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Cycling for transport is a sustainable alternative to using motorised vehicles for daily trips and is a key form of micromobility. Travel time is a critical factor influencing cycling route choice behaviour and uptake. Thus, it is important to understand the factors affecting cycling travel time and speed and their impact on cycling behaviour. In this study, an agent-based transport simulation model with heterogeneous cycling speeds was developed and used for Melbourne to study the impact of a hypothetical traffic signal optimisation intervention along six key cycling corridors. Linear regression and random forest models were used to identify factors affecting cycling speed, which informed the parameters of the agent-based model. Simulation outputs showed, on average, an increase of 4.1 % in the number of cyclists on the corridors, as existing cyclists chose to use these corridors, and an average reduction in cyclists’ moving travel time of 6.2 % for those using the intervention corridors (excluding time spent waiting at traffic signals). The findings provide insights into the effects of road attributes on cycling speed and behaviour, as well as the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing cycling delays. These insights are valuable for developing solutions to optimise urban infrastructure for micromobility, enhancing the efficiency and appeal of cycling as a viable transport option.

Abstract Early life exposure to environmental pollutants such as arsenic (As) can increase the risk of cancers in the offspring. In an earlier study, we showed that only prenatal As exposure significantly increases epidermal stem cell proliferation and accelerates skin tumorigenesis in BALB/c mouse offspring. In the present work, we have examined the role of As-conditioned dermal fibroblasts (DFs) in creating pro-tumorigenic niches for Keratinocyte stem cells (KSCs) in the offspring. DFs isolated from prenatally exposed animals showed increased levels of activation markers (α-SMA, Fibronectin, Collagen IV), induction of ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 1(TET1), and secreted high levels of niche modifying IL-6. This led to enhanced proliferation, migration, and survival of KSCs. Increased IL-6 production in As-conditioned fibroblast was driven through TET1 mediated 5-mC to 5-hmC conversion at -698/-526 and -856/-679 region on its promoter. IL-6 further acted through downstream activation of JAK2-STAT3 signaling, promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in KSCs. Inhibition of pSTAT3 induced by IL-6 reduced the EMT process in KSCs resulting in a significant decrease in their proliferation, migration, and colony formation. Our results indicate that IL-6 produced by prenatally conditioned fibroblasts plays a major role in regulating the KSC niche and promoting skin tumor development in As-exposed offspring.

Nicorandil (NIC) is a well-known anti-anginal agent, which has been recommended as one of the second-line treatments for chronic stable angina as justified by the European guidelines. It shows an efficacy equivalent to that of classic anti-anginal agents. NIC has also been used clinically in various cardiovascular diseases such as variant or unstable angina and reperfusion-induced damage following coronary angioplasty or thrombolysis. Different mechanisms have been involved in the protective effects of nicorandil in various diseases, including opening of adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel and donation of nitric oxide (NO). In recent years, NIC has been found to show numerous pharmacological activities such as neuroprotective, nephroprotective, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and testicular protective effects, among other beneficial effects on the body. The present review dwells on the pharmacological potentials of NIC beyond its anti-anginal action.

Aim The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the community-integrated Samrakshan model on perinatal mortality and morbidity in the Guna district of Central India Methods The trimester-specific Samrakshan protocols were used to screen pregnant women in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy and to stratify risk for preterm preeclampsia (PE) and fetal growth restriction (FGR) in the screened population. Low-dose aspirin was recommended for women identified at high risk in the first trimester screening. Fifty training programs were conducted over the duration of the program for district health workers including Anganwadi workers, Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) personnel, and women and child health staff. Data on the development of PE, stages of FGR, preterm births (PTBs), birthweight, neonatal mortality, and perinatal mortality were collected and compared with the baseline year to assess trends. Results The program covered 168 Anganwadi centers and screened 1,021 women in the first trimester, 870 women in the second trimester, and 811 women in the third trimester of pregnancy from 2019 to 2022 and obtained details on childbirth outcomes from 1,219 women. PE did not occur in 71.58% of pregnant women identified at high risk for PE and occurred in only 2.37% of pregnant women identified at low risk for PE. The incidence of PE reduced from 9.36 to 1.61%, stage 1 FGR from 18.71 to 11.83%, PTB from 19.49 to 11.25%, and birthweight less than 2,500 g from 33.66 to 21.46% from 2019 to 2022. The neonatal mortality rate reduced from 26 to 7.47/1,000 live births from 2019 to 2022 and the perinatal mortality rate reduced from 33.90 to 18.87/1,000 childbirths from 2019 to 2022 in the Samrakshan program area at Guna. Conclusion The community-integrated model of Samrakshan in the Guna district has led to a significant reduction in perinatal morbidity and mortality in the program area.

