Search

Background: India accounts for a quarter of the world cervical cancer burden. Cervical cancer is highly preventable. However, low level of participating women in screening is one of the major issues. The aim of this work was to study the factors that influence women to participate in cervical cancer screening by providing menstrual pads for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing. Methods: Menstrual clothes were collected from two different populations from the rural areas of Maharashtra state for HPV testing to screen for cervical cancer. For this study, out of 945 participated women, 557 (58.9%) provided their menstrual pads. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results: The probability of providing the menstrual pads was high among the women who were highly educated compared to those with less education (OR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.0–1.9), having mobile phone facilities as compared to those with no mobile phones (OR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.0–2.0), who were using new cloths as menstrual pads compared to those who did not use the same (OR: 8.5; 95% CI: 5.0–14.3), who did not have tobacco habit as compared to those who had tobacco habit (OR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1–1.9) and in the village where health worker was stationed as compared to the village where health worker was not stationed (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.4–2.5). Conclusion: Factors including health worker availability, using mobile phones for communication and high education level facilitate women’s participation. To improve the participation, there is need to apply special strategies for older age group, less educated women and women having tobacco habit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of organisations, including medical associations, recommend that research subjects should be given the option of being informed about the general outcome and results of the study. We recently completed a study involving nine serosurveys from 2018 to 2020 in five districts of India among three age groups (children 9 months to < 5 years; 5 to < 15 years of age, and women 15 to < 50 years of age before and after the measles and rubella (MR) vaccination campaigns). In Palghar district of Maharashtra all individuals in 30 selected clusters were enumerated, and 13 individuals per age group were randomly sampled. We established the procedures to return the results to the respondents for each stage of the survey. Of the 1,166 individuals selected for the measles and rubella serosurvey, 971 (83%) agreed to participate and were enrolled. Participants were informed that they will only be contacted if they test seronegative for measles and/or rubella antibodies. Overall, 140 individuals enrolled in the survey tested seronegative for IgG antibodies to measles and/or rubella viruses; were provided the reports and informed to seek medical advice. Upon follow up by phone, 10% (14) of the 140 participants reported to have been vaccinated. In this paper we discuss the procedures, experiences and considerations in returning results to participants in a community-based measles and rubella serosurvey. Although the lessons learned are specific to post measles-rubella vaccine campaign serosurvey in India, they might be helpful to those contemplating sharing results to participants of large scale survey settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal reactive power dispatch problem optimizes the shunt capacitor bank installation in distribution systems, reducing power loss and also reducing the financial loss for the electricity market associated with power loss. Moreover, the sharing of both active and reactive power from different renewable energy sources like PV and wind in the form of distributed generation also contributes toward reducing power loss and improving the voltage profile of the system. But the installation and maintenance costs associated with these additional set-ups are rarely taken into consideration any optimization problem. This paper aims to reduce the power loss and improve the voltage profile of a radial distribution network with the integration of capacitor banks, PV, and wind energy sources, while taking into account the overall associated cost of each parameter during optimization. The problem is formulated as a novel cost minimization problem aiming to achieve the optimal settings for a life-long capacitor bank-PV-wind integrated distribution network with the least possible installation, operational, and maintenance costs while reducing its power loss significantly for a span of 20 years. The uncertain nature of PV and wind power output has been modeled using the beta probability distribution function and the Weibull probability distribution function, respectively. This unique proposed problem statement of the capacitor bank-PV-wind power integrated distribution network has been tested on the IEEE 33 and IEEE 141 bus systems and solved using the rock hyraxes swarm optimization (RHSO) algorithm. The results were compared with those from other nine well-established techniques, from which it was concluded that the RHSO algorithm has obtained optimal conditions for both systems to operate efficiently. The problem has also been tested on a practical 13-bus 33 kV distribution network in Maharashtra, India, to validate its performance on a practical system. The RHSO has