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The experiment was conducted during the month of February and March, 2023 at Livestock Research Station, Kamdhenu University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat, India to evaluate the effect of dietary addition of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed on growth performance, haemato-biochemical profile and faecal microbiota of Kankrej calves. Eighteen Kankrej calves were randomly divided into three treatment groups, viz. Basal diet (control), Basal diet+5 g animal-1 day-1 of fennel seed powder supplementation and Basal diet+10 g animal-1 day-1 of fennel seed powder supplementation for a period of 60 days. Results revealed that there was numerically higher body weight gains were observed in groups fed 5 and 10 g of fennel seed daily than the control, the difference was statistically not significant (p>0.05) among the treatment groups. The mean faecal counts (log10 cfu g-1 in fresh faeces) of lactobacillus were increased, while coliform were reduced in groups fed 5 and 10 g of fennel seed daily as compared to control group. There was no effect (p>0.05) on the haemoglobin, haematocrit, total erythrocytes count and total leucocytes count among the treatment groups. No difference (p>0.05) was found in serum levels of total proteins, albumin, globulin, urea, triglycerides, cholesterol, ALT and AST concentrations among the treatment groups. It may be concluded that dietary fennel seed powder supplementation in calves improved growth performance and had beneficial effect on faecal microbiota with higher faecal lactobacillus count and lower faecal coliform count. Fennel seed supplementation did not affect haemato-biochemical profile of calves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wetland cover is defined as the spatially homogenous region of a wetland attributed to the underlying biophysical conditions such as vegetation, turbidity, hydric soil, and the amount of water. Here, we present a novel method to derive the wetland-cover types (WCTs) combining three commonly used multispectral indices, NDVI, MNDWI, and NDTI, in three large Ramsar wetlands located in different geomorphic and climatic settings across India. These wetlands include the Kaabar Tal, a floodplain wetland in east Ganga Plains, Chilika Lagoon, a coastal wetland in eastern India, and Nal Sarovar in semi-arid western India. The novelty of our approach is that the derived WCTs are stable in space and time, and therefore, a given WCT across different wetlands or within different zones of a large wetland will imply similar underlying biophysical attributes. The WCTs can therefore provide a novel tool for monitoring and change detection of wetland cover types. We have automated the proposed WCT algorithm using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) environment and by developing ArcGIS tools. The method can be implemented on any wetland and using any multispectral imagery dataset with visible and NIR bands. The proposed methodology is simple yet robust and easy to implement and, therefore, holds significant importance in wetland monitoring and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anand Agricultural University is a premier agricultural university in India. The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument for assessing farmers' attitudes toward Anand Agricultural University. The scale product method was used to construct the scale. It is a hybrid of the Likert and Thurstone techniques. A comprehensive list of 33 statements was prepared and finally, 26 statements were selected as they were found to be non-ambiguous. Based on the S value and Q value, 14 statements including 11 positive statements and 3 negative statements were chosen to construct a scale that would assess the attitude of farmers towards Anand Agricultural University. The scale was found reliable, with a reliability coefficient (0.827). The scale's validity was evaluated using expert judgment. This scale may be used to measure farmers' attitudes towards similar institutions or domains with suitable modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the existing legislations, complemented by government policies and specific guidelines developed during the Covid-19 pandemic for its effective implementation, along with a few cases reflecting the approach of the Indian judiciary in controlling and managing biomedical wastes. There must be a legal framework in place to govern the handling of different forms of trash and the collection and transportation of waste as well as the duties and training needed for waste management and regulation inside India. In addition, the paper examines the legal gray areas and obstacles to the effective execution of the Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 and its subsequent amendments in 2016. Nature has often shown us the importance of the interdependency of the atmosphere, development, and law, which has only just been recognized by the world. The present improbable and disastrous pandemic wave has impacted human health and environment so severely that it has brought forward the desperate need for effective management of huge biomedical waste generated and disposed of in our country. In furtherance of which, the government has also laid down special guidelines to be followed for disposal of biomedical wastes during treatment/diagnosis/quarantine of Covid-19 patients. This further endorses the fact that mere protection and conservation of the environment under the Constitution, mandated by various legislations, does not suffice, and it is high time that we ensured proper control and management of biomedical waste to save the most basic human right that is "Right to Life", visualized under Article 21 of our Constitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mothbeanis a drought and heat tolerant pulse crop grown in arid and semi-arid regions of India. The extent of genetic variability, correlation, path analysis for seed yield and nine yield attributes was studied in thirty-eight genotypes during the kharif, 2019 in randomized complete block design in four replications. The differences among all the genotypes were significant for all the traits. Days to flowering recorded high genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation followed by plant height and low magnitudes were reported for protein content, pod length and the number of seeds per pod. The broad sense heritability was high for days to flowering, days to maturity, the number of pods per plant, hundred seed weight, plant height, seed yield per plant, the number of branches per plant and the number of seeds per pod. A low genetic advance as per cent mean was recorded for protein content and pod length. The trait, seed yield per plant was significantly and positively correlated with the number of pods per plant at both genotypic (0.662) and phenotypic (0.618) levels. The path analysis revealed that the number of pods per plant, days to maturity, the number of seeds per pod and plant height exhibited a high direct effect on seed yield per plant. The microsatellites were used to analyse the polymorphisms among mothbean genotypes. The polymorphic information content value of the microsatellites ranged from 0.23 to 0.57, while the heterozygosity value ranged from 0.26 to 0.64. The cluster diagram revealed a similarity index value ranged from 0.08 to 1.00 and the genotypes were clustered in two main groups. Based on the results it could be concluded that microsatellites are efficient in discriminating among the mothbean genotypes and the study showed a narrow gene base of the genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field experiment was conducted during July to October, 2018 at Castor- Mustard Research Station, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat, India to access genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance for seed yield and its attributing traits in 45 genotypes of sesame. Analysis of variance revealed significant difference among genotypes for all the eleven characters which indicated presence of sufficient variability among the genotypes under study, hence there is an ample scope of selection for superior and desired genotypes to plant breeder for further crop improvement. The values of phenotypic coefficient of variation were slightly higher than that of genotypic coefficient of variation for all the traits studied. The high values of genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation were recorded for seed yield plant-1, leaf area plant-1 and number of effective branches plant-1 indicated the presence of wide genetic variation for these characters. High heritability was recorded for 1000 seed weight, followed by leaf area plant-1, oil content, days to flowering, capsule length plant-1, number of capsules plant-1, days to maturity, seed yield plant-1 and number of effective branches plant-1 indicated that heritability may be due to higher contribution of genotypic component in these traits. High heritability combined with high genetic advance as percentage of mean was recorded for leaf area plant-1, seed yield plant-1, number of effective branches plant-1, number of capsules plant-1, 1000 seed weight and days to flowering indicating that these characters are controlled by additive gene effect and phenotypic selection of these characters would be effective for genetic improvement of seed yield in sesame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, line× tester analysis was carried out at Castor-Mustard Research Station, S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat, India during rabi 2018-19 (October 2018 to February 2019) in order to estimate all three types of heterosis (relative heterosis, heterobeltiosis and economic heterosis) for identification of superior cross combinations of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern&Coss]. Thirty-five hybrids along with five CMS lines, seven testers and check GDM 4 were evaluated for ten different traits. The F1 generation of all the crosses exhibited fertility restoration with pollen fertility except F1 crosses with Vardan, Rohini and SKM 319 fertile line (0%). The remaining crosses exhibited pollen fertility ranging from 68.26% (Kranti×SKM 303) to 85.17% (Kranti×Mori 'R' 1-18). The analysis of variance for parents, hybrids and parents vs. hybrids revealed that mean sum of squares of parents were highly significant for majority of the characters except days to maturity. Whereas, hybrids differed highly significant for all the characters. Comparison of mean squares due to parents vs. hybrids was found significant for almost all the characters except number of seeds siliqua-1 and oil content. This indicates that considerable amount of genetic variability present among the parents and hybrids for all the characters studied. On the basis of per se performance, three hybrids viz., Kranti×Mori 'R' 1-18, SKM 9928×PusaAgrani and SKM 9928×Mori 'R' 1-18 were foundpromising for seed yield plant-1 over the standard check GDM 4. With respect to heterosis, one of the hybrid Kranti×Mori 'R' 1-18 (17.85 %)manifested significant and positive standard heterosis for seed yield plant-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is one of the foremost severe abiotic stresses responsible for drastic reduction in wheat production under arid and semi-arid environments. Breeding for drought tolerance is very confounded by an inability to create defined, precise and repeatable stress conditions and inadequacy of an efficient, reproducible screening