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The present study found that ~80 million people in India, ~60 million people in Pakistan, ~70 million people in Bangladesh, and ~3 million people in Nepal are exposed to arsenic groundwater contamination above 10 µg/L, while Sri Lanka remains moderately affected. In the case of fluoride contamination, >120 million in India, .2 million in Pakistan, and ~0.5 million in Sri Lanka are exposed to the risk of fluoride above 1.5 mg/L, while Bangladesh and Nepal are mildly affected. The hazard quotient (HQ) for arsenic varied from 0 to 822 in India, 0 to 33 in Pakistan, 0 to 1,051 in Bangladesh, 0 to 582 in Nepal, and 0 to 89 in Sri Lanka. The cancer risk of arsenic varied from 0 to 1.64× 1-1 in India, 0 to 1.07 × 10-1 in Pakistan, 0 to 2.10 × 10-1 in Bangladesh, 0 to 1.16 × 10-1 in Nepal, and 0 to 1.78 × 10-2 in Sri Lanka. In the case of fluoride, the HQ ranged from 0 to 21 in India, 0 to 33 in Pakistan, 0 to 18 in Bangladesh, 0 to 10 in Nepal, and 0 to 10 in Sri Lanka. Arsenic and fluoride have adverse effects on animals, resulting in chemical poisoning and skeletal fluorosis. Adsorption and membrane filtration have demonstrated outstanding treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pink stem borer, Sesamia inferens (Walker, 1856) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is reported to infest many graminaceous crops and cause significant losses. S. inferens cause damage by killing the central shoot and producing a characteristic symptom called "dead heart". Since graminaceous crops are an important source of food for humans and their livestock, impetus should be given on designing efficient management strategies against pink stem borer. The study of genetic variability of pest populations enables to interpret the ecological investigations correctly and also helps to comprehend the dissimilar response of pest to management tactics. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the diversity in S. inferens populations using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I sequences from India, Pakistan, China and Indonesia. Analysis revealed a very low nucleotide diversity in Indian populations (π = 0.00981), as compared to a high nucleotide diversity in the sequences outside India (π = 0.4989). The phylogenetic analysis also did not show any clustering among populations within India and Pakistan. However, the nearest neighbour for the Indian and Pakistan population is a sequence from Indonesia followed by China indicating possible ancestral background. This is the maiden attempt to assess the molecular diversity of Indian populations in comparison to populations from other Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Several authors have questioned the suitability of WHO Child Growth Standards (WHO-CGS) for all ethnic groups. The aim of this study was to identify potential misclassification of stunting, underweight and wasting in children of Surinamese Asian Indian, South Asian (Pakistan/India) and Dutch descent. Design: A series of routine cross-sectional measurements, collected 2012–2015. South Asian-specific normative growth references for weight-for-age and weight-for-length/height were constructed using the LMS method based on historic growth data of Surinamese Asian Indians born between 1974 and 1976. WHO-CGS and ethnic-specific references were applied to calculate z-scores and prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting. Setting: Youth HealthCare, providing periodical preventive health check-ups. Participants: 11 935 children aged 0–5 years. Results: Considerable deviations from WHO-CGS were found, with higher-than-expected stunting rates, especially in the first 6 months of life. Surinamese Asian Indian children showed stunting rates up to 16·0 % and high underweight and wasting over the whole age range (up to 7·2 and 6·7 %, respectively). Dutch children consistently had mean WHO-CGS z-scores 0·3–0·5 sd above the WHO baseline (>6 months). The application of ethnic-specific references showed low rates for all studied indicators, although South Asian children were taller and larger than their Surinamese Asian Indian counterparts. Conclusions: WHO-CGS misclassify a considerable proportion of children from all ethnic groups as stunted in the first 6 months of life. Underweight and wasting are considerably overestimated in Surinamese Asian Indian children. Ethnic-specific growth references are recommended for Surinamese Asian Indian and Dutch children. The considerable differences found between South Asian subpopulations requires further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tuberculosis is a chronic debilitating infectious disease causing a severe challenge to public health, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to examine genetic diversity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains circulating in the Balochistan region of Pakistan. Methodology: One hundred isolates collected from patients visiting the Fatima Jinnah TB Hospital in Quetta were subjected to genotype analysis by spoligotyping. Results: Three main genotypes were identified: Central Asian Strain 1 (CAS1) (n = 89), East African Indian (EAI) strain (n = 7) and Latin American Mediterranean (LAM) strain (n = 3). The CAS1 clade (ST 26) had high genetic diversity represented by seven different spoligopatterns, of which one had major predominace (n = 75). Conclusions: This is the first insight into the genotype of M. tuberculosis strains in the Balochistan region that might serve as a base line study for control of tuberculosis in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, the sub-continent was a world in itself where empires were raised by the invaders of Hindustan for a millennium. The last was the British Indian Empire. The Hindu consciousness outlived these empires through an impersonal dissociation to preserve its consciousness, culture, value system and worldview. Nevertheless, the legacies of the invaders remain. The Indian foreign policy is the strategic demonstration of the British imperial foreign policy legacy to establish hegemony in South Asia. In its operational expression, India within and without has gone through occupations, annexations, wars and the fomenting of ethnic and sectarian troubles along with the secessionist insurgencies in the neighbouring countries. America is India's strategic partner in its pursuit of South Asian hegemony. The post 9/11 Indo-US nuclear agreement was the beginning of this formal global partnership. It has since expanded into an Indo-US Entente over the last two decades. Meanwhile, the world has transitioned to the Great Power competition with China squared-off against America and India. Pakistan has opened the strategic door for Russia by initiating a New Frontier Policy. Russia in the perception of Pakistan is a strategic partner across the Amu River. The New Frontier Policy is to the unease of Anglo-Saxons. China, Pakistan and Russia are upgrading ties, as the New Great Game continues unfolding with the twists added by the annexation of Kashmir, the Citizenship Act and Reorganization Order, the Sino-Indian clashes and Covid-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]