Abstract As a traditional water source, springs are vital for Himalayan communities and it is essential to consciously focus on springs conservation. We report oxygen isotopes (δ18O) of spring water before, within, and after the tectonically active zones of the Alaknanda Valley, Uttarakhand. Higher variation of δ18O in the spring waters is found in highly tectonically disturbed zone i.e., Zone-2 with δ18O range − 4.9‰ to − 9.0‰ compared to tectonically less disturbed zones: Zone-1 and Zone-3 with δ18O value range − 7.9‰ to − 9.9‰ and − 7.4 to − 10.2‰ respectively. We hypothesize that the highly active thrust zones (Zone-2) with increased permeability compared to other Zones, manifested as greater spring density, results in higher water recharge in Zone-2. Very high to high spring density stretches are dominant in Zone-2 compared to Zone-1 and Zone-3. Stretches in Zone-2 with high spring density formed due to its highly tectonically active nature leads to the higher isotopic variation in Zone-2. The study also identifies the geosystem services provided by thrust zones as water resources to the local people and need of conservation modalities to manage the spring water resources in the thrust zones.

Arsenic (As) exposure is progressively associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), a leading public health concern present worldwide. The adverse effect of As exposure on the kidneys of people living in As endemic areas have not been extensively studied. Furthermore, the impact of only prenatal exposure to As on the progression of CKD also has not been fully characterized. In the present study, we examined the effect of prenatal exposure to low doses of As 0.04 and 0.4 mg/kg body weight (0.04 and 0.4 ppm, respectively) on the progression of CKD in male offspring using a Wistar rat model. Interestingly, only prenatal As exposure was sufficient to elevate the expression of profibrotic (TGF-β1) and proinflammatory (IL-1α, MIP-2α, RANTES, and TNF-α) cytokines at 2-day, 12- and 38-week time points in the exposed progeny. Further, alteration in adipogenic factors (ghrelin, leptin, and glucagon) was also observed in 12- and 38-week old male offspring prenatally exposed to As. An altered level of these factors coincides with impaired glucose metabolism and homeostasis accompanied by progressive kidney damage. We observed a significant increase in the deposition of extracellular matrix components and glomerular and tubular damage in the kidneys of 38-week-old male offspring prenatally exposed to As. Furthermore, the overexpression of TGF-β1 in kidneys corresponds with hypermethylation of the TGF-β1 gene-body, indicating a possible involvement of prenatal As exposure-driven epigenetic modulations of TGF-β1 expression. Our study provides evidence that prenatal As exposure to males can adversely affect the immunometabolism of offspring which can promote kidney damage later in life.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which is responsible for more than a million deaths annually, uses lipids as the source of carbon and energy for its survival in the latent phase of infection. Mtb cannot synthesize all of the lipid molecules required for its growth and pathogenicity. Therefore, it relies on transporters such as the mammalian cell entry (Mce) complexes to import lipids from the host across the cell wall. Despite their importance for the survival and pathogenicity of Mtb, information on the structural properties of these proteins is not yet available. Each of the four Mce complexes in Mtb (Mce1–4) comprises six substrate-binding proteins (SBPs; MceA–F), each of which contains four conserved domains (N-terminal transmembrane, MCE, helical and C-terminal unstructured tail domains). Here, the properties of the various domains of Mtb Mce1A and Mce4A, which are involved in the import of mycolic/fatty acids and cholesterol, respectively, are reported. In the crystal structure of the MCE domain of Mce4A (MtMce4A39–140) a domain-swapped conformation is observed, whereas solution studies, including small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), indicate that all Mce1A and Mce4A domains are predominantly monomeric. Further, structural comparisons show interesting differences from the bacterial homologs MlaD, PqiB and LetB, which form homohexamers when assembled as functional transporter complexes. These data, and the fact that there are six SBPs in each Mtb mce operon, suggest that the MceA–F SBPs from Mce1–4 may form heterohexamers. Also, interestingly, the purification and SAXS analysis showed that the helical domains interact with the detergent micelle, suggesting that when assembled the helical domains of MceA–F may form a hydrophobic pore for lipid transport, as observed in EcPqiB. Overall, these data highlight the unique structural properties of the Mtb Mce SBPs.