technique. Therefore, the present investigation was laid out to screening of twenty advance wheat lines for drought stress in RBD with two replications under Irrigated) and drought conditions during rabi, 2019-20 at Wheat Research Station, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Vijapur, India. Phenotyping was performed for 11 morphological and four physiological traits distinctively. The analysis of variance revealed that component of variance for genotypes was significant for all traits, revealed the presence of enough genetic variability in the material under studied. Based on per se performance revealed that genotypes GW 511, VL 967, GW 11 and GW 512 produced higher grain yield compared to other genotypes in both irrigated and drought conditions. Genotype DBW-154 followed by GW-510 and GW-506 recorded lowest value of drought susceptible index (DSI) and highest value of drought tolerance efficiency (DTE), indicating potentiality to produce with minor yield losses under drought conditions in comparison to normal conditions. Grain yield and its related traits viz., grains per spike, 1000 grain weight and grain weight per spike exhibited moderate to high heritability and expected genetic advance as percent of mean under both stress and non stress condition and these traits could be considered as suitable selection criteria for the development of high yielding bread wheat varieties. Under irrigated condition grain yield showed strong positive association with tillers, 1000 grain weight and biomass yield, similarly in drought condition biomass yield showed strong correlation with grain yield, followed by NDVI II, grain weight/spike, 1000 grain weight, tillers and grains/spike. Under stress CT-II was negatively correlated with GW/SPK (-0.631), biomass yield (-0.611), grain yield (-0.423) and 1000 grain weight (-0.345), indicating genotypes has canopy cooling ability to produced higher grain yield, biomass, TGW and GW/SPK under drought stress. So, these traits should be consideration while selection under drought stress and select the drought tolerance genotypes with superior performance, this can be potentially used in future for improvement of bread wheat yield and yield related traits against the drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2010–11 to 2012–13 at Centre for Natural Resources Management, S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat to test the effect of irrigation regimes (four levels of irrigation viz., sprinkler irrigation with 0.6 (I1), 0.8 (I2) and 1.0 (I3) IW/CPE ratio and surface irrigation with 1.0 IW/CPE (I4) as control on productivity and economics of mustard. Among the irrigation regimes, scheduling irrigation at an IW/CPE ratio of 1.0 through sprinkler significantly enhanced all the growth (except plant height) and yield attributes. Mustard irrigated at IW/CPE ratio of 1.0 recorded significantly the highest seed yield over surface method of irrigation in all the years and in pooled results also, whereas the highest water use efficiency of 4.56 kg/ha-mm was observed with IW: CPE of 0.60 and gradually decreased with higher irrigation schedules. Irrigation at 0.60, 0.80 and 1.00 IW: CPE ratio increased the seed yield by 3.99, 15.73 and 25.47% over control (surface irrigation), respectively. Net returns and BCR increased markedly with increase in irrigation regimes from an IW: CPE ratio of 0.60 to 1.00. Irrigation at 0.80 and 1.00 IW: CPE ratio increased the net returns by 34.45 and 19.20% over that with the 0.60 ratio, respectively. The highest production efficiency of 13.56 kg/ha/day, profitability of 258.03 kg/ha/day and relative economic efficiency of 10.26% were recorded under sprinkler irrigaion at 1.0 IW/CPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yogic farming means doing various farming operations in a yoga (connection/union) state or personally empowered state of mind. The Raja yoga meditation technique of personal empowerment is an ancient technique of India. It is being revived by the Raja Yoga Education and Research Foundation, a sister organization of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Univesity, a non-governmental organization headquartered at Mount Abu, Rajasthan. The organization has been teaching methods of personal empowerment based on Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Meditation (BKRYM) techniques for the last 77 years. The present article reviews bonafide research conducted at the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar, Uttarakhand (2012-13); on a farmer's field in Gagsina village, Karnal, Haryana (2011-12); and at the SD University of Agriculture and Technology (SDUAT), Dantiwada, Gujarat (2009-12), in order to discuss the effect of yogic farming through BKR YM on the different aspects of seed and crops as well as its feasibility in agricultural transformation. Seeds exposed to BKRYM revealed enhanced germination, seedling growth, and vigor. The quality of groundnut and wheat improved, along with increased soil microbial population. After three years of experimentation, the yield of wheat and groundnut obtained with organics + BKR YM was found to be comparable to that obtained with chemical inputs. BKRYM works best under organic farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Seroepidemiological study of leptospirosis in cattle of various South Gujarat district (Navsari, Tapi, Surat, Valsad). Materials and Methods: Whole blood samples were collected randomly from different age groups, and breeds of cattle of either sex reared in different districts (Navsari, Surat, Tapi, Valsad) of South Gujarat. To obtain serum, whole blood was kept in slanting position in 9.0 ml plain vacutainers until serum extracted out of the whole blood. Then these 9.0 ml plain vacutainers were centrifuged at 7000 rpm