successfully reduced the power loss to almost 17.48% w.r.t. the base case for the practical network while maintaining a minimum overall cost of $51,073,687.7582 for an entire life-span of 20 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a composite approach for drought characterization and monitoring using in situ and remote sensing-based drought indicators. The study was carried out on one of the most drought-prone areas of India, i.e., the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. Meteorological, hydrological, and agricultural drought indices, namely standardized precipitation index (SPI), streamflow drought index (SDI), and vegetation condition index (VCI), respectively, were integrated to develop the composite drought index (CDI) using principal component analysis (PCA). SPI and SDI were computed using in situ precipitation and streamflow data, respectively, for 35 years (1980–2014), whereas VCI was computed using MODIS satellite data (500-m resolution) for 15 years (2000–2014) at 1-, 3-, and 5-month time scales. The time scales of drought indices were evaluated using historical drought years and foodgrain production of the region. The drought areas observed by SPI, SDI, and VCI at different time scales were correlated with foodgrain production during the kharif crop growing season for 15 years (2000–2014). The maximum correlation of foodgrain production was observed with 3-month SPI (r = − 0.72), 5-month SDI (r = − 0.40), and 5-month VCI (r = − 0.81) for meteorological, hydrological, and agricultural drought, respectively. Three-month SPI, 5-month SDI, and 5-month VCI were selected from each drought category to develop CDI. These drought indices were combined using weights derived through the PCA technique. The maximum weight was obtained for 3-month SPI (45.4%) followed by 5-month VCI (42.8%) and 5-month SDI (11.8%). The developed CDI products showed a strong relationship (r = − 0.85) with foodgrain production. The drought years observed by CDI were also closest to drought years declared by the State Government. The time series trend of the drought-affected area observed by CDI, 3-month SPI, and 5-month VCI resembled the drought patterns very closely, especially during the drought years. The spatio-temporal analysis of individual drought indices and CDI with foodgrain production deviation showed that CDI was better for capturing drought conditions than individual indicators. The study suggested that an individual or single indicator is not sufficient to capture the actual drought severity and its magnitudes; therefore, using a composite approach could be a good choice for effective drought assessment and monitoring in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Placenta previa is a condition characterised by abnormal placental implantation and usually presented as painless vaginal bleeding in second or third trimester of pregnancy. Various studies have reported adverse outcomes in the cases of placenta previa. Aim: To find incidence, maternal and perinatal outcomes in placenta previa. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was carried out during April-June 2021 at a Government Tertiary care centre in Maharashtra. Total 260 cases of placenta previa managed at the institute between 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2019 were included in study. Primary data from labour room and operation theatre was collected and detailed case papers were accessed from medical records section. Data was analysed using Microsoft Excel Windows 2013. Results: Incidence of placenta previa was 1.09%. Majority of cases were from age group of 26-30 years, booked, gravida 2-3, belonging to low socio-economic status and without any history of risk factors. In 81.15% cases Lower Segment Cesarean Section (LSCS) was required. Post Partem Haemorrhage (PPH) (32.30%) and need for blood transfusion (86.15%) were major complications. Maternal mortality in cases of placenta previa was 4.23%. In perinatal outcome, prematurity was reported 44.30% cases while 57.46% needed NICU admission. Perinatal mortality was 17.53%. Conclusion: There is need for regular Antenatal Care (ANC) check-up and timely referral to tertiary care obstetrical care centre with availability of Blood bank and NICU for better outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the transnationalism of racial anthropological frameworks and its role in the understanding of human difference during India's decolonization and nation-building. With attention to the circulation of scientific objects, I focus on the practices and articulations of Irawati Karve (1905–1970), an Indian anthropologist with a transnational scientific trajectory and nationalistic political engagements. I argue that Karve's adaptation of an internationally validated German racial approach to study caste, ethnic and religious groups contributed to the further racialization of these categories as well as to the racialization of nationalistic projects in Maharashtra and India. I conclude with a reflection on the transnationalization of the coloniality of racialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary adequacy and diversity during the lactation period are necessary to ensure good health and nutrition among women and children. Behavioral interventions pertaining to health and nutrition counselling during pregnancy and lactation are critical for awareness about dietary diversity. The issue assumes salience for