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The spatial distribution and hazard assessment of heavy metals in the paper mill contaminated area of Jagiroad, Assam, India were investigated using statistics, geostatistics and geographic information system techniques. The amounts of Cr, Cd, Ni and Pb were determined from 188 samples collected within the contaminated area. Log-transformation was applied in order to achieve normality in the data-set. The ordinary kriging estimates of Cr, Cd, Ni and Pb maps showed that high concentrations of heavy metals were located in the low-lying areas like bils (lakes). Indicator kriged probability maps of soil Cr, Cd, Ni and Pb were prepared based on the concentrations to exceed the respective Food and Agriculture Organization maximum permissible limit (MPL) value of 100, 3, 30 and 50 mg/kg, respectively. It was seen that more than 80% of the studied area has a higher than 50% probability to exceed the MPL value of Ni. Smaller areas in the north and west side of the study area displayed a higher concentration than the MPL value of Pb. For Cr, only a small portion at the centre of the study area had a higher concentration than the MPL value. In an attempt to identify the source of heavy metals through multivariate analysis, it was concluded that Cr, Ni and Pb mainly originated from paper mill effluent and soil Cd was associated with natural concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper explores the issues underlying the credit risk governance mechanism of banking institutions in emerging economies. This is an important area of study given the essential role that banks play in the financial markets of emerging economies and the widespread banking reforms that these economies have implemented. The aim of this study is to draw conclusions about the level of satisfaction among banks' credit risk officials' with respect to Credit Risk (CR) governance mechanism currently installed in their respective commercial banks and proposes a novel research model. The proposed research model is based on the premise that by being in constant touch with the credit risk officials through their opinion surveys and in addition by acting upon the information so gathered can lead to significant improvement in CR governance mechanism in emerging economies. This paper attempts to gain insights into the four important elements underlying Credit Risk (CR) governance mechanism in commercial banks, namely, CR governance organization, CR governance policy and strategy, CR governance operations and systems at transaction level and CR governance operations and systems at portfolio level. The study draws conclusions on the basis of primary data collected from the senior credit risk officials who are themselves involved in designing and implementing CR governance mechanism in their respective banks. It also attempts to identify potential revisions/modifications in the existing CR governance mechanism that may be targeted in near future in emerging economies. The study findings are based on the empirical data collected from thirty commercial banks in India, an emerging economy through a structured questionnaire. The study concluded that Indian credit risk officials had medium level of satisfaction with regard to current CR governance practices followed in their respective banks. It was further concluded that there lays a strong case to take remedial measures with regard to some issues to build up a sustainable CR governance mechanism. The top priority issues identified, such as: sanctioning of authority in accordance with the professional qualification of the personnel, regularity in training, regular revisions in credit risk rating model, monitoring practices at the transaction level and credit portfolio management have clearly highlighted avenues for future areas of improvement and up-gradations in CR governance mechanism in commercial banking sector, a special subset of Corporate Governance.

An increased nitrate (NO 3 - ) concentration in groundwater has been a rising issue on a global scale in recent years. Different consumption mechanisms clearly illustrate the adverse effects on human health. The goal of this present study is to assess the natural and anthropogenic NO 3 - ) values of groundwater nitrate were an average of 0.895 for males, 1.058 for females, and 1.214 for children. The nitrate health risk assessment shows that about 38%, 46%, and 49% of the samples constitute the non-carcinogenic health risk to males, females, and children, respectively. Children were found to be more prone to health risks due to the potential exposure to groundwater nitrate.3 - had been estimated as 7.2 mg/L using a probabilistic approach. About 93% of nitrate samples exceeded the background limit, while 28% of the samples were beyond the permissible limit of 45 mg/L as per the BIS limits. The results show that the oral exposure of nitrate was very high as compare to dermal contact. With regard to the non-carcinogenic health risk, the total Hazard Index (HI Total ) values of groundwater nitrate were an average of 0.895 for males, 1.058 for females, and 1.214 for children. The nitrate health risk assessment shows that about 38%, 46%, and 49% of the samples constitute the non-carcinogenic health risk to males, females, and children, respectively. Children were found to be more prone to health risks due to the potential exposure to groundwater nitrate.