Oxidative and lipid homeostasis are altered by stress and trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with alterations to lipid species in plasma. Stress-induced alterations to lipid and oxidative homeostasis may exacerbate PTSD pathology, but few preclinical investigations of stress-induced lipidomic changes in the brain exist. Currently available techniques for the quantification of lipid species in biological samples require tissue extraction and are limited in their ability to retrieve spatial information. Raman imaging can overcome this limitation through the quantification of lipid species in situ in minimally processed tissue slices. Here, we utilized a predator exposure and psychosocial stress (PE/PSS) model of traumatic stress to standardize Raman imaging of lipid species in the hippocampus using LC-MS based lipidomics and these data were confirmed with qRT-PCR measures of mRNA expression of relevant enzymes and transporters. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (EPR) was used to measure free radical production and an MDA assay to measure oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids. We observed that PE/PSS is associated with increased cholesterol, altered lipid concentrations, increased free radical production and reduced oxidized polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) in the hippocampus (HPC), indicating shifts in lipid and oxidative homeostasis in the HPC after traumatic stress.

Dengue induced-hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is increasingly recognized as an important cause of secondary HLH. Early identification of dengue HLH and directed therapy for HLH may help to alter the outcomes in critically ill patients. Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (IL2R) is a useful inflammatory marker and is seen to correlate with HLH disease activity. There is scarcity of data on IL2R in pediatric dengue patients with HLH. All patients (age < 18 years) with severe dengue confirmed by positive dengue IgM ELISA admitted to PICU were retrospectively enrolled. Patientswere screened for presence of HLH according to HLH 2004 criteria. Hemogram, ferritin, fibrinogen, liver, and renal function tests were noted. Patients who met four or more HLH criteria were treated with steroids and IL2R levels were sent to confirm the diagnosis of HLH. Out of 15 patients, nine patients met the criteria of HLH. IL2R levels were high in all HLH patients (mean 51,711, range 18,000–98,715 pg/mL). Mean ferritin levels were high in the HLH group as compared to non-HLH group (mean ferritin 34,593 vs. 3,206 ng/mL; p-value 0.004). Liver dysfunction was notably higher in the HLH group compared to non-HLH group (mean alanine aminotransferase 6,621 U/L vs. 165.6 U/L; p-value 0.04, mean aspartate aminotransferase 2,145 U/L vs. 104.2 U/L; 0.04, bilirubin level 4.2 mg/dL vs. 0.7 mg/dL; p-value 0.03). Four patients in the HLH group had acute kidney injury (AKI) and two required renal replacement therapy in the form of sustained low efficiency dialysis (SLED). Requirement for invasive ventilation was exclusively seen in HLH group and three patients developed ARDS. Two patients each in HLH and non-HLH group had shock requiring vasoactive therapy in addition to fluids. Mean days of ICU and hospital stay were higher in HLH group vs. non-HLH group but not statistically significant (6.4 vs. 4.4; p-value 0.32 and 8.44 vs. 5.6; p-value 0.18 days, respectively). All children in HLH group received steroids as per HLH protocol. In the HLH group, seven survived while two died. In the non-HLH group, all five patients survived. We concluded that IL2R levels are high in dengue HLH and useful for definitive diagnosis. Early recognition of this condition in severe dengue and prompt steroid therapy improves chances of better outcome.

Antineoplastic agents are widely used in cancer chemotherapy, despite causing organ toxicity. This study was conducted to investigate the ameliorative properties of nicorandil alone and co-administered with prednisolone and diltiazem on doxorubicin-induced hepato- and nephrotoxicities in rats. Seventy female Wistar rats were treated for 16 days as follows: GI: normal saline (10 ml/kg; normal control); GII: normal saline (doxorubicin control); GIII: gallic acid (200 mg/kg); GIV-VI: nicorandil (0.22, 0.43 and 0.86 mg/kg respectively); GVII: diltiazem (3.43 mg/kg); GVIII: diltiazem + nicorandil (0.43 mg/kg); IX: prednisolone (0.57 mg/kg); and GX: prednisolone + nicorandil (0.43 mg/kg). Doxorubicin (40 mg/kg) was administered on day 14 i.p. to animals in GII-X. Nicorandil significantly (p