marginalized communities because of the Covid-19 pandemic and associated economic and societal disruptions. This paper assesses the dietary patterns among 400 lactating mothers in the tribal-dominated district of Palghar in Maharashtra, India in 2020. The study is based on primary data regarding consumption of 10 food groups among women across 10 food groups based on 24-hour recall period. The primary outcome variable was binary information regarding Minimum Dietary Diversity defined as consumption from at least 5 food groups. Econometric analysis based on multilevel models and item-response theory is applied to identify food groups that were most difficult to be received by mothers during the early and late lactation period. We find that the daily diet of lactating mothers in Palghar primarily consists of grains, white roots, tubers, and pulses. In contrast, the intake of dairy, eggs, and non-vegetarian food items is much lower. Only Half of the lactating women (56.5 percent; 95% CI: 37.4; 73.8) have a minimum diversified diet (MDD). The prevalence of lactating women with MDD was higher among households with higher income (73.1 percent; 95% CI: 45.2; 89.9) than those in lower income group (50.7 percent; 95% CI: 42.3; 58.9). Lactating Women (in early phase) who received health and nutrition counseling services are more likely (OR: 2.37; 95% CI: 0.90; 6.26) to consume a diversified diet. Food groups such as fruits, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and seeds were among the rare food items in daily diet. The dietary pattern lacking in fruits, nuts, and heme (iron) sources indicates more significant risks of micronutrient deficiencies. The findings call for improving dietary diversity among lactating mothers, particularly from the marginalized communities, and are driven by low consumption of dairy products or various fruits and vegetables. Among the different food items, the consumption of micronutrient-rich seeds and nuts is most difficult to be accessed by lactating mothers. Also, diet-centric counseling and informing lactating mothers of its benefits are necessary to increase dietary diversity for improving maternal and child nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The De-notified tribes are tribal communities that were notified under the Criminal Tribes Act (CTA) 1871 in colonial India. Although the Act was repealed after independence, the tribes declared as 'criminals' continue to remain labeled and are still living with stigma. Tribes notified under the CTA became De-notified in Independent India. The De-notified tribes in India continue to remain as one of India's most excluded and marginalized communities, excluding opportunities and deprived of resources. There are 198 De-notified tribes in India. After the repeal of the act post-independence, some of the declared tribal communities were included among the Scheduled tribes' population in different states; some yet continue to remain enlisted as the 'De-notified' tribes in India. The De-notified tribes comprise a significant population in India, and they are classified under a separate category as DNTs or DNCs. These tribal groups, although were "de-notified" they continue to face discrimination in their everyday life. These tribes do not have access to basic resources and livelihood opportunities; they are treated differently by people from other castes. They also face discrimination at the hands of the police. Their stigmatized spoiled identity due to ancestral labeling influences their present critically. They are subject to atrocities in the hands of the police and power groups in the village. The incidences of atrocities in the case of the De-notified tribes are not acknowledged under the Prevention of Atrocities Act by the state, which protects the marginalized communities and tribes. Their complaints remain unnoticed, and they are subject to false suspicion. The tribe remains in poverty and is subject to stigma and exclusion; their situations have not changed. The government has made no notable attempt to create provisions for upliftment of these communities and safeguard their rights. The absence of uniformity in the reservation policy keeps them away from the government benefits. This paper attempts to highlight the issues and problems faced by the de-notified tribes in Maharashtra India, narrating their experiences of spoiled identity and stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 infections and deaths have largely been uneven within and between countries. With 17% of the world's population, India has so far had 13% of global COVID-19 infections and 8.5% of deaths. Maharashtra accounting for 9% of India's population, is the worst affected state, with 19% of infections and 33% of total deaths in the country until 23rd December 2020. Though a number of studies have examined the vulnerability to and spread of COVID-19 and its effect on mortality, no attempt has been made to understand its impact on mortality in the states of India.Method: Using data from multiple sources and under the assumption that COVID-19 deaths are additional deaths in the population, this paper examined the impact of the disease on premature mortality, loss of life expectancy, years of potential life lost (YPLL), and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) in Maharashtra. Descriptive statistics, a set of abridged life tables, YPLL, and DALY were used in the analysis. Estimates of mortality indices