for 10 min. The straw colored serum was then collected in 1.5 ml sterile cryo vials and aliquoted and stored at -20°C for microscopic agglutination test. Results: In the present study, overall 12.81% (51/398) seroprevalence were recorded with highest seroprevalence (47.06%, 24/51) from Valsad followed by Navsari (9.14%, 18/197), Surat (6.90%, 2/29) and Tapi (5.79%, 7/121) among cattle. The seroprevalence rate of breed and sex wise did not differ significantly (p≤0.05). Maximum incidence of seropositivity was found above 4 years (16.32%, 39/239) of age group followed by animals between 1 and 4 years (9.68%, 12/124). Thus, the age was significantly influencing the seropositivity (p≤0.05). In cattle out of 398 sera screened, 51 were positive with one or more serovars. The highest seropositivity was recorded against serovar Pomona (28.89%). Conclusions: Overall 12.81% seroprevalence of leptospirosis in apparently healthy and clinically ailing bovine of South Gujarat indicating potential zoonotic risk tofarmers, labor, and animal owners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduced inter-pedicular distance is one of the common causes of primary narrowing of the spinal canal. Stenosis of the spinal canal due to decreased inter-pedicular distance is to the best of our knowledge, virtually unexplored so we under took this study of inter-pedicular distance. Eisestein S measured inter-pedicular distance in Caucasoid, Zulu Negroid and Sotho Negroid population which is compared with data of present study. Methods: All measurements were made by using Electronic Digital Vernier Calipers. Transverse diameter of the lumbar spinal canal was measured as the minimum distance between the medial surfaces of the pedicles of a given vertebra (Inter-pedicular distance. Results & Observation: Inter-pedicular distances of lumbar vertebral canal at levels L1 to L5 was measured in dry vertebrae of 63 subjects (32 male, 31 female) from Gujarat of age group 35 to 80 yrs. Mean transverse diameter (Inter-pedicular distance) is minimum at L1 (22.6 mm in male and 21.3 mm in female) and maximum at L5 (27.0 mm in male and 26.4 mm in female) showing a gradual increase from level L1 to L5. The inter-pedicular distance increased steadily from L1 to L5 in all populations in both sexes. The Gujarati population has greater IPDs at all level from L1 to L5 than that of Zulu Negroid and Sotho Negroid. But IPDs in Gujaratis are lower at L1, & L2 in male and L1, L2 & L3 in female and greater at L3, L4 & L5 in male and L4 & L5 in female than that of Caucasoid. Conclusions: A comparison between the present data and the data published data on inter-pedicular distance at lumbar levels of other populations also shows that there are marked differences between the mean values reported for the population of different geographic areas. The present study confirms that there is ethnic as well as racial variation in the size of the lumbar vertebral canal, thus, emphasizing the need to have normal values and ranges for the transverse diameter of the canal for different populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted in Vadodara district of Gujarat State on total sample size of 250 respondents. Pigeon pea is widely grown in Indian sub-continent, Besides adverse climate condition, the recurrent attack by a large number of insects, pests and diseases is one of the most important causes of low yield. Integrated Pest Management (1PM) is an approach that keep pests populations at levels below those causing economic injury. Pigeon pea growers used various information channels for getting information about 1PM technology in Pigeon pea. Hence, it is essential to know the credibility of various sources of information used by the Pigeon pea growers. A perusal of the data indicated that pigeon pea growers(17.60 per cent) accorded top rank in terms of credibility to the farm magazines followed by progressive farmers (16.00 per cent), KVK (14.10 Per cent), VLW (12.00 per cent) and AEO (10.40 per cent) for getting information about adoption of new recommended 1PM Technology in pigeon pea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted in Vadodara district of Gujarat State on total sample size of 240 respondents including 120 trained and 120 untrained cotton growers were selected from sixteen villages of the district.The aim of study to identify some of the constraints affecting the rate of adoption of IPM recommendations and to develop suitable extension strategies for effective adoption of IPM technology in cotton crop in Vadodara district of Gujarat state.The constraints were categorized in four dimensions namely, technological, economical, service and supply and marketing and transfer of technology constraints perceived in adoption of IPM technology by cotton growers. The main constraints experienced by trained and untrained cotton growers in adoption of IPM technology were irregular supply of electricity and exploitation of farmer by shopkeeper, Suitable extension strategy based on observation, discussion with cotton growers, extension personnel and researcher covers greater awareness about IPM technology among the farming community on large scale, cotton growers should trained before on set of monsoon on IPM technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) implies the most efficient use and management of organic, inorganic and biological sources of major nutrients as well as micronutrients to attain higher levels of crop productivity and to maintain the fertility of the soil. Brinjal is one of the most popular and commercially important vegetable crops of India. Research works on INM system for brinjal crop is scanty. This paper has reviewed the research work carried out by various scientists in India and abroad. The review deals with the effect of