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Background Isepamicin is a 1-N-S-a-hydroxy-b-aminopropionyl derivative of gentamicin B and the spectrum of pathogenic microorganisms covered by it and its effectiveness is similar to that of amikacin except the action of aminoglycoside inhibitor enzymes is ineffectual on it. Material and Methods We performed a prospective study in the Bacteriology section of the Department of Microbiology at a 1,600-bedded hospital in Northern India from Jan 2022 to March 2022. Isepamicin was tested for susceptibility against gram-negative bacteria, identified by routine biochemicals and matrix-assisted-desorption/ionization –time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) assay. The antibiotic susceptibility testing for each of the isolates was performed by Kirby Bauer's disc diffusion method, according to the CLSI 2019 guidelines. Results The majority of isolates were obtained from blood samples (50, 39.1%). Among the non-inducible Enterobacteriaceae , Escherichia coli was least susceptible to amikacin (8/27, 29.63%) and most susceptible to isepamicin (18/27, 66.67%). Klebsiella pneumoniae followed the same pattern of susceptibility as E. coli and was least susceptible to Amikacin (20/46, 43.48%) and most susceptible to isepamicin (24/46, 52.17%). Enterobacter cloacae (6/7, 85.71%) was most susceptible to both amikacin and isepamicin, followed by 71.43% (5/7, 71.43%) susceptibility to gentamicin and tobramycin each. Enterobacter aerogenes was equally 53.33% (8/15) susceptible to all antibiotics. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most susceptible isolate to all antibiotics (18/21, 85.71%). Conclusion Isepamicin is a potential antimicrobial agent for treating an array of gram-negative bacteria-associated infections and shows better in vitro activity than older aminoglycoside agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper delves into the complex and multifaceted phenomenon of Godmen in India and examines it through a gender lens. Godmen, also known as spiritual leaders or gurus, wield significant influence over their followers, often with implications for gender dynamics in society. This study aims to shed light on the socio-legal aspects of this phenomenon from a gender perspective, analyzing the role of these new religious formations in reinforcing or challenging gender norms and the legal challenges and implications of their actions. It also looks through the obligation of the state in contemporary times to provide safeguard to its citizens from the debilitating effects of these new religious movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isoprene, emitted mainly by tree species, is a highly reactive and second most abundant biogenic volatile organic carbon (VOC) in the atmosphere. It produces tropospheric ozone and other secondary organic pollutants. We hypothesize that the soil of tropical dry forests, one of India's major forest types, may serve as a significant sink for isoprene. To address the issue, we enriched the under-canopy soils of isoprene-emitting tree species (Tectona sp., Butea sp., Madhuca sp.) with 10, 40, 70 and 100 ppm isoprene concentrations for a week. Isoprene oxidation (pg g−1 h−1 dws) varied significantly with the season showing maximum oxidation in the rainy season (120.59 to 956.22) followed by winter (106.58 to 842.5) and summer (102.17 to 805.56). However, the effect of tree species on isoprene oxidation was not significant. The qPCR-based bacterial population (16S rRNA gene copy number; copies 109 g−1dws) analysis showed higher value during rainy season (13.75–18.90) followed by winter (2.67–6.19) and summer (2.10–4.51). Isoprene oxidation showed strong dependence on bacterial population (r = 0.93; p < 0.05). Higher values of kinetic constant K during rainy season also supported higher oxidation of isoprene in this season. Overall, the findings suggest that tropical dry forest soil favors growth and activities of bacterial populations during warm and wet periods of the year which consume significant amounts of isoprene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cervical cancer continues to be listed among the top gynecologic cancers worldwide. According to current data, it is ranked fourteenth among all cancers and fourthranked cancer among women worldwide. In India alone 1,30,000 new cases occur with the death toll of 70,000 per year. A "PAP' test should be performed during the second half of the menstrual cycle (Day 14). The patient is placed in lithotomy position and the cervix is visualized by means of a speculum. The smaller end of the Ayre's spatula is introduced through the external os and the squamocolumnar junction is scraped by rotating the spatula to 360°. Aims and Objectives: The objective of the study is to evaluate the use of the Pap smear screening method for detection of precancerous lesions. Cervical cancer accounts for 15% of all cancers in females. If treated or detected earlier, cervical cancer can be prevented. Materials and Methods: This study was done on 1000 patients during reproductive and later age groups (postmenopausal), attending Obstetric and Gynaecological Outpatient Department of Panna Dhai Hospital associated with RNTMC, Udaipur during the period of November 2012-April 2014 with history of white discharge per vagina, bleeding per vagina, pain in lower abdomen and post coital bleeding. Results: Most of the smears (90.1%) were NILM and 9.9% of smears showed cytological abnormality. Majority 834 (83.4%) of smears were inflammatory, Bacterial vaginosis was seen in 119 cases (11.9%), Candidiasis in 78 cases (7.8%), Trichomoniasis in 35 cases (3.5%), Atrophic vaginitis in 4 cases (0.4%) and Radiation changes in 4 cases (0.4%). There were 99 samples reported as having epithelial cell abnormality. Out of which 75 were LSIL, 14 were high grade squamous intraepithelial, 5 were atypical squamous cells (ASC)-US, 1 was ASC-H and 4 were squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusion: Due to high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy found in this study Pap test is proved to be highly useful to detect precancerous and cancerous lesions of cervix. From the above facts, it can be concluded that early diagnosis and prompt specific treatment of preinvasive or early stages of the disease (mainly in high risk women), reduces the prevalence of invasive carcinoma of uterine cervix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the case of a 42-year-old man who experienced three episodes of sudden-onset severe, throbbing holocranial headache just before orgasm during sexual activity in the last 1 month. Cited are the medical history of the patient, the findings of the magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and magnetic resonance angiography which led to the diagnosis of moyamoya angiopathy (MMA), and patient outcome following treatment with oral naproxen.

Access to inexpensive, safe, consistent, and clean energy is a critical necessity for all to achieve the SDGs. India's renewable energy (RE) currently accounts for more than a third of the 482 GW of installed capacity and more than 40 percent of power production (including large-scale hydropower). Reforms such as the establishment of a single national power grid have improved access to electricity for people, and the ambitious development of renewable energy, which is the world's third-largest energy generator and third-largest electricity user, has helped in achieving these aims. As a result, the expansion of national targets signifies and reflects the country's optimism and goal for the forthcoming generation. Standardization of the guidelines and development of the stable grid and transmission networks will only enable the country to achieve the ambitious target of 500 GW of green and clean energy by 2030. This paper highlights the important development in the power sector regarding the energy security of India. As well as specifically examining the initiative of NSMs for achieving the 2030 targets, the key challenges, and the way forward to increase the cumulative installed capacity, comprehensive studies of various policies and government initiatives are also discussed. Furthermore, the key challenges usually faced by the developers in the industry, along with the steep decline and rise in the tariffs of solar projects and the previous trends in capacity installation, are also pointed out. This research work also highlights the potential key challenges to achieving the targets, and will thus provide a focus for power developers, policy makers, researchers, and industry practitioners and help with their planning. In the current scenario, the supply of food and the clean energy nexus are required to meet the demands of people's livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been proposed that, thrombocytopenia is the most common haematological abnormality in pregnancy after anaemia. The incidence of severe immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in pregnancy has been difficult to report because of the rarity of the disease. Aims and objectives: Objectives were to determine the prevalence, pregnancy outcomes, treatment modalities of ITP mothers in a tertiary health care hospital in West Bengal, India. Methods: Our study was a retrospective record study. Records of the in-patient medical record department (MRD) folders of patients with ITP who delivered at Dept of G&O, N.R.S. Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India from November 2018 to November 2022. Statistical data were analysed by using SPSS V.20 software. Results: Most common age group of the mother found to 19-25 years 10 (43.5%). Gravida 1 was 11 (47.8%), followed by gravida 2 was 8 (34.83%). IUFD was 1 (4.3%), preterm was 7 (30.4%), SA was 2 (8.7%), term was 12 (52.2%) and neonatal death was 2 (8.7%). Associated Haematological Disorder of B Thal Trait and HbE Carrier was 3 (10.3%) each. Platelet Count during AN Period as <49000 was 13 (56.5%) and 50000-99,999 was 10 (43.5%). Myasthenia gravis during pregnancy was 7 (30.4%), Methylprednisolone was 3 (13.0%), thyroid disorder was among 5 (21.7%). Conclusion: Chronic ITP in pregnancy poses more risks to mother and foetus as seen with the higher chance of PPH etc. Mothers with ITP should be screened antenatally as the chances of anomalies are high in foetus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), a prevalent ENT condition, often presents treatment-resistant cases. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) causing Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is implicated in its etiology. This study aims to assess LPR prevalence in refractory CRS and the impact of combining proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) with functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). Methods: 50 refractory CRS patients were evaluated, split into study (PPIs + FESS) and control (FESS only) groups in the Department of ENT at a tertiary care medical college in India. CRS indicators were assessed, and post-surgery, study patients received intranasal steroids and PPIs. A 3-month follow-up tracked symptom relief. Result: Majority of refractory CRS patients had LPR, mainly affecting the posterior larynx. Nasal obstruction, discharge, and polyps were common CRS indicators. Study group with PPIs showed greater improvement in symptoms, notably by the third postoperative month. Conclusion: The study highlights a significant link between refractory CRS and GERD. PPIs, when used alongside FESS, offer effective refractory CRS management, emphasizing combined treatment's advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing empirical studies concerning labour market rigidity associated with the labour laws in India suggest an adverse impact of rigidity on total factor productivity (TFP). In this paper, we improve upon both the measurement of spatiotemporal variation in labour market flexibility and plant-level TFP from production function estimates in the presence of institutional rigidity in labour inputs adjustment due to job security legislation based on the recent advancement in the literature. We use an unbalanced panel of manufacturing plants from the Annual Survey of Industries panel data from 1999–2000 to 2016–17 to analyse the relationship between labour market rigidity/flexibility and TFP. We find that establishments that fall under the purview of job security legislation have higher productivity than those outside the ambit of job security legislation. The results suggest that rigidity associated with job security provisions does not harm TFP, and higher flexibility is negatively associated with TFP. However, we find considerable heterogeneity in the flexibility–TFP relationship across various industry groups. The heterogeneity in the flexibility–TFP relationship suggests that flexibility-inducing labour policy may improve TFP in some industries and, at the same time, decrease it in others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study focuses on work from home (WFH) issues faced by faculty members of higher education institutes in India during the coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aims to understand the impact of these issues on faculty productivity. The study also analyzes the moderating effect of information technology (IT) training on the relationship between work- from-home issues and faculty productivity. Design/methodology/approach: This study is quantitative. Data were collected from 215 faculty members working in higher education institutes in India. Correlation and hierarchical regression analysis have been used to analyze the data. Findings: The analysis revealed that online teaching, lack of technology acceptance, poor working environment and work–life conflict negatively impacts faculty productivity. Thus, IT training work as a moderator plays an important role in reducing the WFH issues mainly Online Teaching, Lack of Technology acceptance & Poor Working Enviornment by increasing faculty productivity. IT training work does not moderate the relationship between work–life conflict and faculty productivity. Research limitations/implications: This research is limited to the higher education sector; the research limits the generalization of the higher education sector's finding to other sectors. Practical implications: The findings would help policymakers and educational institutes to explore the use of digital technology to break boundaries of workplace and education institutes to disseminate knowledge to a global level. The findings also help to understand how the workplace is essential for the smooth functioning of tasks of the institute. Social implications: The study will also help management, institute, organization, society and individuals to change their mindset that education can be imparted through online mode in a better way with the help of digital technology. Originality/value: There is a scarcity of research work examining WFH issues in conducting mandatory online classes due to COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19's relation to faculty productivity in the higher education sector. This study contributes to the knowledge regarding the impact of COVID-19 on faculty productivity in the education sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schwannomas are neoplasms that are rarely found in the sinonasal tract and pterygopalatine fossa (PPF). The objective of this study is to evaluate the schwannoma in the sinonasal tract and PPF including its effectiveness of endoscopic surgical excision of the lesion. Methods: This retrospective study was done between March 2018 and April 2022. There were nine cases of benign schwannomas found in the nasal cavity, the nasal ethmoid and the PPF. All patients had undergone endoscopic endonasal removal of the tumour. Results: All the patients successfully underwent endonasal endoscopic excision of the schwannoma from the sinonasal tract and PPF. Out of nine patients, one showed recurrence after 1 year during follow-up check-ups. None of the patients showed any major vascular complications during surgery. At follow-up, one patient presented with a persistent sensory deficit in the facial area. Conclusions: The endonasal endoscopic approach for schwannoma at the sinonasal tract and PPF is a safe and effective method for biopsy and treatment. This approach is highly effective for visualisation and has the potential to reduce complications. Pre-operative imaging is an important step before successful treatment by endoscopic endonasal removal of the schwannoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify the association between fetal hemoglobin (HbF) concentration, blood transfusion, and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants. Methods: This was an observational, prospective study. A total of 410 preterm infants born with <36 weeks gestational age and <2.0 kg birth weight in a tertiary care center of central India for a period of 1 year were included in this study. Clinical data were obtained from case notes. HbF of infants was measured in the blood sample using high-performance liquid chromatography at the first visit and after 1 month follow-up and was analyzed statistically. Dilated fundus examination was done as per ROP screening guidelines, and ROP was classified as per the International Classification of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ICROP), 2021. The study subjects were divided into two groups based on the status of ROP. The relationship among HbF, blood transfusion, and ROP was evaluated in both