were compared pre- and during COVID-19.Result: COVID-19 attributable deaths account for 5.3% of total deaths in the state and have reduced the life expectancy at birth by 0.8 years, from 73.2 years in the pre-COVID-19 period to 72.4 years by the end of 2020. If COVID-19 attributable deaths increase to 10% of total deaths, life expectancy at birth will likely reduce by 1.4 years. The probability of death in 20-64 years of age (the prime working-age group) has increased from 0.15 to 0.16 due to COVID-19. There has been 1.06 million additional loss of years (YPLL) in the state, and DALY due to COVID-19 has been estimated to be 6 per thousand.Conclusion: COVID-19 has increased premature mortality, YPLL, and DALY and has reduced life expectancy at every age in Maharashtra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This write-up is a brief reflection of a rural doctor couple, Dr. Himmatrao Saluba Bawaskar (HSB) and Dr. Pramodini Himmatrao Bawaskar (PHB), working in the remote area of Maharashtra state of India during COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, rural doctors are routinely exposed to symptomatic COVID-positive cases in the outpatient as well as indoor setting. The authors, both husband and wife, were in compulsory quarantine for twice at home and experienced social stigmas attached to a positive case. Here is a report the details of COVID-19 pattern and its management learned from the published scientific papers on COVID-19, and severe acute respiratory syndrome due to SARS-CoV-2 from December 2019 and their own experience in rural setting and the current literature shared in the form of personal narration. Apart from the personal experience of patients experience regarding quarantine period, COVID-19 is discussed in detail for the benefit of rural practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many community-based intervention models for mental health and wellbeing have undergone robust experimental evaluation; however, there are limited accounts of the implementation of these evidence-based interventions in practice. Atmiyata piloted the implementation of a community-led intervention to identify and understand the challenges of delivering such an intervention. The goal of the pilot evaluation is to identify factors important for larger-scale implementation across an entire district in India. This paper presents the results of a feasibility and acceptability study of the Atmiyata intervention piloted in Nashik district, Maharashtra, India between 2013 and 2015. Methods: A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the Atmiyata intervention. First, a pre-post survey conducted with 215 cases identified with a GHQ cut-off 6 using a 3-month interval. Cases enrolled into the study in one randomly selected month (May–June 2015). Secondly, a quasi-experimental, pre-post design was used to conduct a population-based survey in the intervention and control areas. A randomly selected sample (panel) of 827 women and 843 men age between 18 to 65 years were interviewed to assess the impact of the Atmiyata intervention on common mental disorders. Finally, using qualitative methods, 16 Champions interviewed to understand an implementation processes, barriers and facilitators. Results: Of the 215 participants identified by the Champions as being distressed or having a common mental disorder (CMD), n = 202 (94.4%) had a GHQ score at either sub-threshold level for CMD or above at baseline. Champions accurately identified people with emotional distress and in need of psychological support. After a 6-session counselling provided by the Champions, the percentage of participants with a case-level GHQ score dropped from 63.8 to 36.8%. The second sub-intervention consisted of showing films on Champions' mobile phones to raise community awareness regarding mental health. Films consisted of short scenario-based depictions of problems commonly experienced in villages (alcohol use and domestic violence). Champions facilitated access to social benefits for people with disability. Retention of Atmiyata Champions was high; 90.7% of the initial selected champions continued to work till the end of the project. Champions stated that they enjoyed their work and found it fulfilling to help others. This made them willing to work voluntarily, without pay. The semi-structured interviews with champions indicated that persons in the community experienced reduced symptoms and improved social, occupational and family functioning for problems such as depression, domestic violence, alcohol use, and severe mental illness. Conclusions: This study shows that community-led interventions using volunteers from rural neighbourhoods can serve as a locally feasible and acceptable approach to facilitating access social welfare benefits, as well as reducing distress and symptoms of depression and anxiety in a low and middle-income country context. The intervention draws upon social capital in a community to engage and empower community members to address mental health problems. A robust evaluation methodology is needed to test the efficacy of such a model when it is implemented at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A qualitative survey was carried out during 2005- 2010 of all indigenous and naturalized plants of Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra, India. There are 237 species belonging to 184 genera and 73 families which are listed in this paper. Out of 73 