different INM components on growth, yield, fruit quality, nutrient content and uptake, incidence of brinjal shoot and fruit borer (BSFB) as well as economics of brinjal and other Solanaceous vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Innovative Mobile-phone Technology for Community Health Operation (ImTeCHO) is a mobile-phone application that helps Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in complete registration through the strategies employed during implementation that is linking ASHAs’ incentives to digital records, regular feedback, onsite data entry, and demand generation among beneficiaries. Objective: To determine the proportion of pregnancies, deliveries, and infant deaths (events) being registered through the ImTeCHO application against actual number of events in a random sample of villages. Materials and Methods: Five representative villages were randomly selected from the ImTeCHO project area in the tribal areas of Gujarat, India to obtain the required sample of 98 recently delivered women. A household survey was done in the entire villages to enumerate each family and create a line-listing of events since January 2014; the line-listing was compared with list of women registered through the ImTeCHO application. The proportion of events being registered through the ImTeCHO application was compared against the actual number of events to find sensitivity of the ImTeCHO application. Result: A total of 844 families were found during household enumeration. Out of actual line-listing of pregnancies (N = 39), deliveries (N = 102), and infant deaths (N = 5) found during household enumeration, 38 (97.43%), 101 (99.01%), and 5 (100%) were registered by ASHAs through the ImTeCHO application. Conclusion: The use of mobile-phone technology and strategies applied during the ImTeCHO implementation should be upscaled to supplement efforts to improve the completeness of registration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a research study which investigates the association of electronic culture with loneliness and life satisfaction among the elderly in India. The subjects of the study were composed of 120 elderly people with 60 females and 60 males. The study used the purposive sampling technique and adopted the research tools e-culture inventory, loneliness scale, and life satisfaction scale. The results indicated that e-culture is hugely related to life-satisfaction and loneliness.

The article presents a study on the residuals of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and organochlorine pesticides (OCP) of drinking water in Ahmedabad City, India. The study aims to determine the rate of OCP and PAH content in the water resources of industrial and residential areas in the city. The study indicates that there is no difference detected in the degrees of OCP and PAH in municipal or well water samples that were found from industrial or residential locations.

Seasonal incidence of haemoprotozoal diseases in crossbred cattle and buffalo was studied by examining 3152 and 1129 blood smears respectively, received from various veterinary sub centres located in Anand and Kaira districts of Gujarat during period from April 2009 to March 2010. The present study has recorded higher incidence of haemoprotozoal diseases in crossbred cattle and buffalo from June to September and June to August, respectively. In crossbred cattle, 1172 (37%) out of 3152 blood smears were positive for haemoprotozoal infection while in buffalo, 191 (17%) out of 1129 blood smears were positive for haemoprotozoal infection. In both the species, higher incidence of Theileriosis was recorded during monsoon season as compared to other protozoan diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of metritis in dairy bovines of Amul milk shed area of Anand for the year 2009-10 was recorded as 17.34 % of the total reproductive disorders (24595) and as 0.78 % of the total clinical cases (540416) attended. The highest incidence of metritis was noticed during monsoon (42.07 %) followed by winter (35.98 %) and the least in summer (21.95 %). The incidence of metritis had a close positive association with the calving rate and THR - a climatic component, suggesting that peripartum care and calving hygiene apart from elevating climatic and production stress can reduce the incidence of postpartum metritis and thereby the economic loss to the farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to determine the effect of prepartum supplementation of anionic salts and cholecalciferol (Rovimix Hy-D®) on incidence of periparturient disorders and serum calcium-phosphorus levels at calving in crossbred cows. Total forty advanced pregnant cows of six farms in three villages of Anand district were selected and divided equally on each farm into treatment and control group. The animals in control group were fed with concentrate mixture, green and dry roughage as per availability; whereas animals of treatment group received Rovimix Hy-D® @100 g/animal/day in addition to regular green, dry and concentrate feed for a fortnight prepartum. The incidence of peripartum disorders noted (mainly retention of placenta, uterine prolapse, endometritis and milk fever) was much less in animals of treatment group as compared to control group (15 vs 45 %). Serum concentrations of both calcium and phosphorus were higher in treated group than the control group (10.73±0.21 vs 10.26±0.26 and 5.55±0.12 vs 4.89±0.14 mg/dl), but the difference was significant only for phosphorous levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leucas aspera commonly known as ‘Thumbai’ is distributed throughout India from the Himalayas down to Ceylon. The plant is used traditionally as an antipyretic and insecticide. Medicinally, it has been proven to possess various pharmacological