the groups. The relationship between other clinical characteristics and various neonatal risk factors was also studied between the groups. Results: A total of 410 preterm infants were included in this study, of which 110 infants had ROP (26.8%). Blood transfusion was found to be significantly associated with the development of ROP. Higher fraction of HbF (%) was associated with a lower prevalence of ROP. HbF was also inversely related with the severity of ROP. Conclusion: Replacing HbF by adult hemoglobin during blood transfusion may promote the development of ROP. Conversely, maintaining a higher percentage of HbF may be a protective factor against ROP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chryseobacterium spp., is non motile, non fermenter, Gram Negative Bacillus (GNB) showing enzymatic activity of catalase, oxidase, and indole production. Chryseobacterium spp. are found widely in the soil and aquatic milieu. It is also capable of surviving in chlorinated water, which can be attributed to the spread of infection in hospital settings hosting profusely immunosuppressed individuals. Newer diagnostic modalities like Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation-Time Of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and Vitek-2 facilitate early identification and treatment can alleviate the infections caused by them. Present series discusses three cases of Chryseobacterium indologenes (C. indologenes) Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Case 1-was a 61-year-old hypertensive and diabetic male patient diagnosed with renal failure with pyelonephritis. Case 2- was a female patient of 64-year-old with left upper ureteric calculus. Case 3-was a 31-year-old male patient having left mid ureteric calculus. All the patients were catheterised with a urinary catheter and developed UTI by C. indologenes. C. indologenes infection in UTI patients is uncommon but these cases of complicated UTIs demonstrate C. indologenes as a potential cause of UTI in hospitalised patients using invasive equipment like urinary catheters. As the organism was Multidrug-Resistant (MDR), appropriate antibiotic treatment and accurate identification can alleviate infection by this organism. [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]

The present paper focused on investigating the potential of indigenous Pseudomonas fluorescens strain CD5 isolated from manure-enriched soil as a bioremediation agent for chlorpyrifos biodegradation in semi-arid soil of Bathinda district of Punjab, India. The soil had sandy loam texture with slightly alkaline pH and low organic matter content of 0.36%. The growth pattern, alkaline phosphatase enzyme production and chlorpyrifos utilization capability of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain CD5 were screened in mineral salt medium and the results revealed degradation of 78.19% of 500 mg L−1 chlorpyrifos within 15 days. The pattern of chlorpyrifos degradation was further studied in natural conditions of semi-arid soil by the Pseudomonas fluorescens strain CD5 and photolysis by sunlight for a period of 105 days. The biodegradation of chlorpyrifos at 500 mg kg−1 sterile soil by Pseudomonas fluorescens strain CD5 was 59.68% in comparison to 26% of photodegradation and enhancing total degradation. The residual chlorpyrifos in sterile soil after biodegradation by Pseudomonas fluorescens strain CD5 under natural light condition was 14.33%. The alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity in soil was found positively correlated with the chlorpyrifos degradation. The Pseudomonas fluorescens strain CD5 can be an effective candidate for the bioremediation of chlorpyrifos-contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apis mellifera, a priceless bee species is known to produce various nutritional products. Royal Jelly (RJ) is one such bee product which has high nutritive value, functional and biological qualities. However factors such as bee species, environment, season, collection technique and larval age affect the composition of RJ at macro and micro levels thus there is a need to evaluate Indian Royal Jelly (IRJ) for its chemical properties. So in the present work IRJ samples collected from Southern, Central and Northern regions of India were evaluated for physicochemical parameters (nature, color, appearance, odor, and solubility,) residual content (moisture content, ash value and pesticide content), chemical attributes (total polyphenol content, total flavonoid content,), nutraceutical potential (total fat, protein, carbohydrate content, and energy), and antioxidant activity (DPPH assay, ABTS assay and reducing power,). The total flavonoid content and total phenolic content were in the range of 0.119-0.321 mg quercetin/g of IRJ and 25.2844-68.203 mg Gallic acid/g, respectively. High energy, protein and low fat value suggested IRJ as a suitable nutraceutical agent. Antioxidant activity (IC50) of IRJ samples was found to be in the order of IRJ II > IRJ IV > IRJ I > IRJ III. Overall, it was observed that the IRJ-II showed better nutritional efficacy, polyphenolic content, and antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During seed health testing of 160 accessions of safflower, we observed some fungal growth on seed surface of four accessions i.e., IC337954, IC338197, EC182199 and EC181301 which were received from Hyderabad, Telangana, India for long‐term conservation in the National Genebank, ICAR‐National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, India. The associated fungus was morphologically identified as Diaporthe helianthi. Later on, the identity was confirmed as Diaporthe helianthi (Desm.) Grove by the sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (GenBank Id: KM979906.1). During seed health testing, seed infection of 30.0 to 70.0 per cent was recorded with no seed germination in infected seeds. Previous findings revealed that D. helianthi is host‐specific pathogen causing stem canker to sunflower only and the fungus is seed‐borne. As a destructive pathogen causing substantial yield losses, especially to sunflower, it may be a serious threat to safflower cultivation in the country and anywhere else. Therefore, the detection and identification of D. helianthi can be helpful in alarming the threat at an early stage thereby minimizing the probable damage to safflower cultivation in near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mosaic disease of sponge gourd caused by begomovirus becomes a major constraint for its cultivation by farmers with limited resources in India. From field collected symptomatic leaf sample of sponge gourd, full-length DNA-A and DNA-B components were characterized by sequencing of products obtained by RCA. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of a bipartite begomovirus, tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), with two distinct DNA-A molecules having 89.1% identity among themselves, and one DNA-B molecule sharing identity of 96% with earlier reported ToLCNDV isolates from India. Besides, the association of tomato leaf curl New Delhi alphasatellite and tobacco leaf curl Patna betasatellite were also detected. Additionally, presence of ToLCNDV was ascertained through PCR assay in different parts of the fruit viz., pericarp, mesocarp and immature seed. Further, presence of virus in matured seed and seedlings shown through serological assay confirmed its seed borne nature. To our knowledge, this is the first report of seed transmissible nature of ToLCNDV causing mosaic disease on sponge gourd. Moreover, we identified two moderately resistant entries of advanced breeding lines against the mosaic disease through field screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is one of the environmental concerns which is a threat to the health of our plants and animals. Little knowledge exists in the literature about its impact on trees and crops. The objective of the present study was to assess the impact of air pollutants on the biochemical parameters of 19 tree and crop species from five different locations in Patna, Bihar, India. Air pollution tolerance index value showed that Ficus religiosa, Zea mays, Carthamus tinctorius and Cajanus cajan were more tolerant compared to the other crops. Anticipated performance index value showed that trees like F. religiosa, Azadirachta indica and Mangifera indica and crops like C. cajan, Z. mays and Triticum aestivum were most suitable under air pollution condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The de-focalisation of reporting and the focalisation of post-truth ideology is antithetical to the tenets of democracy. It reverts to the traditional centralised propagation of one truth, one reality, and one perspective while contracting, negating, or antagonising the possibility