families listed, 63 belong to dicotyledonae and 10 belong to monocotyledonae. Dominant families were Fabaceae (21 genera), Acanthaceae (12 genera) followed by Asteracece (9 genera). The nomenclature system followed in this paper is up to date. Three plants (1.63%) listed in this paper come under Vulnerable (VU) and two (1.09%) comes under Lower Risk (LR) categories. Eleven genera (5.98%) are reported to be endemic to Maharashtra state of India. Only one plant species (Agave americana var. americana) was not native of the area and is cultivated. Voucher specimens of the representative plants are submitted at Medicinal Plants Conservation Center (MPCC), Pune, Maharashtra, and the voucher number is provided along with names of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dealing effectively with malignant mystical attack is an important concern in central India. This paper examines the ways in which the connections and conflicts between the Maoist movement, the police, and marginalised villagers in the state of Maharashtra, India, has led to a crisis in the identification of malfeasants such as witches. In response to the presence of the Maoist insurgency, state actors have become more involved in people’s lives than ever before. Police and others attempt to regulate activities such as witch-detecting and ghost-finding, which they regard as evidence of ‘backwardness’. In many respects of course, the Maoist movement is itself a commentary on ‘backwardness’. The paper therefore offers an insight into the lives of people involved in and affected by the circulation of this concept and the forms of transformation that result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers an insight into the creative ways in which a major social institution in one of the most progressive states in India has attempted to take gender issues on board. The Maharashtra Police Force has taken a major step towards empowering women by opening all mainstream duties to them as from 1994. The paper records the process through which the Force has taken this up as part of a larger agenda to tackle the issues of violence against women, and may serve as an example for similar organizations and students of gender issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the negative climate impact of fossil fuel power generation and the requirement of global policy to shift towards a green mix of energy production, the investment in renewable energy is an opportunity in developing countries. However, poor economy associated with limited income, funds availability, and regulations governing project funding and development are key factors that challenge investors in the energy sector. Given the various power generation resources, including renewables, it is necessary to evaluate the possible power generation investment options from an economic perspective. To realize this objective, solar PV, wind and diesel power generations are economically compared, considering the incremental rate of return and incremental benefit to cost ratio techniques. The alternative investment options of distributed generation technologies are evaluated for Maharashtra, India under different depreciation methods, and the effect of the latter on selecting the best investment candidate is investigated. The paper also conducts sensitivity analysis to examine the impact of capital cost, operation and maintenance cost, and fuel cost variations on the selection decision considering a comparison of the different general projects' cash flow structures discussed in the literature. The economic aspects of selecting a project among possible alternatives for an investment in the power sector are analyzed, and the presented review provides comprehensive comparisons with respect to the literature approaches. The results reveal that, in the benchmark case study, the PV project is rejected and disregarded from further comparisons with other candidate projects since its equity internal rate of return (10.25%) is less than the minimum accepted rate of return, leaving the selection between wind and diesel energy projects. The study reveals that the incremental rates of return under such a comparison are 37.88%, 45.94% and 37.50% when MACRS, declining balance and straight line depreciations techniques are applied, respectively. Thus, the wind energy project is the favored option in this case. For the economic assessment of other case studies, the application of both sensitivity analysis on the capital cost and operation and maintenance cost and literature approaches to structure the projects reveal that wind energy for Maharashtra, India is a more attractive and feasible option compared to other distribution generation projects, while diesel is only considered to be a good option when its fuel cost is reduced by 5%. Finally, the paper highlights policy implications that can influence the decision to move towards investment in distributed generation technologies as a future research direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane woolly aphid (SWA), Ceratovacuna lanigera Zehntner, appeared in an epidemic form in southern Maharashtra and Northern Karnataka, India during 2002 and biological control of pest with potential predator, Micromus igorotus Banks was found to be dependable remedy. So the predator was mass multiplied in laboratory on SWA, and then released in sugarcane ecosystem. The adults were reared using plastic container of 25 cm (ht.) X 