Abstract Arsenic is globally infamous for inducing immunosuppression associated with prevalence of opportunistic infection in exposed population, although the mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we investigate the effect of arsenic exposure on thymocyte lineage commitment and the involvement of regulatory T cells (Treg) in arsenic-induced immunosuppression. Male Balb/c mice were exposed to 0.038, 0.38 and 3.8 ppm sodium arsenite for 7, 15 and 30 days through oral gavage. Arsenic exposure promoted CD4 lineage commitment in a dose dependent manner supported by the expression of ThPOK in thymus. Arsenic also increased splenic CD4+ T cells and promoted their differentiation into Treg cells. In parallel, arsenic exposure induced immunosuppression characterized by low cytokine secretion from splenocytes and increased susceptibility to Mycobacterium fortuitum (M. fortuitum) infection. Therefore, we linked arsenic-induced rise in Treg cells with suppressed Th1 and Th2 related cytokines, which has been reversed by inhibition of Treg cells in-vivo using wortmannin. Other parameters like body weight, kidney and liver function, histoanatomy of thymus and spleen as well as thymocyte and splenocytes viability were unaltered by arsenic exposure. Taken together our findings indicated that environmentally relevant dose of arsenic enhanced differentiation of Treg cells which in turn induce immunosuppression in experimental animals.

Bone defects above critical size do not heal completely by itself and thus represent major clinical challenge to reconstructive surgery. Numerous bone substitutes have already been used to promote bone regeneration, however their use, particularly for critical-sized bone defects along with their long term in vivo safety and efficacy remains a concern. The present study was designed to obtain a complete healing of critical-size defect made in the proximal tibia of New Zealand White rabbit, using nano-hydroxyapatite/gelatin and chemically carboxymethylated chitin (n-HA/gel/CMC) scaffold construct. The bone-implant interfaces and defect site healing was evaluated for a period up to 25 weeks using radiography, micro-computed tomography, fluorescence labeling, and histology and compared with respective SHAM (empty contra lateral control). The viscoelastic porous scaffold construct allows easy surgical insertion and post-operatively facilitate oxygenation and angiogenesis. Radiography of defect treated with scaffold construct suggested expedited healing at defect edges and within the defect site, unlike confined healing at edges of the SHAM sites. The architecture indices analyzed by micro-computed tomography showed a significant increase in percentage of bone volume fraction, resulted in reconciled cortico-trabecular bone formation at n-HA/gel/CMC constructs treated site (15.2% to 52.7%) when compared with respective SHAM (10.2% to 31.8%). Histological examination and fluorescence labeling revealed that the uniformly interconnected porous surface of scaffold construct enhanced osteoblasts' activity and mineralization. These preclinical data suggest that, n-HA/gel/CMC construct exhibit stimulation of bone's innate regenerative capacity, thus underscoring their use in guided bone regeneration.

Complex disease such as cancer results from interactions of multiple genetic and environmental factors. Studying these factors singularly cannot explain the underlying pathogenetic mechanism of the disease. Multi-analytical approach, including logistic regression (LR), classification and regression tree (CART) and multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR), was applied in 188 lung cancer cases and 290 controls to explore high order interactions among xenobiotic metabolizing genes and environmental risk factors. Smoking was identified as the predominant risk factor by all three analytical approaches. Individually, CYP1A1*2A polymorphism was significantly associated with increased lung cancer risk (OR = 1.69;95%CI = 1.11-2.59,p = 0.01), whereas EPHX1 Tyr113His and SULT1A1 Arg213His conferred reduced risk (OR = 0.40;95%CI = 0.25-0.65,p

The adsorption thermodynamics of oxamyl on fly ash at 10°C, 25°C and 50°C have been studied via the relevant adsorption isotherms, Freundlich constants (K F and 1/n), distribution coefficient (K d ) and other thermodynamic parameters. The data were well fitted by the Freundlich equation (r 2 > 0.98) and yielded S-shaped isotherms at all the temperatures studied. Thermodynamic parameters such as the thermodynamic equilibrium constant (K 0 ), the standard free energy change (ΔG 0 ), the standard enthalpy change (ΔH 0 ) and the standard entropy change (ΔS 0 ) have been calculated as a means of predicting the nature of the adsorption process.