of alternative and parallel narratives. The right wing has created a narrative of suspicion, which is based on the conviction that anything deviating from the traditional cultural patterns is a contamination of the ethos of one's own native values, a deviation from the nativity, and hence an influence that needs to be disposed of. The ongoing Covid pandemic has magnified the narrative of post-truth through the use of sensationalism as an effective modus operandi. The blinding of the truth is rampant as news outlets are being guarded by right-wing gatekeepers and sensationalism is used to reflect the surging emotions of a public already gripped by a precarious reality. This paper examines the three primary and seemingly independent threats to democracy during the pandemic in India: de-focalisation of reporting, coerced homogeneity based on religion and language, and sensationalism. It addresses the question of how adversity is turned into a breeding ground for demagoguery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrated the influence of downscaling using the regional climate model (RCM) driven by Era-Interim reanalysis (EIN) in simulating different aspects of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM). It is also examined, whether increasing the horizontal resolution of RCM will inevitably be capable of adding more information to ISM characteristics and its spatio-temporal variability. In this regard, two RCM (at 50 km: Reg50 and 25 km: Reg25) simulations were conducted for six years from 2000 to 2005 for the South Asia Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) domain. The added value (AV) is found to be strongly dependent on region and considered metrics. A slight improvement towards increasing spatial resolution is observed in the simulation of the mean ISM characteristics, while considerable improvements are noticed for the frequency distribution of extremes. The notable improvement in the daily climatology of precipitation is observed over the region of northeast India (~ 35%) and the Hilly region (~ 32%) and the lowest improvement over north-central India (~ 8%). The reduction of anomalously strong northeasterly flow over the southeastern Arabian Sea and strengthening of the moisture leaden southeasterly wind flow from the Bay of Bengal in Reg25 compared to Reg50 is consistent with the reduction of dry bias over India in Reg25. The robust improvements are noticed for the heavy precipitation events (probability density function: PDF tails) and mean precipitation due to extreme precipitation events, particularly over the areas characterized by complex topographical features (e.g., the Western Ghats, Indo-Gangetic plains, and northeast India and Hilly regions) as well as over the areas having substantial bias (e.g., central India), indicating its strong sensitivity towards model resolution. The increasing latent heat flux in Reg25 contributes to increasing the moisture and hence rainfall over India. Both simulations apparently simulate many of the ISM characteristics better than the EIN, thereby emphasizing the usefulness of finer resolutions in the better simulation of the Indian monsoon, especially for heavy rainfall. However, the RegCM bias is comparable to or even greater in some places than the EIN bias. This suggests that high-resolution models are important for improving performance; however, it does not necessarily mean that they can have AV for every aspect and all places. Apart from this, the substantial difference in the AV over different regions or aspects highlights the importance of carefully selecting AV matrices for the different areas and characteristics being investigated. RegCM exhibits some systematic biases in precipitation despite substantial improvement due to misrepresentation of dynamical and thermodynamical processes, including northward and eastward propagating convective bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Bone mass loss is a prevalent issue among the elderly population that often goes unnoticed. Various factors related to reproduction and menstruation, such as parity, breastfeeding, age at first pregnancy, age at menarche, use of combined oral contraceptives, and age at menopause, have been found to impact bone mineral density (BMD). Menarche, marking the onset of menstrual cycles, represents a significant hormonal milestone in females, with variations observed in the age at which it occurs. This study aimed to assess the association between the age at menarche and BMD in women who are either premenopausal or postmenopausal. Methods: The research was carried out at a tertiary care medical college in central India. The study included a total of 106 normal and healthy women ranging in age from 20 to 75 years. Relevant data including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), age at menarche, and BMD values were collected from the participants. BMD measurements were obtained using the DEXA Scan. The obtained readings were subjected to analysis using the Pearson chi-square test. Results: The findings of the present study indicate a lack of significant correlation between the age at menarche and BMD. Conclusion: Numerous reproductive factors, including the age at menarche, play a crucial role in determining BMD. As such, it is recommended that educational strategies be implemented to enhance awareness regarding the various factors that contribute to maintaining optimal bone health among females. By increasing knowledge and understanding in this area, individuals can make informed choices and take appropriate measures to promote and preserve their bone health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed health testing, using the blotter method, revealed some fungal growth on the seed surface of one accession of Indian trumpet flower/Broken bones tree (Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz) collected from Kokrajhar, Assam, India. The fungus was identified as Diaporthe phaseolorum (Cooke & Ellis) Sacc. based on morphological characters. Later, the identity was re-confirmed by DNA sequencing using ITS gene sequencing (NCBI Sequence Id: MT154253.1) and a large subunit of rRNA (NCBI Sequence Id: OL798081.1). Literature reveals that D. phaseolorum is a destructive pathogen causing severe yield losses in various host crops. However, detection of D. phaseolorum in Indian trumpet flower seed followed by pathogenicity on its seedlings confirms that O. indicum is a new host record. Being a destructive pathogen of several other crops, such as seed decay and stem canker in soybean, it may pose a serious threat to future cultivation of this herbal plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco control methods differ by country, with telephonic counseling being one of them. The effectiveness of telephone counseling in smoking cessation has been discussed on several occasions. India's tobacco problem is more complex than that of any other country in the world. To begin with, tobacco is consumed in a variety of ways, and India is a large multilingual country with remarkable cultural diversity. In India, the National Tobacco Quitline Service (NTQLS) is a government-run program. Its data from May 2016 to May 2021 were analyzed retrospectively in this cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence and pattern of tobacco use in India, as well as the abstinence rate for smoking cessation. A total of 4,611,866 calls were received by the Interactive Voice Response system (IVR). The number of calls increased from 600 to 5400 per day after the toll-free number was printed on all tobacco products. Smokeless tobacco use was discovered to be more prevalent, with males significantly more likely to use both smoking and smokeless tobacco. At one month and one year after quitting, 33.42% and 21.9%, respectively, remained tobacco-free. The study emphasizes the efficacy of behavioral counseling in increasing abstinence rates. The printing of a tollfree number on tobacco products is an effective strategy for expanding the operation of quit lines. Despite the challenges of cultural diversity and complex tobacco use, India's quit line service has been able to provide counseling to callers with prolonged abstinence and quit rates comparable to the various quit lines around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Knowledge of epidemiology of bacterial isolates and their anti-biograms in hospital settings is necessary for prompt empirical anti-microbial therapy of neonatal sepsis. Aims: To study risk factors, bacteriological profiles, and anti-biograms of blood culture isolates of both early and late onset neonatal sepsis. Settings and Design: It is a prospective observational study conducted from January 2020 till July 2021 at our tertiary care center. Material and Methods: Neonates (0–28 days) admitted to this neonatal intensive care unit clinically suspected with sepsis were subjected to blood cultures, and the isolates were identified both biochemically and by the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry system. Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) was performed as per CLSI guidelines. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test was used. Results: Out of 280 suspected cases of neonatal sepsis, 43 (15.3%) cases showed positive blood culture. Of these, the majority (30, 69.8%) had late-onset neonatal sepsis. Major pre-disposing risk factors were pre-term birth and a low birth weight (26, 60.5%). Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria were isolated in 25 (58.1%) and 18 (41.9%) blood cultures, respectively. Klebsiella pneumoniae (37.5%) was the most predominant pathogen in both early-onset (23.1%) and late-onset (46.7%) sepsis. Coagulase negative Staphylococcus (34.8%) was the second most common organism and was more common in late onset (23.2%) neonatal sepsis. A high level of antibiotic resistance was noted in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, even to amikacin (76.5%) and carbapenems (66.7%). Conclusion: Increased resistance in bacterial isolates of neonatal sepsis emphasizes the need of AST of bacterial isolates for proper antibiotic administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we identified and characterize a plant pathogenic isolate, collected from naturally infested bean (Phaseolus vulgaris var. Anupama) seedlings presenting root rot symptoms from an agricultural land of the Prayagraj district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Based on morphological features, growth characteristics and the ITS sequencing‐based molecular data, the isolate was assumed very closed to the species of the Pythium genera. However, ITS sequencing data and the BLAST results for gene annotation clustered the identified isolate more closely to the Pythium catenulatum (p‐value e‐value), and therefore, confirmed as P. catenulatum. The pathogenicity assay confirmed the role of the isolate as a root rot causing pathogen. Furthermore, the isolate was tested for its growth under in‐vitro conditions against several environmental parameters including temperature, pH, salt, drought and metals. The Biolog FF MicroPlate method assessed the carbon utilization profile and reported the ability of the isolate in utilizing both carbohydrates and amino acids as a primary energy source. Moreover, in‐vitro colony growth inhibition assay performed with different agrochemicals (fungicides and insecticides) and the dyes determined their efficacy in suppressing the growth and development of the isolated pathogen. The dual culture assay of the isolate along with several fungal and bacterial strains confirmed the antagonistic potential of some tested microbes in delimiting the growth of the pathogen. Overall, the study provides a new sustainable, effective and eco‐friendly solution for controlling the root rot pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Moyamoya angiopathy (MMA) has been known to manifest with myriad of neurological manifestations, often in association with various precipitating factors. This is the first study to systematically analyze the precipitating triggers to neurological symptoms done on the largest cohort of MMA in India. Methods: A single-centered, cross-sectional observational study, recruiting 160 patients with consecutive angiographically proven MMA over a period of 5 years (2016–2021), was undertaken to evaluate the profile of immediate precipitating factors in temporal association to the neurological symptoms, along with their clinical and radiological characteristics. SPSS 25 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Among the 160 patients (Adult-85, children-75), precipitating factors were seen in 41.3%, significantly higher in children (52%) than adults (31.8%) (p value: 0.011). The commonest triggers included fever (18.8%), emotional stress (8.1%), heavy exercise and diarrhea (6.3% each). Cold bath triggered MMA symptoms in 1.3%. Fever (p value: 0.008) and persistent crying (p value: 0.010) triggered neurological symptoms more commonly in children than in adults. Amongst MMA patients with precipitating factors, the commonest MMA presentation included cerebral infarction type (37.9%) and TIA (31.8%). The majority of precipitating factors that preceded an ischemic event were BP-lowing ones (54.7%). Conclusion: Neurological symptoms of MMA are commonly associated with several precipitating factors, including the lesser known triggers like cold bath. The frequency and profile precipitating factors varies with the age of presentation and type of MMA. It can serve as an early clue to the diagnosis of MMA and its careful avoidance can be largely beneficial in limiting the distressing transient neurological symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is one of the leading citrus−producing countries, next to China and Brazil. Despite the sizeable production, especially of lemons and limes, India contributes meagerly to the world's citrus market. Of the various factors responsible for the restricted quantum of citrus export, citrus canker (Xanthomonas citri pv. citri) is one of the leading serious causes and directly impacts the appearance of the fruits. Considering the extent of damage, the present study aimed to understand the impact of Xanthomonas citri pv. citri (Xcc) on the physio−biochemical responses in contrasting Citrus spp. Two genotypes, each of three citrus species, namely Citrus aurantifolia (Pusa Udit and ALC−35), C. limon (Kagzi Kalan and Konkan Seedless), and C. paradisi (Redblush and Marsh Seedless), were artificially inoculated with Xcc (108 to 109 cfu/ mL) by the pinprick method. The physio−biochemical changes in the host were evaluated after 48 h post inoculation (hpi). The chlorophyll content (total, a, and b) degradation and reduction in leaf gas exchange parameters, such as photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs), and intrinsic water−use efficiency (iWUE), were measured to a greater extent in susceptible than resistant genotypes. The microscopic observations also evidenced higher stomatal density with larger stomatal areas in susceptible genotypes, favoring the easier penetration of Xcc in host tissues than resistant species or genotypes. The higher activities of various antioxidant enzymes, viz., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and glutathione reductase (GR), the contents of soluble protein, and phenolics were measured in resistant genotypes in contrast to susceptible genotypes. The activities of phenyl ammonia lyase (PAL) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) were also higher in resistant genotypes, whilst the levels of ROS (superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide) production were enhanced in susceptible genotypes. Based on the host–pathogen interaction, the order of resistance in a descending manner was found as Kagzi Kalan, Marsh Seedless, Redblush, Konkan Seedless, Pusa Udit, and ALC−35. Further, the results will enhance the understanding of the pathogen mechanism during pathogenesis in resistant and susceptible Citrus species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research is aimed at assessing the environmental impacts of landfill mining of soil-like material with on-site sorting for land application using life cycle assessment. The scenario is compared with no-landfill mining (base scenario) and future scenario (including material recycling and incineration). Soil-like material is processed using windrow composting. The impact assessment was performed using the EASETECH™ software tool. ReCipE 2016 midpoint world impact method with eight impact categories was used for assessing the environmental profiles. The functional unit of the assessment was 1 t of recovered waste in India. Overall, the results showed that excavation of landfilled waste with on-site recovery of soil and land application of soil resulted in higher environmental benefits compared to no mining condition in global warming potential (GWP), freshwater eutrophication (FEW), human toxicity (HT), and fossil depletion (FD), while higher impacts were observed in terrestrial acidification (TA), terrestrial ecotoxicity (TE), marine eutrophication (ME), and photochemical oxidation (PCO). After composting, land application of recovered soil contributed to environmental offsets in GWP, HT, and FEW while contributing to TE emissions. Emissions associated with excavation and on-site sorting contributed 55.1% to freshwater toxicity, 25.5% to human toxicity, 16.2% to climate change, and 10.8% to terrestrial acidification. The choice of energy, transportation, and fuel for waste