activities like antifungal, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antinociceptive and cytotoxic activity. Further, studies reveal the presence of various phytochemical constituents mainly triterpenoids, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid and β-sitosterol, nicotine, sterols, glucoside, diterpenes, phenolic compounds (4-(24-hydroxy-1-oxo-5-n-propyltetracosanyl)-phenol). These studies reveal that L. aspera is a source of medicinally active compounds and have various pharmacological effects; hence, this drug encourage finding its new therapeutic uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation and wise use of wetlands has been given priority world over. India harbours diverse types of wetlands. This study highlights the findings of the national-level inventory and assessment of wetlands carried out using RESOURCESAT-1 LISS-III data of 2006-07 at 1 : 50,000 scale. A hierarchical system comprising 19 classes based on Ramsar definition has been used to classify the wetlands of India. The extent of wetlands has been estimated to be 15.26 m ha. Inland wetlands account for 69.22% (10.564 m ha), whereas the coastal wetlands account for 27.13% (4.14 m ha). The high-altitude wetlands (situated > 3000 m asl) in the Himalayan states were also mapped, comprising 126,249 ha of areal extent. The status of wetlands in terms of water spread, turbidity of open water and aquatic vegetation has shown significant variation during pre- and post-monsoon seasons. This article highlights the detailed results at state level and the status of wetlands in terms of water spread, aquatic vegetation and turbidity of open water in the wetlands in the pre- and post-monsoon seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Carbon emission occurs during various stages of life cycle of food products. Greenhouse gases (GHG) emission from 24 Indian food items showed that animal food products (meat and milk) and rice cultivation mostly contributed to methane (CH4) emission, while food products from crops contributed to emission of nitrous oxide (N2O). Emission of CO2 occurred during farm operations, production of farm inputs, transport, processing and preparation of food. The GHG emission during the life cycle of cooked rice was 2.8 times the GHG emission during the life cycle of chapatti, a product of wheat flour. Mutton emitted 11.9 times as much GHG as milk, 12.1 times fish, 12.9 times rice and 36.5 times chapatti. As Indians mostly consume fresh foods produced locally, 87% emission came from food production followed by preparation (10%), processing (2%) and transportation (1%). For a balanced diet (vegetarian) an adult Indian man consumed 1165g food and emitted 723.7gCO2 eq.GHGd−1. A non-vegetarian meal with mutton emitted GHG 1.8 times of a vegetarian meal, 1.5 times of a non-vegetarian meal with chicken and an ovo-vegetarian meal and 1.4 times a lacto-vegetarian meal. Change in food habit thus could offer a possibility for GHG mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The physical inactivity pandemic not only has a negative impact on the physical and mental health of children and youth, but it is also a key contributor to the non-communicable disease (NCD) burden, particularly among low- and middle-income countries. The widespread effects of climate change, ranging from extreme weather events to worsening air quality, are exacerbating the physical inactivity pandemic, highlighting the need to undertake holistic interventions to address environmental barriers while promoting physical activity. Despite the potential benefits of active school transportation (AST) on physical activity and the environment, no study has examined the intersection between perceptions of AST, environmental perceptions, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among children and youth in India from a child and youth perspective., Methods: As a part of this cross-sectional, observational study, digital survey links were administered to 1,042 children and youth aged 5 to 17 (50.3% boys; 49.7% girls). Participants were recruited from 41 schools across 28 rural and urban regions in India. Children and youth provided information on various sociodemographic factors, perceptions of crime and air pollution, and peer support factors. MVPA data were collected using an adapted version of the IPAQ short-form questionnaire. The overall sample was stratified by age, gender, and location, resulting in a total of seven multiple linear regression models to assess the association between AST and MVPA., Results: Children and youth who engaged in AST were associated with higher MVPA than those who did not engage in AST ( β  = 18.020, 95% CI [5.890 to 30.149], p  = 0.004), after adjusting for age, gender, and location. In contrast, perceptions of high crime in the neighbourhood ( β  =  - 21.921, CI [-36.195 to -7.647], p  = 0.003) and perceptions of air pollution ( β  =  - 12.472, CI [-23.797 to -1.147], p  = 0.031) were associated with lower MVPA. Moreover, having active friends was associated with higher MVPA ( β  = 32.391, CI [9.264 to 55.518], p  = 0.006) than not having active friends. AST was significantly associated with higher MVPA in the boys, rural, and aged 13 to 17 models; however, this association was not statistically significant in the girls, urban, and aged 5 to 12 models., Conclusions: These findings highlight that promoting AST can potentially promote MVPA and contribute to mitigating the NCD burden among children and youth in India. Future policies and interventions should prioritize initiatives that promote AST, considering diverse sociodemographic factors, and addressing environmental challenges such as perceptions of crime and air pollution., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2024 Katapally et al.)