The effect of exchangeable cations (H + and Na + ). autoclaving, organic matter, anionic surfactants and temperature on the adsorption of phosphamidon on two different types of Indian soil was studied. The adsorption isotherms for all the effects/treatments were in close agreement with the Freundlich equation and yielded S-shaped isotherms. The amount of phosphamidon adsorbed in all cases was higher in medium black (silt loam) soil than alluvial soil (sandy loam) and was related to the organic matter content, clay content, CaCO 3 content, surface area and cation-exchange capacity of the soils. The adsorption on both types of soil follows the order H + -soil > Na + -soil > natural soil at 10°C > natural soil at 20°C > autoclaved soil > organic matter-removed soil > anionic surfactant > natural soil at 40°C, which was in accordance with the Freundlich constant, K F , and distribution coefficient, K d , values. The adsorption capacity of phosphamidon for organic matter and clay content for both the soils was evaluated by calculating the K om and K c values when it was found that phosphamidon adsorption was better correlated with the clay content than with the orgnic matter content on the basis of adsorption isotherms. Various thermodynamic parameters such as the thermodynamic equilibrium constant (K 0 ), the standard free energy (ΔG 0 ), the standard enthalpy (ΔH 0 ) and the standard entropy (ΔS 0 ) changes have been calculated as a means of predicting the nature of the isotherms.

The adsorption and movement of cypermethrin in different types of uncontaminated soils in acetone-water mixtures at different f s values has been studied by batch shake and soil thin-layer chromatographic techniques, respectively. Higher adsorption and a reduced movement of cypermethrin was observed on silt clay loam soil followed by loam and sandy loam soils and was anticipated by the Freundlich adsorption constants K m and R f values. The K m and R f values also confirmed that the adsorption of cypermethrin decreased while its movement increased with increasing f s values. The values of the Freundlich constant K m were used to evaluate the cosolvent theory for describing the adsorption of cypermethrin in acetone–water mixtures. For each soil, the values of the adsorption coefficient K m decreased in a linear logarithmic fashion as f s increased, the slopes of the log K m versus f s plots being essentially the same for all soils. Thus, the cosolvent effects on adsorption could be expressed by a single parameter (σ s ) which combines the characteristics of the solvent (acetone) and the adsorbate (cypermethrin). For adsorbates with a low solubility in aqueous solutions, the adsorption data from mixed solvents was extrapolated to f s = 0 to estimate the values of the adsorption constant K w in the aqueous phase.