Use of a novel bacterial isolate in environmental cleanup from toxic o-cresol along with valuable biosurfactant generation has been simultaneously explored, and a relevant correlation between the two has been obtained in this study. Paper pulp effluent from Durgapur, West Bengal, India, was screened to obtain indigenous o-cresol-tolerating bacteria, identified to be Pseudomonas fluorescens (NITDPY Accession no. KM111571). The bacteria showed significant stimulatory growth in o-cresol concentration of 5 mg L-1 and tolerance up to 200 mg L-1. Monod model fitted well at initial lower concentrations, whereas at higher concentration range (100-1,000 mg L-1), model Aiba was found to be the best fit. The rate of degradation of o-cresol showed observable correlation with bacterial growth fitting best with Aiba model. The role of enzymes in o-cresol-degrading pathway was studied, where enzyme catechol 1,2-dioxygenase was found to be involved in ortho-cleavage pathway. The role of interesting amphiphillic microbial metabolites and biosurfactants participating in o-cresol degradation was explored. Biosurfactant was being produced by the bacterial isolate and was revealed by specific assays (emulsification assay, oil spreading assay, foam height assay, etc.). Surface tension of water was lowered down to 44 mN m-1. Thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy studies confirmed the specific characteristics coinciding with the nature of biosurfactants. Induction of biosurfactant production via o-cresol was found to be 2.5 fold. Nonhazardous eco-friendly nature of the biotreatment has been unwrapped by cytotoxicity and genotoxicity assays, where reduction of toxicity was prominently detected in bacteria-treated o-cresol on Allium cepa as compared with untreated control. Comet assay for genotoxicity assessment, which has been rarely explored in the area of study, revealed similar results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: As Covid-19 became a pandemic, numerous people were forced to stay at home, leading to increased intimate partner violence (IPV) in many countries, particularly in developing and least-developed ones. This paper aims to highlight the IPV based on 15 different cases formed from the practical evidence of five developing countries. Design/methodology/approach: The authors interviewed 15 women from five countries who were the victims of IPV during the early periods of Covid-19 outbreak. Due to geographical remoteness, the authors conducted informal telephone interviews to collect the participants' personal experiences. The conversations were recorded with participants' permission; afterwards, the authors summarized participants' experiences into 15 different cases without revealing their original identities (instead, disguised names were used). Findings: It was revealed that the women were the primary victims of such violence, particularly from their intimate partners (husbands). In most cases, such IPV, as reported by the interviewees, originated or increased after the pandemic when they were forced to stay at home, losing their partners' jobs or income sources. Originality/value: The authors summarized the causes of IPV and put forward a few action recommendations based on the interviewees' practical experience and existing literature. This paper will open a new window for research investigations on IPV during emergencies such as Covid-19 outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: An umbrella review is a systematic review of systematic reviews, which provides a tertiary level of evidence. This umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta‐analysis (SR‐MA) aimed to determine the proportion of oral cancer (OC) development in oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) patients. Materials and Methods: We searched electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane and grey literature. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and assessed for eligible papers. The methodological quality of SR‐MA was evaluated using AMSTAR2, and we also checked the quality of evidence of the included papers. Results: Out of 454 papers identified in the primary search, 105 underwent eligibility screening. Inclusion criteria were met by four SR‐MA. OC ratios ranged between 4.2% and 6% for OSF. Substantial heterogeneity was observed for this outcome in all four MA (I2 = 71.31% to 86.37%). None of the SRs assessed the quality of evidence, and half of them were judged to be of critically low methodological quality. Conclusion: There is lack of quality of evidences and critically low methodological quality among SRs and MA leading to substantial heterogeneity. However, due to potentially malignant nature, OSF patients should be monitored carefully for early detection of OC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The COVID-19 outbreak has significant psychological effects because of reduced support system and social quarantine, making women the worst-hit population of shadow pandemic, i.e. domestic violence. While food shortages, unemployment and increased domestic-work burdens are the immediate effects of the lockdown, women at home have to bear its far-reaching impacts in the long term in the form of domestic abuse, making the study of the psychological impact of domestic violence against women imperative. This paper aims to identify the factors and causes responsible for domestic violence and its psychological impacts on women in different aspects. This paper further focuses on the reasons behind an escalation in psychological violence against women. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is based on extrapolating data from various journal articles, Indian Government reports, newspaper articles and other printed materials that are recent, relevant and discuss domestic violence and mental stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers use Indian National Commission for Women's (NCW) data on complaints received regarding violence against women and domestic abuse in the year 2020 and 15 journal articles that discuss domestic violence against women during the COVID-19 period in different countries to discuss social inequalities and power relations impact on women' mental health. Findings: The findings suggest that economic instability during the pandemic and social and cultural norms of India ignited psychological abuse against women during the pandemic. The number of monthly complaints of dowry death, dowry harassment and protection of women against domestic violence reflect on increased registered complaints in the postlockdown period in the year 2020. The number of monthly complaints received by the NCW from January 2020 to December 2020 in India represents that WhatsApp chat is a powerful tool for reporting domestic violence. Originality/value: The pandemic lockdown has an adverse psychological impact on women, making them suffer from posttraumatic symptoms, substance abuse, panic attacks, depressions, hallucinations, eating disorders, self-harm, etc. This paper strives to reflect upon mitigation strategies to curb domestic violence in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible and affordable health services and products including medicines, vaccines, and public health are an important health agenda of all countries. It is well understood that without digital health technologies, countries will face difficulties in tackling the needs and demands of their population. Global agencies including the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations (UN), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), etc. have been instrumental in providing various tools, and guidance through digital health strategies in improving health and digital health maturity of the countries. The Digital Health Platform Handbook (DHPH) is a toolkit published by WHO and ITU to help countries create and implement a digital health platform (DHP) to serve as the underlying infrastructure for an interoperable and integrated national digital health system. We apply the foundational principles of DHPH and provide a perspective of DHP components in a layered, enterprise architecture of a digital health infrastructure. India has rolled out the blueprint of its National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) to address the emerging needs for digitization of healthcare in the country. In this paper, we also illustrate the design and implementation of WHO-ITU DHP components at the national level by exploring India's digital health mission implementation utilizing various digital public goods to build a digital health ecosystem in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Data mining in healthcare is a nascent arena of research in healthcare. Heterogeneity of Diabetes Mellitus in terms of clinical presentation calls for newer methods of research to study potential risk factors. Aim: The paper aims to use clustering techniques to identify the relationship between the four variables, namely the pre-prandial and postprandial sugar level, age and sex. Methods: The data was taken from a diagnostic laboratory in Wagholi, Pune. We conducted K-mean algorithm, EM algorithm, model-based clustering and t-mixture model. Results: It is evidenced that the data was best fitted to the t-mixture model. Our 50% samples were people with diabetes, 17% had prediabetes. Trivial correlation existed between age and sugar level. Males and females were equally at risk of having diabetes. Data presented concludes that age and sex have no effect on the risk of having diabetes. Data mining can be used to deduce meaningful clusters to drive plan-based interventions in the population. Conclusion: Methods of data mining can be used to deduce meaningful clusters in a heterogeneous dataset thus providing policymakers and healthcare researchers with novel information that will potentially contribute in formulating evidence-based policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic situations in young people's families and communities make them more vulnerable to suicidal ideations. The Youth Helpline has made a significant difference in youth's lives and livelihoods by addressing their social and economic needs with positive mental health support. The quantitative and qualitative data validate the micro- and macro-level impact of the Youth Helpline in Puducherry. However, the multi-stakeholder model faces challenges in ensuring accountability, particularly from government partners. This paper highlights how direct intervention on the socio-economic determinants of youth suicidal ideation has positively affected youth mental health and reduced suicidal ideation in Puducherry. Social identity-based inequalities and access and affordability to mental health services are the major contributors to youth mental health problems. This paper critically discusses the Youth Helpline's multi-stakeholder process and youth-led approach to addressing socio-economic determinants, as well as the Helpline's impact on youth mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) and ergonomic risk factors are very common in bakery workers. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to (1) assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among bakers because they use automated machines or traditional baking, and (2) to determine the strategies to prevent musculoskeletal disorders in bakers. METHODS: A systematic review of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted from the beginning to February 4, 2022, based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Mesh keywords and phrases were used to execute the search strategy. Information on MSDs and ergonomic risk factors in bakery workers was collected. Two reviewers worked independently on study selection, data extraction, and paper quality ranking. RESULTS: This study identified 14 papers from seven countries. Although the prevalence of MSDs in bakery workers has been studied, only a handful of them have been studied ergonomic risk factors, and the findings have been very limited. The association between different risk factors and MSDs seemed significant compared to many other occupational diseases. The traditional bread-baking system and lack of mechanization may increase the risk of MSDs in bakery workers. CONCLUSION: WRMSDs for bakery workers have been less studied than other occupational diseases. Our systematic review found several significant relations between the factors influencing the prevalence of MSDs. This study also showed the comparison of traditional and modern cooking systems with diseases of the upper limbs, shoulders, and back pain as possible fields for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attacks perpetrated using acid are a particular form of interpersonal violence, possibly one of the most heinous manifestations of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Acid attacks are mainly motivated by extramarital cheating, marital conflicts, women's rejection of marriage proposals, and sexual advances. As these attacks are not well understood from a psychological perspective, we conducted a systematic review, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, of 284 articles identified, 13 were eligible for inclusion. Three main focuses were identified: "Risk and vulnerability factors," "Consequences and implications," and "Interventions and treatments." Acid attacks seem to be more frequent in countries where social and economic development leads to greater tensions over traditional gender roles like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. Identified risk factors were young age, low socioeconomic status, low educational attainment, ethnicity, unemployment status of the victim, alcohol, and drug use of the perpetrator. Among the main psychosocial consequences of acid attacks, isolation and social exclusion emerged. Additionally, the paper will discuss the role of mental health consequences and specific treatments from psychological, clinical, and medical-legal points of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the chemical composition of Particulate Matter, Organic Carbon (OC), and Elemental Carbon (EC) in residential and traffic sites in Mumbai. The average PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations at the traffic site (Sakinaka) were 240 µg/m3 and 424 µg/m3, respectively. The observed levels of OC were 35 µg/m3, 22 µg/m3, and 15.5 µg/m3 at Sakinaka junction (high-density traffic), YP-Gate (low-density traffic), and Hostel Premise (Residential), respectively. The average OC/EC ratio value was high (4.5) at the residential site, indicating contributions from stationary combustion sources and secondary production of carbonaceous species to OC. The residential site has a higher percentage of low volatile OC fraction (57%) in total OC than the traffic sites. On the other hand, Sakinaka has a higher percentage of highly volatile OC fractions (36%) in total OC. The crustal-originated metals were dominating in all areas, but the concentration of metals from anthropogenic sources was highest at Sakinaka, i.e., As (381 ng/m3), Pb (352 ng/m3), Zn (679 ng/m3). The K/Al, Ca/Al, Mg/Al, and Fe/Al ratios were high in all the samples compared to the crustal ratio indicating biomass burning and traffic emission sources of these metals. PM originating from traffic was more enriched with heavy metals that are toxic to human health, increasing cancer risks (CR) through inhalation. The hazard quotient was above 1 at all the locations, and CR was above 1 × 10− 4, causing health risks. According to the dosimetry model, more PM was deposited in the lungs of traffic location occupants through inhalation, increasing the cancerous risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a global phenomenon. IPV is a public health, social policy and human rights concern across the globe. It remains a serious issue in Indian context as well. This paper aims to identify the factors associated with IPV using India's nationally representative National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data. Design/methodology/approach: To identify the factors associated with IPV in India, the authors have used binary logistic regression to estimate two models. The outcome variables are women facing physical violence in the first model and sexual violence in the second. The explanatory variables are broadly socio-economic indicators related to the women and a few other indicators related to the characteristics of the household. Findings: The authors found that urban and working women face higher odds of violence. Alcohol consumption by the husband increases the risks of IPV, whereas risk decreases with women's autonomy. Even though the prevalence of physical and sexual violence has decreased by 6.8% and 3.9% from 2005–2006 to 2019–2021, the data shows that women across social, economic and regions still face violence from their partners. However, the physical violence increased from 2015–2016 to 2019–2021. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is a distinct attempt to use pooled data of the nationally representative sets NFHS-3 (2005–2006), NFHS-4 (2015–2016) and NFHS-5 (2019–2021) to study the factors associated with IPV in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand the patterns and incidence of child labour in India and to examine the magnitude of child labour across different social groups. It analyses the impact of the socio-economic background of the children on their participation in the labour market. Design/methodology/approach: The paper primarily relies on the data collected from secondary sources. The census of India data and the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) 66th round data (2009–2010) on employment and unemployment in India for the study. The dependent variable on child labour has been computed by the author for the analysis in the paper. Findings: The findings of the paper suggest that poverty is not the only determinant of child labour, but gender and caste of a person is also a significant factor for child labour. The study found that children from lower-caste backgrounds in India seem to participate more in the labour market. In terms of gender, the study found that boys are more likely to engage in economic activities or paid jobs while girls are more likely to engage in household activities. Originality/value: Data used in this paper has been extracted by the author from unit level data provided by NSSO. The variables used for the analysis in the presented paper has been constructed by the author and the figures provided are the result of the author's estimation on data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of uranium and its decay product radon in water are the most important concern in human health. In this paper, efforts have been made to measure and correlate the uranium (Using an LED Fluorimeter) and radon concentrations (Using SMART RnDuo) in the water samples from the Budhakedar region of the Garhwal Himalaya to assess the risk. The concentrations of uranium and radon in the water samples were found to vary between Below Detection Level (BDL) to 1.70 Bq L−1 (with an arithmetic mean of 0.15 Bq L−1) and 0.43 to 1.29 Bq L−1 (with an arithmetic mean of 0.75 Bq L−1) respectively. The annual effective dose to the inhabitants of the study region was also calculated for the different age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION India has unique tobacco-free film and TV rules designed to prevent tobacco uptake. In this study, we examined the potential influence of exposure to smoking imagery in regionally famous films, on susceptibility to smoke in teenagers enrolled in schools in a district in Southern India. METHODS A longitudinal survey of students, in grades 6 to 8 at baseline in 2017 and grades 7 to 9 one year later in 2018, ascertained prospective incident susceptibility to smoking during the study period in relation to baseline exposure to 27 locally popular films with actual or implied smoking imagery. RESULTS We analyzed linked data from 33676 participants, and 3973 (11.8%) of the adolescents reported incident susceptibility. There was a significant increase in susceptibility to smoking with increasing exposure at baseline to smoking imagery in films on univariable analysis, highest tertile of exposure relative to no exposure (OR=1.4; 95% CI: 1.0 -2.1, ptrend<0.001), and this trend remained significant (p=0.022) after mutual adjustment for recognized confounders, highest vs no exposure (AOR=1.3; 95% CI: 0.9-1.8). We found no statistically significant association between exposure to tobacco-free film rules and change in susceptibility. CONCLUSIONS Prospectively, watching films featuring smoking imagery increases adolescents' vulnerability to smoking. Further research revealed no difference in susceptibility change between youth who saw partially compliant films and those who watched non-compliant films. Our findings, thus, underscore the need to incorporate comprehensive approaches to prevent the inclusion of smoking imagery in films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elder abuse is evil in human society. The present paper unveils this social issue from two major factors psychological and physical abuse. The study sensitizes the subject matter of study by examining the effects of demographic variables like gender and age on elders. For achieving the purpose of the study the research is a design by exploring and validating the factors of measuring elder abuse through the mix method approach, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). To test the established hypotheses of the effects of the demographic variable on elders the two-way ANOVA was applied. The present study verdicts the development of a sound measurement scale with two influence factors. The separate and composite effect of aging and gender type on elder abuse was evidenced. These findings are crucial especially when the prevalence of elder abuse is higher during COVID-19. The limited novel understudied variable opens an avenue for further research in behavioral and demographic variables like marital status. The present study has practical insinuation for caring the elders in any human society like physical and psychological treatment of elders to avoid abusive situations. In addition, the study attempts to validate the novel issues like psychological and physical abuse of elders in the dimensions of demographic variables. Some rare studies in the Indian continent established the motivation of conducting the research on this dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recent studies highlight the negative impact of social isolation and involvement in