activities affected the performance of alternative scenarios in GWP. Application of recovered metals in the manufacturing process, incineration of plastic, and textile components improved the environmental performance. The outcomes of this research will equip regulatory bodies in the development of guidelines and frameworks on material and energy recovery from the waste components mined from legacy waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tectona grandis L.f. has considerable potential to restore marginal and degraded lands as it offers multiple co‐benefits during the restoration venture. It provides good quality wood for multipurpose use, including biomass for bioenergy and noninvasive traits. For this, aboveground biomass (AGB) was assessed along with testing the critical soil properties (soil physicochemical and biological properties) across different plantation sites during a 4‐year study period (2015–2018). The study suggested that the soil properties like bulk density, moisture content, pH, organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium have shown significant mean improvement in all planted sites collectively. These were improved by −0.21 g cm−3, 0.68%, −0.68, 0.27%, 13.69 mg kg−1, 11.77 mg kg−1, 95.20 mg kg−1, respectively, in an arid area (Mirzapur, i.e., M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, and M6 sites, representing a warm and tropical dry climate) from the unplanted control (CM1) during 2015–2018. Moreover, the microbial biomass carbon and dehydrogenase activity were significantly improved by 56.71 mg kg−1 and 6.92 μg TPF g−1 hr−1, respectively, from CM1. Similar results were also observed in the semiarid areas of Varanasi, representing a humid subtropical climatic pattern (i.e., V4 and V5 sites) compared to the unplanted control in the (CV1). Furthermore, the AGB was found between 12.56 and 229.13 kg tree−1, representing 5 and 30 years of plantation, respectively, in 2018. Reference sites (V1, V2, and V3) were also considered that reflect a planted control, which helped assess the comparison between variable sites and the sites under restoration. Therefore, the study further suggested that this tree species has the tremendous potential to restore marginal and degraded lands in the arid and semiarid areas of North India with a significant biomass supply as an additional benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to assess the effects of combined application of urea nitrogen (N) and tank* silt (TS) on greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions [i.e., carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O)] and agronomic productivity of maize‐horsegram system. A factorial [urea (0, 60, 120, and 180 kg N ha−1)] and tank silt (0 and 30 t ha−1) replicated thrice randomized block design was employed for this investigation. Results of the study showed that maize grain yield was significantly influenced by the sole application of both N fertilizer and TS. When both the N fertilizer and TS were combined, the grain yield was significantly (p < 0.01) improved by 5% (4870 kg ha−1) over the highest yield observed under only N. We have noticed a significant (p < 0.01) residual effect of N and TS on horsegram straw yield during all the years of experimentation. With the increase in N‐rate, there was an increasing trend in CO2 emission noticed in all the years including the pooled year data. Compared to CO2 emission, N2O emission was greatly influenced by nutrient management and amendment application. Among the seasons, the post‐rainy season (Rabi) had a slightly lower emission trend of CO2, during all the years as compared to the rainy season (Kharif). The observed results marked the marginal increasing trend of cumulative CO2 (cCO2) emissions with regard to increasing doses of urea. Tank silt addition slightly favoured a CO2 emissions. The trend of cumulative N2O (cN2O) emission was greatly influenced by the dose of urea following the order of N180 > N120 > N60 > N0. However, N fertilizer application influenced the cCO2 emissions (r = 0.83), and significantly increased the cN2O emission (r = 0.99). Therefore, optimum and timely application of urea combined with TS is recommended as an effective strategy to combat GHG‐based emissions (specifically N2O based) in semiarid rainfed regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is one of the best available treatments for benign hypertrophy of the prostate. Many of the complications in TURP are associated with the absorption of irrigation fluid. In BIPOLAR TURP, normal saline is used as an irrigant which is more physiological. Aims and Objectives: Our aim of the study is to evaluate the correlation between post-operative electrolyte changes to perioperative factors in bipolar TURP. Materials and Methods: One hundred and ten patients enrolled in this study who were admitted to Meenakshi Mission Hospital, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. Results: Mean age of the participants was 65.68 (±8.50) years with a median of 66 years. mean hemoglobin drop was 1.21 (±1.36) g/dl. The mean serum sodium drop was 1.55 (±3.01) mEq/L. The mean serum potassium change was 0.06 (±0.74) mEq/L. There was a significant positive association between operative time and serum sodium drop (P<0.001). There was no significant correlation between any of the other parameters prostate size, resection time, resected volume were noted, and post-operative electrolyte April 2019-March 2021. Patient pre-operative changes and hemoglobin drop is observed. Correlation is assessed with Spearman Rho. Conclusion: Our study concluded that as operative time increases sodium drop and hemoglobin drop significantly increases. Resected and preoperative prostatic volumes do not affect electrolyte and hemoglobin levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections caused by multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity among hospitalized patients. In neonatal intensive care units (NICU), blood stream infections by K. pneumoniae are one of the most common nosocomial infections leading to poor clinical outcomes and prolonged hospital stays. Here, we describe an outbreak of multi-drug resistant K. pneumoniae among neonates admitted at the NICU of a large tertiary care hospital in India. The outbreak involved 5 out of 7 neonates admitted in the NICU. The antibiotic sensitivity profiles revealed that all K. pneumoniae isolates were multi-drug resistant including carbapenems and colistin. The isolates belonged to three different sequence types namely, ST-11, ST-16 and ST-101. The isolates harboured carbapenemase genes, mainly blaNDM-1, blaNDM-5 and blaOXA-232 besides extended-spectrum b-lactamases however the colistin resistance gene mcr-1, mcr-2 and mcr-3 could not be detected. Extensive environmental screening of the ward and healthcare personnel led to the isolation of K. pneumoniae ST101 from filtered incubator water, harboring blaNDM-5, blaOXA-232 and ESBL genes (blaCTX-M) but was negative for the mcr genes. Strict infection control measures were applied and the outbreak was contained. This study emphasizes that early detection of such high-risk clones of multi-drug resistant isolates, surveillance and proper infection control practices are crucial to prevent outbreaks and further spread into the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate of change in the relative amount of active and passive carbon (AC and PC) due to the land management practices (cropping systems combined with tillage) may vary with soil types depending on their level of chemical and/or physical protection from the decomposition but has rarely been directly measured. We have quantified the C storage potentiality of different soil types, namely old alluvial Inceptisol of Malda and recent alluvial Entisol of Coochbehar in West Bengal (subtropical eastern India) under the influence of different cropping systems (rice-maize: RM and rice-wheat: RW) and tillage practices (zero-tillage: ZT and conventional tillage: CT). The key objective was to demonstrate the short-term impact of conservation agriculture (CA) on soil C dynamics over the conventional practice. Research revealed that after short-term CA, total organic carbon (TOC), AC, PC, and total nitrogen (TN) showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement under the RM cropping system over the RW. The highest TOC content under the RM cropping system was recorded in the sites of Malda over the Coochbehar sites. The ZT significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the TOC in the upper layers (0–5 and 5–10 cm) and the CT showed improvements in the lower depths (10–20 cm). We observed some irregular variations in the interactions of the cropping system and tillage with respect to different sites. However, the ZT performed