A river's ability to purify itself is a key marker of its overall health and is crucial in cases where the water is contaminated. The Yamuna River originates in Banderpoonch and travels through a number of locations along its course. Sewage, hotel garbage, and animal waste are dumped into the river, which not only contaminates the water but also impairs its ability to purify itself. Dilution, sedimentation, reaeration, adsorption, absorption, temperature, sunlight, and chemical and biological reactions, are the factors that affects self-purification capacity. Drainage density plays a major role in purifying the water, it can be clearly observed from the samples taken before and after the sub-watershed SW-2, SW-8, and Tons watershed. Samples are taken from 26 locations i.e., 23 from Yamuna River and 3 (T1 to T3) from tributaries Kedarganga, Badrigad, and Tons. 16 Physio-chemical and biological parameters i.e., pH, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, DO, Alkalinity, Fluoride, Chloride, Sulfate, Nitrate, Sodium, Ammonium, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Total Hardness and Escherichia coli are used to calculate Water quality index (WQI). WQI ranges from 24.58 (R21) to 1258 (R5) and Ecoli from 2 (R1) to 436.6 MPN/100 mL (R5). Water quality is deteriorating at some locations from previous locations and improving at some locations, which shows that self-purification is taking place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis and luminescence analysis of Tb3+-activated phosphors were reported. Y2SiO5 phosphors were synthesized by a modified solid-state reaction method with a variable doping concentration of Tb3+ ion (0.5–2.5 mol.%). As synthesized, the phosphors were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The XRD pattern confirmed the monoclinic structure of the prepared phosphor. Scanning electron microscopy and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) studies revealed nearly uniform particle size distribution in the prepared phosphors. The photoluminescence excitation spectra of the Y2SiO5:Tb3+ (0.5–2.5 mol.%) phosphor displayed one broad, intense peak at 258–277 nm. When excited at the 258 nm wavelength, the phosphors showed emission peaks at 553 nm (5D4 → 7F5), 544 nm (5D4 → 7F5) and 489 nm (5D4 → 7F6). The 1931 CIE (x,y) chromaticity coordinates showed the distribution of the spectral region calculated from the photoluminescence emission spectra. The values of x = 0.25 and y = 0.46 were very close to light green emission. Therefore, the prepared phosphor is very useful for light-emitting diode (green component) applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Watershed dynamics are governed by geomorphic indices, which include both surface and subsurface characteristics. In this study, several hydrological indices investigate the dynamics of the Asan watershed in Uttarakhand, India focusing on the interplay between human activities and natural processes using geomorphic indices and remote sensing techniques. The research aims to achieve a planned sustainable development by understanding various geo-environmental aspects related to stream network analysis, evaluation of different terrain attributes and land-use patterns. Utilizing the use of highresolution satellite data, such as DEM and satellite images, enhances the impact on land surface management and strengthens the overall research. The Asan watershed, designated as the 6 th ordered dendritic network, exhibits the dominance of moderately permeable strata with significant discharge potential and a tectonic tilt that favours fluvial erosion. Structural influence is observed to be more pronounced in longitudinal profiles of various higher-order streams. The research shed light on rapid industrialization and urbanisation. Through the generation of decadal LULC maps from 1980 to 2016, the study reveals a four-fold increase in the urban area over the last four decades. Economic, topographic, and commercial factors contribute to these dynamic changes, which alarmed environmental scientists and planners for effective management and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the community-integrated Samrakshan model on perinatal mortality and morbidity in the Guna district of Central India Methods The trimester-specific Samrakshan protocols were used to screen pregnant women in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy and to stratify risk for preterm preeclampsia (PE) and fetal growth restriction (FGR) in the screened population. Low-dose aspirin was recommended for women identified at high risk in the first trimester screening. Fifty training programs were conducted over the duration of the program for district health workers including Anganwadi workers, Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) personnel, and women and child health staff. Data on the development of PE, stages of FGR, preterm births (PTBs), birthweight, neonatal mortality, and perinatal mortality were collected and compared with the baseline year to assess trends. Results The program covered 168 Anganwadi centers and screened 1,021 women in the first trimester, 870 women in the second trimester, and 811 women in the third trimester of pregnancy from 2019 to 2022 and obtained details on childbirth outcomes from 1,219 women. PE did not occur in 71.58% of pregnant women identified at high risk for PE and occurred in only 2.37% of pregnant women identified at low risk for PE. The incidence of PE reduced from 9.36 to 1.61%, stage 1 FGR from 18.71 to 11.83%, PTB from 19.49 to 11.25%, and birthweight less than 2,500 g from 33.66 to 21.46% from 2019 to 2022. The neonatal mortality rate reduced from 26 to 7.47/1,000 live births from 2019 to 2022 and the perinatal mortality rate reduced from 33.90 to 18.87/1,000 childbirths from 2019 to 2022 in the Samrakshan program area at Guna. Conclusion The community-integrated model of Samrakshan in the Guna district has led to a significant reduction in perinatal morbidity and mortality in the program area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flash flood that originated from Raunthi Gad-a tributary of the Rishi Ganga river, in Garhwal Himalaya, caused unprecedented loss to lives and damaged two hydropower projects on 7th Februray 2021. In order to asses the flood magnitude, the flow parameters of the flood were calculated using the super-elevation of the flood marks preserved in the flood affected valleys. The textural characteristics of the flood deposits in the upper reaches of the valleys indicate dominance of debris flows. The peak discharge upstream of the confluence of Rishi Ganga and Dhauli Ganga was around 1.1×105 m3/s, which was four order of magnitiude higher than the normal peak discharge (∼ 3 m3/s). The flow achieved a velocity of 30±3 m/s. An exponential reduction in the flow velocity (from ∼37 to 2 m/s) with distance is observed. For which the river gradient and increase in sediment load is implied flow that along its entrained way downstream between Raini and Tapovan. Considering the sensitivity of paraglacial zones to climate change, the paper calls for detailed studies pertaining to the response of paraglacial zones to extreme weather events. Importantly, it is necessary to have more hydrological data covering multiple valleys for predictive model simulation of the nature and magnitude of such disasters in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]