11.25 cm (dia) size and were released @ 25 pairs per container. SWA was given as adult food and cotton thread [15 cm (length) and 0.155 cm (thick)] was used as ovipositional substrate. The larvae were reared in plastic box with ventilated lid [10.00 cm (ht.) X 25.50 cm (dia)] @ 100 larvae per box. At the time of pupation corrugated brown paper of 15.0 cm (l) X 12.0 cm (w)] was provided for pupation. The pupae of the predator were released in SWA infested sugarcane fields @ 500, 1000 and 1500 pupae/ha. Studies on predatory dosage, level of incidence and gestation period for suppression of SWA to desired level indicated that there exists choice in altering the dosage depending on the severity of aphid incidence, age of the crop and gestation period targeted for suppression of pest. Augmentation of 500 pupae/ha was adequate to suppress the pest in 90 days when it was prevalent at grade 2 - 3 on 6 - 7 month crop during June - November. To reduce the gestation period and thus to prevent growth and loss of cane, release of 1000 pupae/ha on 6 - 7 months crop infested with SWA at 3 - 4 grade ensured the suppression of the pest in 60 days after release (DAR) in June - November. A dosage of 1500 pupae/ha proved effective to lower the SWA incidence from sever state of grade 5 - 6 on crop of 6 - 7 months in 30 DAR during June to November. In all the field release studies, native population of SWA predator assisted the augmented population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stigma is a recognized barrier to early detection of HIV and causes great suffering for those affected. This paper examines HIV-related stigma in rural and tribal communities of Maharashtra, an area of relatively high HIV prevalence in India. The study used a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to compare adult women and adolescents in a rural area, women in a rural area, and women in a tribal area. The respondents included 494 married women and 186 adolescents in a rural community and 49 married women in six tribal villages. HIV-related stigma was prevalent in all communities and was the highest among tribal and older respondents. High-risk behaviour was reported in both areas, accompanied with denial of personal risk. Our findings suggest that HIV may be spreading silently in these communities. To our knowledge, this is the first community-based study to make an in-depth assessment of HIV-related stigma in rural and tribal areas of India. By situating our findings within the broader discourse on stigma in the national and state-level data, this study helps explain the nature and persistence of stigma and how to address it more effectively among subcultural groups in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, the parameter-wise optimization training process is implemented to achieve an optimal configuration of focused time lagged recurrent neural network (FTLRNN) models by embedding the gamma, laguarre, and multi-channel tapped delay line memory structure. The aim is to examine the prediction ability of the proposed models in order to predict one-day-ahead electric power load simultaneously as usual to oppose 1–24h forecast in sequel with a special emphasis on seasonal changes over a year. An improved delta-bar-delta algorithm is used to accelerate the training of neural networks and to improve the stability of the convergence. Experimental results indicate that the FTLRNN with time delay neural network (TDNN) clearly outperformed the gamma and laguarre based short-term memory structure in various performance metrics such as mean square error (MSE), normalized MSE, correlation coefficient (r) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) during evaluation process. Empirical results show that the proposed dynamic NN model consistently performs well on daily, weekly, and monthly average basis in terms of prediction accuracy. It is noticed from the literature review that an optimally configured FTLRNN with multi-channel tapped delay line memory structure is not currently available to solve short-term electrical power load prediction. The proposed method gives acceptable errors in all seasons, months and on daily basis. The average prediction error on three weeks is obtained as low as 1.67%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Avahan, the India AIDS Initiative has been a partner supporting targeted interventions of high risk populations under India's National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) since 2004 in the state of Maharashtra. This paper presents an assessment of the Avahan program among female sex workers (FSWs) in Maharashtra, its coverage, outcomes achieved and their association with Avahan program. Methods: An analytical framework based on the Avahan evaluation design was used, addressing assessment questions on program implementation, intermediate outcomes and association of outcomes with Avahan. Data from routine program monitoring, two rounds of cross-sectional Integrated Behavioural and Biological Assessments (IBBAs) conducted in 2006 (Round 1- R1) and 2009 (Round 2 - R2) and quality assessments of program clinics were used. Bi-variate and multivariate analysis were conducted using the complex samples module in SPSS 15® (IBM, Somers NY). Results: The Avahan program achieved coverage of over 66% of FSWs within four years of implementation. The IBBA data showed increased contact by peers in R2 compared to R1 (AOR:2.34; p=0.001). Reported condom