Background: Equitable access to healthcare for rural, tribal, and underprivileged people has been an emerging area of interest for researchers, academicians, and policymakers worldwide. Improving equitable access to healthcare requires innovative interventions. This calls for clarifying which operational model of a service innovation needs to be strengthened to achieve transformative change and bring sustainability to public health interventions. The current study aimed to identify the components of an operational model of mobile medical units (MMUs) as an innovative intervention to provide equitable access to healthcare., Methods: The study empirically examined the impact of scalability, affordability, replicability (SAR), and immunization performance on the sustainability of MMUs to develop a framework for primary healthcare in the future. Data were collected via a survey answered by 207 healthcare professionals from six states in India. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was conducted to empirically determine the interrelationships among various constructs., Results: The standardized path coefficients revealed that three factors (SAR) significantly influenced immunization performance as independent variables. Comparing the three hypothesized relationships demonstrates that replicability has the most substantial impact, followed by scalability and affordability. Immunization performance was found to have a significant direct effect on sustainability. For evaluating sustainability, MMUs constitute an essential component and an enabler of a sustainable healthcare system and universal health coverage., Conclusion: This study equips policymakers and public health professionals with the critical components of the MMU operational model leading toward sustainability. The research framework provides reliable grounds for examining the impact of scalability, affordability, and replicability on immunization coverage as the primary public healthcare outcome., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Physical inactivity is one of the four key preventable risk factors, along with unhealthy diet, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption, underlying most noncommunicable diseases. Promoting physical activity is particularly important among children and youth, whose active living behaviours often track into adulthood. Incorporating yoga, an ancient practice that originated in India, can be a culturally-appropriate strategy to promote physical activity in India. However, there is little evidence on whether yoga practice is associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) accumulation. Thus, this study aims to understand how yoga practice is associated with MVPA among children and youth in India. Data for this study were obtained during the coronavirus disease lockdown in 2021. Online surveys capturing MVPA, yoga practice, contextual factors, and sociodemographic characteristics, were completed by 5 to 17-year-old children and youth in partnership with 41 schools across 28 urban and rural locations in five states. Linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between yoga practice and MVPA. After controlling for age, gender, and location, yoga practice was significantly associated with MVPA among children and youth (β = 0.634, p < 0.000). These findings highlight the value of culturally-appropriate activities such as yoga, to promote physical activity among children and youth. Yoga practice might have a particularly positive impact on physical activity among children and youth across the world, owing to its growing global prevalence., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Patel et al.)

Introduction: The private sector plays an important role in tuberculosis (TB) elimination by providing access to quality TB care services like diagnosis and treatment, advocacy for preventive measures, innovation to address challenges in TB elimination, vaccines etc. The study aims to understand the perspectives of private practitioners on patients' TB care cascade to reinforce existing interventions by assuring the quality of care to TB patients., Methods: The study utilized a qualitative design through in-depth interviews of private practitioners and was conducted in Ranchi and Purbi Singhbhum District of Jharkhand State from March-August 2021. The pilot-tested, semi-structured, open-ended interview guide questionnaire collected information from private practitioners on various aspects of the TB care cascade. The data from the provider interviews were transcribed into multiple codes and themes on the TB program. An inductive analysis was carried out with a focus on content credibility to eliminate bias. Ethical approval was received from the Institutional Ethics Committee of the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG), India. Written consent was taken from the private practitioners involved in the study., Result: In-depth interviews of 17 private practitioners reveal various factors contributing to delays in TB care cascades, especially delay in access to TB diagnosis and TB Care, delay in providing treatment once after diagnosis and poor adherence to the TB treatment. According to the perception of private practitioners, there was an array of client, provider and system side factors affecting the TB care cascade gaps positively and negatively. Positive aspects mainly emerged from interviews: strong governance, consistent supply chain management, innovative PPP models and financial schemes reducing out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE). Various factors affecting the TB care cascade negatively include awareness among the patient, socio-economic status, approach and decision-making power of providers, adverse effects of drugs, staff capacity building, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Engaging private practitioner in TB elimination efforts is critical to achieving global targets and reducing the burden of TB. The study helps to determine geography-specific barriers and facilitators of the TB care cascade to achieve the aim of providing universal access to TB healthcare with the inclusion of private practitioners., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Primary Immunodeficiency Disease (PID) represents a class of diverse illnesses marked by compromised immune system performance. For better patient outcomes, PIDs must be diagnosed and treated quickly. Medical graduates are essential to the detection and treatment of these illnesses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate medical students' knowledge about PIDs in different Indian medical colleges. To perform this analytical investigation, college students from Maharashtra-area universities were enlisted between March and April of 2023. The participants received a questionnaire from mediators from every institution. Of the 500 students in the study, 66% were between the ages of 22 and 24 and 52% were female. Their understanding ratings had an average of 16.3±6.2 and varied between 4 and 32. A set of students classified as below average (86%) and a mean/above average (14%), were separated among the students. The largest percentage of above-average knowledge was demonstrated by VI-year participants (p<0.05). This investigation emphasizes how critical it is to provide focused educational activities to improve medical students' comprehension of PIDs in India.