leisure activities on enhanced well‐being of individuals. However, there is dearth of evidence on relationship between social isolation and leisure activities on cognitive abilities and depression of older adults in the Indian context. The paper reports the impact of social isolation and leisure activities on cognitive functioning and depression of older adults. Methods: Data were collected from the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI), and 63,806 participants aged 45 years or above were considered for the study with adherence to the exclusion criteria. Multivariate analysis was carried out to analyse the group‐based differences. Results: Social isolation (F = 102.09, p < 0.01; η2 = 0.09) and leisure (F = 224.54, p < 0.01; η2 = 0.07) had a statistically significant impact on the cognition and depressive symptoms of participants. Socially isolated older adults with little involvement in leisure activities had the worst cognitive functioning (M = 32.76, SD = 4.41), whereas middle‐aged adults who were actively involved in leisure activities and experienced the least social isolation exhibited the best cognitive functioning (M = 32.76, SD = 4.41). However, leisure and age as independent factors did not have a significant impact on depression. Conclusion: Socially isolated participants, irrespective of age, and involvement in leisure activities exhibit poor cognitive functioning and are more likely to suffer from depression as compared to their counterparts. The findings of the study can be used to design intervention strategies aimed at reducing social isolation by incorporating leisure activities to ensure the optimal functioning of middle‐aged and older adults. Key points: Socially isolated older adults with least involvement in leisure activities reported the worst cognitive functioning.Socially isolated participants reported a positive association with depressive symptomatology.Both middle‐aged and older adults who engaged in leisure activities reported better cognitive functioning as compared to their counterparts who did not engage in any form of leisure activities.Leisure as an independent factor is not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unprecedented healthcare demand due to sudden outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has almost collapsed the health care systems especially in the developing world. Given the disastrous outbreak of COVID-19 second wave in India, the health system of country was virtually at the brink of collapse. Therefore, to identify the factors that resulted into breakdown and the challenges, Indian healthcare system faced during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, this paper analysed the health system challenges in India and the way forward in accordance with the six building blocks of world health organization (WHO). Applying integrated review approach, we found that the factors such as poor infrastructure, inadequate financing, lack of transparency and poor healthcare management resulted into the overstretching of healthcare system in India. Although health system in India faced these challenges from the very beginning, but early lessons from first wave should have been capitalized to avert the much deeper crisis in the second wave of the pandemic. To sum-up given the likely future challenges of pandemic, while healthcare should be prioritized with adequate financing, strong capacitybuilding measures and integration of public and private sectors in India. Likewise fiscal stimulus, risk assessment, data availability and building of human resources chain are other key factors to be strengthened for mitigating the future healthcare crisis in country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the different insider employee-led cyber frauds (IECF) based on the recent large-scale fraud events of prominent Indian banking institutions. Examining the different types of fraud and appropriate control measures will protect the banking industry from fraudsters. In this study, we identify and classify Cyber Fraud (CF), map the severity of the fraud on a scale of priority, test the mitigation effectiveness, and propose optimal mitigation measures. The identification and classification of CF losses were based on a literature review and focus group discussions with risk and vigilance officers and cyber cell experts. The CF was analyzed using secondary data. We predicted and prioritized CF based on machine learning-derived Random Forest (RF). An efficient fraud mitigation model was developed based on an offender-victim-centric approach. Mitigation is advised both before and after fraud occurs. Through the findings of this research, banks and fraud investigators can prevent CF by detecting it quickly and controlling it on time. This study proposes a structured, sustainable CF mitigation plan that protects banks, employees, regulators, customers, and the economy, thus saving time, resources, and money. Further, these mitigation measures will improve the reputation of the Indian banking industry and ensure its survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic upended societies across the world, with billions forced into lockdowns. As countries contemplated instating and rolling back lockdown measures, and considered the impact of pandemic fatigue on policy measures, and furthermore to prepare for the improved management of future pandemics, this study examines the effectiveness of policy measures in limiting the spread of infections and fatalities. Design/methodology/approach: The methodological approach in the study centres on a fixed effects panel regression analysis and