use with clients increased in R2 and number of FSWs reporting zero unprotected sex acts increased from 76.2% (R1) to 94.6% (R2) [AOR: 5.1, p=0.001]. Significant declines were observed in prevalence of syphilis (RPR) (15.8% to 10.8%; AOR:0.54; p=0.001), chlamydia (8% to 6.2%; AOR:.0.65; p=0.010) and gonorrohoea (7.4% to 3.9; AOR:.0.60; p=0.026) between R1 and R2. HIV prevalence increased (25.8% to 27.5%; AOR:1.29; p=0.04). District-wise analysis showed decline in three districts and increase in Mumbai and Thane districts. FSWs exposed to Avahan had higher consistent condom use with occasional (94.3% vs. 90.6%; AOR: 1.55; p=0.04) and regular clients (92.5% vs. 86.0%; AOR: 1.95, p=0.001) compared to FSWs unexposed to Avahan. Decline in high titre syphilis was associated with Avahan exposure. Conclusion: The Avahan program was scaled up and achieved high coverage of FSWs in Maharashtra amidst multiple intervention players. Avahan coverage of FSWs was associated with improved safe sexual practices and declines in STIs. Prevalence of HIV increased requiring more detailed understanding of the data and, if confirmed, new approaches for HIV control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a knowledge-based model for supplementary irrigation assessment in rainfed agricultural watersheds is presented. The supplementary irrigation assessment problem is divided into different components and is modeled separately. Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to aggregate spatially varying attributes required for the modeling. A graphical user interface is developed in a GIS platform by using the ERDAS macro language tools. The model was applied to two case study areas in India: a subwatershed of Gandheshwari area (West Bengal), and Harsul watershed (Maharashtra). In the Gandheshwari subwatershed, the water availability was found to be inadequate to meet the irrigation requirement and hence the model identified the areas that can be irrigated with different outsource water supply. On the other hand, surface runoff generated in the Harsul watershed was found to be sufficient to meet the supplementary irrigation requirement, thereby showing the feasibility for supplementary irrigation in the area. Using the model, the effect of any rainfall condition can be simulated and hence appropriate measures can be taken in advance to reduce the risk of crop failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The society and culture of the Indian state of Maharashtra were dominated for more than a century by Brahman communities, especially Chitpavan Brahmans, which never exceeded 5% of the total population. By the time the state of Maharashtra was established in 1960, Maharashtra's numerically dominant Maratha Caste was already subverting Brahman control of the state's institutions. By 1970 Pune University was the last secular institution that remained under Brahman control, and it became an arena of political conflict as other Brahmans and Marathas challenged the decades-long Chitpavan domination of the university's government. This paper explains how contradictions in caste (Brahmans, Marathas) and institution (postgraduate campus, city colleges, rural colleges) evoked a history of conflict that climaxed in the mid-1970s. At that time, two political "teams" engaged in an internecine campaign to determine who would govern the university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Large on-site survey to provide real-world investment data of 108 iron-steel plants. • Agent-based integrated assessment framework to assess industry fuel-switching. • Fuel-switching assessment including 4 investment metrics and 5 comparable scenarios. • Partial-equilibrium agent-based scenarios of an evolving socio-technical system. • Partial-equilibrium agent interactions produce non-smooth gas uptake patterns. This paper presents the formulation and application of a novel agent-based integrated assessment approach to model the attributes, objectives and decision-making process of investors in a long-term energy transition in India's iron and steel sector. It takes empirical data from an on-site survey of 108 operating plants in Maharashtra to formulate objectives and decision-making metrics for the agent-based model and simulates possible future portfolio mixes. The studied decision drivers were capital costs, operating costs (including fuel consumption), a combination of capital and operating costs, and net present value. Where investors used a weighted combination of capital cost and operating costs, a natural gas uptake of ~12PJ was obtained and the highest cumulative emissions reduction was obtained, 2 Mt CO 2 in the period from 2020 to 2050. Conversely if net present value alone is used, cumulative emissions reduction in the same period was lower, 1.6 Mt CO 2 , and the cumulative uptake of natural gas was equal to 15PJ. Results show how the differing upfront investment cost of the technology options could cause prevalence of high-carbon fuels, particularly heavy fuel oil, in the final mix. Results also represent the unique heterogeneity of fuel-switching industrial investors with distinct investment goals and limited foresight on costs. The perception of high capital expenditures for decarbonisation represents a significant barrier to the energy transition in industry and should be addressed via effective policy making (e.g. carbon policy/price). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]