better in improving C fractions under RM and RW as compared to CT. The TOC and TN stocks were maximum in the lower depth which was evident in both soil types. The TOC linearly regressed on TN accounted for 94.2% variability (R2 = 0.942) of the C accumulation in soil and vice-versa. The PC was in a significant relationship with TN (R2 = 0.943), but AC was moderately regressed (R2 = 0.851). Lower stratification ratio values in Coochbehar soils (sandy loam in texture) indicated higher profile distribution of AC and PC in the soil profile; while in the Inceptisol, accumulation of the C fractions on the soil surface due to heavy texture resulted in the higher stratification values. The novelty of this study is that old alluvial Inceptisol showed a comparatively greater amount of AC and PC storage capability in comparison with the new alluvial Entisol. Conclusively, our study demonstrated that the adoption of conservation agriculture (CA practice/ZT) in cropping systems with higher C biomass input would significantly enhance the AC and PC fractions; however, the amount of storage is highly governed by the soil type and climatic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the very first time, on 22-March-2020 the Indian government forced the only known method at that time to prevent the outburst of the COVID-19 pandemic which was restricting the social movements, and this led to imposing lockdown for a few days which was further extended for a few months. As the impact of lockdown, the major causes of air pollution were ceased which resulted in cleaner blue skies and hence improving the air quality standards. This paper presents an analysis of air quality particulate matter (PM)2.5, PM10, Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), and Air quality index (AQI). The analysis indicates that the PM10 AQI value drops impulsively from (40–45%), compared before the lockdown period, followed by NO2 (27–35%), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) (2–10%), PM2.5 (35-40%), but the Ozone (O3) rises (12–25%). To regulate air quality, many steps were taken at national and regional levels, but no effective outcome was received yet. Such short-duration lockdowns are against economic growth but led to some curative effects on AQI. So, this paper concludes that even a short period lockdown can result in significant improvement in Air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of agricultural land, both chemical and biological, is a big concern all over the world. Crop cultivation practices that are distinctive to each location have negative consequences for agricultural production. Therefore, there is an urgent need for better crop and soil management techniques. This experiment was conducted for 5 years (2016–2020) to identify the best crop establishment‐cum‐residue management (CERM) practices and suitable crops for succession after the rice harvest in rice‐fallow ecosystems of India. Experimentation was conducted in the split‐plot design and each treatment was replicated thrice, having CERM in main‐plot and post‐rainy season/winter crops in sub‐plot. All the CERM treatments had two variants, with crop residue (R+) and without crop residue (R−). Rice yields were markedly higher (19.1%–32.2%) in transplanted puddled rice with residue (TPR‐R+) over conventional‐till direct seeded rice (CTDSR) and zero‐till DSR (ZTDSR) treatments. However, TPR adversely impacted the performance of all the post‐rainy pulses/oilseed crops. Post‐rainy season crop yields under ZTDSR/CTDSR were 14.9%–45.8% higher leading to higher system productivity as compared to TPR. ZTDSR with residue retention showed higher soil aggregation. The practice of ZTDSR increased the soil dehydrogenase activity (46.2%), urease activity (29.8%), soil microbial biomass carbon (65.4), and fluorescein diacetate activity (9.0%) in the crop root zone with 3.3‐ and 4.47‐times higher earthworm population and earthworm biomass, respectively. The rice‐pulse system showed 1.74‐times more earthworm population over rice‐oilseed sequences. Total soil organic carbon (SOC) stock in ZTDSR was 21.8% higher over TPR in 0–45 cm soil profile. Thus, the adoption of ZTDSR practices and diversification of rice‐fallows with pulses crops is recommended for enhancing the crop productivity, increasing SOC stock, and improving soil biological properties in the rice‐fallow ecosystems of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution seismic data of the Ramasetu region revealed three subaerial unconformities S1, S2, and S3. S1 is the youngest subaerial unconformity, whereas S3 is the oldest. These subaerial unconformities have been determined based on the presence of channel-incision signatures. Identified buried channels originated in the Palk Strait and debouched in the Gulf of Mannar. Youngest buried channels became most active during MIS 3 (~60-29 ka) and were buried entirely at ~7.0 ka. The study suggests that the Palk Strait evolved as a large multicentered freshwater reservoir during the last glacial period and remained a freshwater reservoir until seawater started encroaching the region at ~8.5 ka. The Ramasetu region was a potential habitat zone for foragers, with fresh and saline water ecosystems available at opposite banks. During the Microlithic and terminal Pleistocene, Homo sapiens needed to cross high-energy rivers using floaters/rafts in wet seasons of MIS 2 and 3. At the same time, they used a direct walkable land link in the extreme dry season of MIS 2. During the early to mid-Holocene, foragers required floaters/rafts or artificial structures (such as bandh/bridge) to cross shallow, low-energy estuarine patches of the Ramasetu. The Palk Strait region was not crossable without using boats/ships in the last ~7 ka except during minor sea-level falls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Acinetobacter is a non fermenting, Gram negative bacillus, a causative pathogen of hospital-acquired infections due to its inherent Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) property. It is held responsible for the majority of nosocomial meningitis in patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures. Aim: To identify the clinical characteristics, drug-resistance and mortality rate among the patients suffering from meningitis caused by Acinetobacter baumannii. Materials and Methods: This retrospective, single-centre study was carried out in the Bacteriology section of the Department of Microbiology at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, from February 2019 to February 2022. A total of 150 Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) samples from routine bacterial culture-confirmed patients were included in the study. All clinical data were extracted from the Hospital Information System (HIS). All the isolates were identified by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) assay and antibiotic sensitivity testing was performed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: The study included 150 (7.55%) cases of culture-proven bacterial meningitis among 1986 CSF samples collected from February 2019 to February 2022. There were 45 (30.0%) cases of Acinetobacter meningitis. Thirty-five (77.8%) patients had undergone neurosurgical procedures for the removal of spaceoccupying lesions from the brain parenchyma. Forty-two (93.3%) isolates were resistant to amikacin and a cumulative resistance of almost 93.3-95.6% was observed among cephalosporins. Fluoroquinolone resistance was observed in 43 (95.6%) patients and carbapenem resistance was observed in 42 (93.33%) isolates. Overall, 12 (26.7%) succumbed to their infections. Conclusion: Acinetobacter meningitis causes delay in the recovery of the patient undergoing intracranial surgery, amounting to a delay in brain parenchyma healing in the case of neurosurgical patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: India is a major contributor to both maternal and neonatal death worldwide. Majority of these fatalities can be averted by adequate utilization of Antenatal care (ANC) services. Large scale surveys like National Family Health Survey follow hieratical characters in which subjects within the clusters are often correlated. The ordinary logistic model ignores this correlation and provide compromised estimate of effect size of predictors. Multilevel model that incorporates correlation is the appropriate method. Aim: To demonstrate the adequacy of multilevel logistic model over ordinary logistic model in hieratical data sets with ANC visits >4 and delivery assisted by Skilled Birth Attendant (SBA). Materials and Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, from October 2021 to March 2022. The data of 174607 women, who delivered the children within five years, obtained using cluster sampling, from country