in diagnosing and treating snakebites in a rural population of Tamil Nadu, India: The views of clinicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Harry F; Vaiyapuri, Rajendran; Gajjeraman, Prabu; Hutchinson, Gail; Gibbins, Jonathan M; Bicknell, Andrew B; Vaiyapuri, Sakthivel

    2017-05-01

    Snakebites cause death, disability and economic devastation to their victims, people who live almost exclusively in rural areas. Annually an estimated two million venomous bites cause as many as 100,000 deaths worldwide as well as hundreds of thousands of deformities and amputations. Recent studies suggest that India has the highest incidence of snakebite and associated deaths worldwide. In this study, we interviewed 25 hospital-based clinicians who regularly treat snakebites in Tamil Nadu, India, in order to gauge their opinions and views on the diagnostic tools and treatment methods available at that time, the difficulties encountered in treating snakebites and improvements to snakebite management protocols they deem necessary. Clinicians identified the improvement of community education, training of medical personnel, development of standard treatment protocols and improved medication as priorities for the immediate future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Socioeconomic gradients of cardiovascular risk factors in China and India: results from the China health and retirement longitudinal study and longitudinal aging study in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Peifeng; Wang, Serena; Lee, Jinkook

    2017-09-01

    Cardiovascular disease has become a major public health challenge in developing countries. The goal of this study is to compare socioeconomic status (SES) gradients of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) both within and between China and India. We used multivariable logistic regression models to examine the associations between SES and CVRF, using data from the China health and retirement longitudinal study and the longitudinal aging study in India. The results showed that, compared to illiteracy, the odds ratios of completing junior high school for high-risk waist circumference were 4.99 (95% confidence interval: 1.77-14.06) among Indian men, 3.42 (95% confidence interval: 1.66-7.05) among Indian women, but 0.74 (95% confidence interval: 0.59-0.92) among Chinese women. Similar patterns were observed between educational attainment and high-risk body mass index, and between education and hypertension, based on self-reported physician diagnosis and direct blood pressure measurements. SES is associated with CVRF in both China and India. However, this relationship showed opposite patterns across two countries, suggesting that this association is not fixed, but is subjective to underlying causal pathways, such as patterns of risky health behaviors and different social and health policies.

  17. Renewable Energy Zones for Balancing Siting Trade-offs in India

    OpenAIRE

    Deshmukh, R; Wu, G; Phadke, A

    2017-01-01

    India’s targets of 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, and 40% generation capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 will require a rapid and dramatic increase in solar and wind capacity deployment and overcoming its associated economic, siting, and power system challenges. The objective of this study was to spatially identify the amount and quality of wind and utility-scale solar resource potential in India, and the possible siting-related constraints and opportunities for develo...

  18. Uranium occurrences and exploration experience in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaki, A.

    2010-01-01

    'Albitite Line' in the state of Rajasthan is the site for Na-metasomatism-related vein-type mineralization. A drilling program based on the data generated from ground geophysical surveys resulted in the discovery of a low-grade, low-tonnage uranium deposit near Rohil in North Delhi Fold Belt, in the northern part of the Albitite Line. A massive drilling program is underway in this belt, mostly based on the recently generated airborne EM and magnetic datasets. Though India had been an early starter in uranium exploration, it slightly lagged behind to cope with the emerging new technologies in mineral exploration, mainly because of the technological isolation. In the new millennium, there is a major shift in India's uranium exploration strategy from conventional exploration techniques to 'technology intensive' exploration. With the large pool of human resources along with the new technology-intensive exploration program, India will achieve self-sufficiency in uranium in the near future. (author)

  19. India dokfilmide paremik jõuab taaralinna

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    2007-01-01

    Tartus täna algavatest India dokumentaalfilmide päevadest, mida korraldavad Maailmafilmi festival, Eesti Rahva Muuseum ja organisatsioon Films For Freedom India. Lisatud nimekiri "India dokfilmi päevad"

  20. Venereology in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Devinder Mohan Thappa

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Venereology-the study of venereal diseases or more recently, the sexually transmitted infections (STI includes a variety of pathogens namely viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa for which the common factor is the mode of transmission and acquisition: Sexual relations between human beings. Medical and other historians have often suggested that well-known diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chancroid and lymphogranuloma venereum have existed since earliest times. However, it is difficult to identify modern disease entities based on written historical record. Studying the origin of STIs helps us to learn the political, economic and moral conditions that led to the disease. Effective management of STI rests on three pillars of diagnosis, prevention and treatment. For most of past 50 years in India, the diagnostic pillar has been the least well-supported. Until well into present century, diagnosis of STI in India was clinical. Treatment of STIs in India followed the methods used in England. Of course in the 19th century, in many parts of the world, only a few had access to modern methods of treatment; in India, there was extensive use of Ayurvedic treatment with traditional medicines. This article thus gives just an overview and evolution of venereology in India with regard to venereal diseases (now more often known as STIs/disease, control measures, academic, association and journal development and finally future perspective.