employs the COVID-19 Government Response Stringency Index, which comprises eight containment measures and three health campaigns, with progressive degrees of stringency, in order to investigate the efficacy of government policies. Findings: Findings suggest that some government policies were effective at reducing implicit mortality rates, infection cases and fatalities during the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Solid stringency measures to reduce mortality rates include public gathering restrictions on more than 100 attendees, and international travel limits for developed countries and islands. Fatalities can further be reduced through the closing of public transport, whereas infection cases also experience benefits from public information campaigns. Comparable results are observed in a robustness test across 12 months. Originality/value: Some non-pharmaceutical policies are shown to be more effective than others at reducing the spread of infections, fatalities and mortality rates, and support policymakers to manage future pandemics more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the safety part of the passing manoeuvre. Passing is considered as one of the most complex, unavoidable and challenging manoeuvres on two lane roads. A binary logistic regression model was developed to determine the probability of passing or aborting based on field data. The result shows that the probability of passing is affected by the factors such as speed of passing vehicle, speed of overtaken vehicle, speed of opposing vehicle, clearance time, and the total passing time. Risk assessment is an important aspect which should be addressed while assessing the passing operations. In the present study, a risk chart was developed based on clearance time and vehicle interaction. An overall risk table was developed for all possible combinations of risk. The study revealed that the selected road stretch along NH-66 in Kerala, India is more susceptible to passing crashes due to insufficient clearance time. This paper brings out a rational methodology for calculating a safety measure in terms of risk index factor which could be used in simulation softwares for adequate passing sight distance operational analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The Information Technology and Information Technology Enabled Services (IT and ITES) industry has been the backbone of the Indian economy. The sector is characterized by long working hours, strict deadlines, night shift, constant usage of computers, etc. Hence, the industry and nature of the job are influencing the psychological risk factors of the employees. PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to explore the psychological risk factors (job stressors) of technocrat millennials and critically analyze them from the socio-demographic perspective. METHODS: A single cross-sectional study with snowball sampling was collected from 300 technocrat millennials in Ahmedabad city (India). Job stressors are examined as psychological risk factors. MANOVA and independent-sample t-test has been put to use for establishing the relationship between psychological risk factors and socio-demographic variables. RESULTS: The study highlighted that the experience, current position, size of family, number of children, gender, and family type had an impact on psychological risk factors of technocrat millennials. CONCLUSIONS: The study contributes to the literature on the psychological risk factors and its association with demographic variables, and specifically in Ahmedabad city (India). Income did not have an impact on psychological risk factor; whereas education was the only demographic variable affecting the responsibility for persons. The experience influenced the role overload, role ambiguity, poor peer relations, and intrinsic impoverishment. The study explained each socio-demographic variable's impact on 12 psychological risk factors separately. The result of the paper will give insight to HR managers in the recruitment and selection of employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased dependency on technology and data usage has simultaneously enhanced the risk exposures and vulnerabilities of organizations globally. This paper investigates this issue in India by analyzing the survey-based data we collect and provides a framework for qualitative assessment of cyber risks. The paper uses the Structural Equation Model (SEM) to validate the conceptual cyber-risk model that we have developed using the key-risk factors, such as the level of awareness, perceived risk likelihood, level of cyber-security, and cyber-risk exposures. The study results show that the risk vulnerability and the perceived risk likelihood have a positive impact on risk exposure, while risk awareness, cybersecurity, and control measures have a negative relationship. This study also identifies the causal factors among the exposures and the findings can help organizations prioritize their cybersecurity protection investments and caution insurers to take necessary mitigation measures for effective cyber-risk management and financing for their clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary objective is to assess the vulnerability of Matrija Bhava for the causation of metabolic disorders in the purview of epigenetics. Data Source: This study was conducted at the PG Department of Rachana Sharir, CBPACS, New Delhi, and AIIMS, New Delhi. Materials and Methods: Twenty subjects of metabolic disorders, namely diabetes mellitus, obesity, and hypothyroidism cases, were taken to collect the data. The self-structured information sheet/case