wide survey during 20th January 2015 to 4th December 2016 (India's National Family Health Survey-IV) was used. Firstly, the model adequacy of ordinary and multilevel logistic models was evaluated for ANC ≤4 visits and delivery assisted by SBA, the same data set of fourth round National Family Health Survey by considering the outcomes;. Thereafter, predictors of late or no registration of pregnancy were identified using three level logistic model. Results: Because of high Variance Partition Coefficients (VPC) at state and district levels, the multilevel model applied on components ANC ≥4 visits and delivery assisted by SBA suggested better accuracy of the multilevel logistic model (-2Log L=189334 for ANC ≥4 visits and 141148 for delivery assisted by SBA) than the ordinary logistic model (-2Log L=220268 for ANC ≥4 visits and 151978 for delivery assisted by SBA). For the late (registration in third trimester of pregnancy) or no registration of pregnancy, each predictor was found significantly associated in which the most important were women's education, child birth order, caste and wealth quintile. Conclusion: The present study concluded that multilevel logistic model in clustered design data was useful instead of individual level for more precise estimate of effect size of the predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Head and neck infection (HNI) can lead to life-threatening complications, including death. The purpose of this study is to look at the entire clinico-demographic profile of patients with HNI as well as the microbiologic profile of recurring bacterial infection cases with a variety of symptoms. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 1080 HNI patients in a tertiary care hospital in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, from January 2018 to December 2022. Of the 1080 cases, 771 (71.39%) were males, 309 (28.61%) were females, and 603 (55.83%) were from rural areas reporting to a tertiary care hospital. 62% of the cases were between the ages of 31 and 60. Neck abscesses account for 570 (52.78%) of all cases, with parotid abscesses accounting for 233 (21.57%), peritonsillar abscesses accounting for 170 (15.74%), otitis media 32 (2.96%), and oral cavity infection accounting for 26 (2.41%). In 854 (79.07%) cases, the etiology was odontogenic, followed by sinus in 188 (17.41%) and otogenic in 38 (3.52%). The most common presenting features were neck swelling in 537 (49.72%) cases and face swelling in 238 (22.04%) cases, followed by jaw pain in 26 (2.41%) cases and others. Patients were hospitalized for an average of 11.82±4.38 days. Treatment and recurrence had a strong significant relationship (p 0.001). Microbiologic investigation of recurrent patients revealed 12 microorganisms, including bacteria and fungus, mainly multidrug-resistant in given ascending order Staphylococcus aureus (26.74%), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans (4.65%), Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei. Apart from colistin, almost all antibiotics were highly resistant to gramnegative bacteria, whereas against S. aureus, benzylpenicillin, and oxacillin showed 100% resistance, followed by erythromycin (91.3%), levofloxacin (86.96%), and ciprofloxacin (82.61%). This exploratory study would aid in determining the HNI burden and epidemiology, as well as their treatment status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study using a high resolution (~ 25 km) regional coupled earth system model ROM (REMO-OASIS-MPIOM), addresses the future projections of heatwave characteristics (frequency, duration, and severity) and associated dynamics over India for the AMJ (April–May–June) season. The near-surface maximum temperature (Tmax) is used to identify the prominent regions of large fluctuations using rotated empirical orthogonal function analysis. The averaged heatwave characteristics simulated by ROM is compared against the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Tmax observational data for the historical period 1980–2005. The ROM simulated heatwave characteristics largely agree with observations though few deviations are also noticed. The typical synoptic features associated with the heatwave days for the identified regions show the presence of elevated geopotential height (thickness; Z) with an anomalous anticyclonic structure which forms an atmospheric blocking over each region except south east coast. The daily evolution of potential vorticity and Z suggests eastward propagation of blocks that remain persistent during heatwave days. ROM is able to simulate these features with systematic higher magnitude and minor location changes. The future projections (RCP 8.5) of heatwave characteristics show a gradual increase for different time-slices during 2020–2099. The projected frequency will be doubled, and the average duration will increase by 8–12 days per season at the end of the century. The severity will also increase by 2°–3 °C. Similarly, future dynamical features will be associated with an increase in geopotential height (thickness) in the future along with a gradual decrease in potential vorticity. The future patterns of anomalous potential vorticity indicate the presence of omega block in all-time slices with a decrease in negative magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To study the respiratory variation of right atrial (RA) pressures at baseline and during atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT). Methods: Of the 23 patients screened, 16 participants with typical AVNRT were included in the study. After ensuring adequate hydration, baseline RA pressures were measured as the height of 'a' and 'v' waves. The patients were asked to take deep breaths, and the measurements were taken in both inspiration and expiration. Results: Of the 16 participants, 14(87.5%) showed a normal fall in the height of 'a' and 'v' waves with inspiration, 1(6.25%) showed no change and 1(6.25%) showed a rise in height at baseline, p <0.01. During induced AVNRT, the 'a' and 'v' wave heights increased in 8(50%), remained same in 6(37.5%) and showed a normal fall in 2(12.5%), p = 0.07 for 'a' waves and p = 0.09 for 'v' waves. When the magnitude and direction of change in 'a' and 'v' wave height at baseline was compared with AVNRT, it showed a significant difference with 13(81.25%) participants demonstrating positive Pseudo-Kussmaul's sign, p <0.01. Mean age was numerically higher in those with a more considerable inspiratory rise in RA pressures but was not statistically significant, χ2(2) = 3.1, p = 0.21. Conclusions: Pseudo-Kussmaul's sign does occur in a substantial number of patients during AVNRT. Clinical appreciation of this phenomenon is possible in half to three-fourth of patients, provided the mean RA pressures are low enough for the variation to be visible in the neck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The stakeholders are now demanding more visibility and role clarity in the emergency supply chain to improve collaborative efforts. Using a contingent resource-based view (C-RBV), the author studies crisis leadership as a complementary organizational resource for the successful adoption of digital technologies (DTs) in the emergency supply chain. The author further examined the relationships between DTs on information visibility and collaboration under the moderating effects of crisis leadership. Design/methodology/approach: The author gathered data from 117 NGOs in India using a multi-informant questionnaire. The author further tested the research hypotheses using variance-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: DTs under the interaction effect of crisis leadership have a significant influence on the information visibility and the collaboration in the humanitarian context. The findings of the study extend the C-RBVs to create a better understanding of applications of DTs in alleviating human suffering due to crises. Practical implications: The author provides some direction to the managers engaged in the humanitarian supply chain, contemplating using emerging technologies to enhance information visibility and collaboration. Originality/value: The current study offers some useful implications for theory. The study findings suggest that the DTs under the moderating effect of the crisis leadership significantly improve the information visibility and the collaboration among the emergency supply chain relief workers. These findings contribute to the C-RBV literature by expanding the scope of the theory. To date, the C-RBV is yet to be explored in humanitarian or emergency settings. Further, the study empirically tests the moderating role of crisis leadership which is touted to be the game-changer, particularly in crises or emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]