paper pro forma followed by a consent form was used to record all the data of the subject along with their mother's history (at the time of pregnancy) included in the study. All the observations were recorded and furnished for statistical analysis. Results: It was observed that Lavana, Madhura, Amla, and Katu Rasa Ahara; Viruddha Ahara, Ratrijagrana and Divaswapna were observed as a potential factor affecting the Metabolism of the mother at the time of their pregnancy with the subject; thereby causing related metabolic disorders to the subject. Conclusion: Maternal factors (Matrija Bhava) are vulnerable to cause metabolic disorders in childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION People with severe mental illness (SMI) tend to die early due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, which may be linked to tobacco use. There is limited information on tobacco use in people with SMI in low- and middle-income countries where most tobacco users reside. We present novel data on tobacco use in people with SMI and their access to tobacco cessation advice in South Asia. METHODS We conducted a multi-country survey of adults with SMI attending mental health facilities in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. Using data collected with a standardized WHO STEPS survey tool, we estimated the prevalence and distribution of tobacco use and assessed receipt of tobacco cessation advice. RESULTS We recruited 3874 participants with SMI; 46.8% and 15.0% of men and women consumed tobacco, respectively. Smoking prevalence in men varied by country (Bangladesh 42.8%, India 20.1% and Pakistan 31.7%); <4% of women reported smoking in each country. Smokeless tobacco use in men also varied by country (Bangladesh 16.2%, India 18.2% and Pakistan 40.8%); for women, it was higher in Bangladesh (19.1%), but similar in India (9.9%) and Pakistan (9.1%). Just over a third of tobacco users (38.4%) had received advice to quit tobacco. Among smokers, 29.1% (n=244) made at least one quit attempt in the past year. There was strong evidence for the association between tobacco use and the severity of depression (OR=1.29; 95% CI: 1.12-1.48) and anxiety (OR=1.29; 95% CI: 1.12-1.49). CONCLUSIONS As observed in high-income countries, we found higher tobacco use in people with SMI, particularly in men compared with rates reported for the general population in South Asia. Tobacco cessation support within mental health services offers an opportunity to close the gap in life expectancy between SMI and the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In India, the prevalence of overweight among adolescents is on the rise, setting the stage for an increase in metabolic syndrome (MS). This paper presents the national prevalence of MS in adolescents in India. Methods: A nationally representative data of adolescents (10–19 years) from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey was used. MS was defined based on the NCEP–ATP III criteria for adolescents. Bivariate analysis was used to report socio-demographic differentials in prevalence and to assess interstate variability. Multivariate logistic regression model was constructed to measure the association between socio-demographic characteristics and prevalence of MS. Census data from 2011 was projected to 2017 to calculate burden. Results: The prevalence of MS was 5.2% among adolescents. 11.9%, 15.4%, 26.0%, 31.9% and 3.7% had central obesity, high blood pressure, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-cholesterol and high fasting glucose, respectively. The prevalence was higher among males (5.7% vs. 4.7%, adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0, 1.6), those residing in urban areas (7.9% vs 4.2%, AOR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.8), and from wealthier households as compared to their counterparts (8.3% vs. 2.4%, AOR: 3.4, 95% CI: 2.1, 5.5). There was wide interstate variability in the prevalence of MS (0.5% – 16.5%). In 2017, 14.2 million adolescents had MS in India. Conclusions: The prevalence of MS among adolescents in India is low and clustered in urban areas and richer households. Early prevention interventions promoting a healthy lifestyle, especially in high prevalence areas, are needed to keep MS from becoming a public health issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, suicide is the second leading cause of mortality among young people and is an important public health problem. The main aim of the study is to identify the pattern of suicide among adolescent age group and to suggest preventive methods. This is a retrospective autopsy-based study from 01 June 2018 to 31 May 2019 conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine, B. J. Government Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India. Total 84 cases of suicidal death among adolescent (11 to 19 years) were recorded during the study period. Maximum number of cases (52.38 %) was observed in late adolescent age group (18-19 years) with Female predominance (70.23 %) with F:M ratio was 2.45:1. Hanging (79.76 %) was the most common method used for committing suicide and maximum adolescent (73.80%) preferred their own residence for committing suicide. Love affair was observed as most common precipitating factor for committing suicide (42.85 %) and other precipitating factors were quarrel between parents, depression and addiction, school related problems, sex related problems, one sided love. The paper discussed different preventive methods, specific to adolescent age so as to help in identifying vulnerable adolescent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]