Introduction: India has a significant TB burden, and ongoing attempts are being made to eradicate the disease. Globally, the number of TB deaths is declining, but not quickly enough to meet the End TB Goals. The National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2017-2025 in India set in motion an ambitious effort to expand the scope and efficacy of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP)., Methods: A descriptive retrospective study based on secondary data was conducted on information obtained from the electronic TB notification register for 2019, abstracted from Ni-kshay. Further, descriptive analysis was undertaken to identify the factors associated with deaths and successful treatment outcomes. The binomial logistic regression model estimates the crude relative risk and a 95% confidence interval to describe the association between predictor variables and TB treatment outcomes., Results: After applying the eligibility criteria for the study population, a total of 1,44,643 (88%) TB patients were included in the study. 1,35,934 (94%) TB patients had completed the treatment and survived, while 8709 (6%) TB patients died. A significant association of treatment outcomes was observed in age, gender, key population, site of diseases, type of case, type of health facilities, HIV and Diabetes. When a logistic regression was applied, the model showed the association of the independent variables with the risk of death in TB patients., Conclusion: The epidemiological factors associated with treatment outcomes among TB patients should be audited systematically. A structure of TB death surveillance and response system should be established with a mortality audit, including a community-based death review (CBDR) and a facility-based medical audit (FBMA) in case the patient is hospitalized or discharged from a hospital., (Copyright © 2023 Tuberculosis Association of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome is a multifactorial endocrine disorder impacting women of reproductive age. Variations within the FTO gene have been linked to both obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Given that PCOS is frequently associated with obesity and compromised glucose tolerance, we investigated the prevalence of the rs9939609 variant within the FTO gene among women diagnosed with PCOS and a control group. Our aim is to uncover potential correlations between this genetic variant, metabolic attributes, and endocrine markers within the Gujarat province of India., Method: We enrolled a total of 114 participants, (62 individuals diagnosed with PCOS and 52 healthy controls). DNA extraction from venous blood was conducted for all participants. The rs9939609 polymorphism was investigated through tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, we performed biochemical assessments to quantify levels of estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total testosterone, prolactin (PRL), and Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). Statistical analyses were carried out utilizing SPSS version 21 (IBM, USA)., Results: The present study did not reveal any noteworthy association between cases and controls. The frequencies of genotypes and alleles within the cohorts displayed no statistically significant differences (p = 0.25, p = 0.68, and p = 0.78, respectively). The dominant model indicated a modest risk (OR:1.13, 95%CI: 0.55 to 2.38) toward PCOS development. There was a noticeable statistical difference observed in the levels of total testosterone, DHEAS, and BMI between the case and control groups (p < 0.002, p < 0.0002, p < 0.0008). However, no variations in clinical variables were observed among genotypes within the PCOS group., Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate the association of FTO gene polymorphism and PCOS in Gujarati population. Our study findings indicate that the FTO gene variant is not directly linked to the onset of PCOS. However, it appears to exert an influence on metabolic factors such as obesity and insulin resistance. Notably, our results suggest that insulin resistance is more frequently observed among PCOS patients who are obese, as compared to those with non-obese PCOS patients., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of COVID-19 infection despite vaccination. Limited data exist on COVID-19 cases among vaccinated HCWs. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of RT PCR-confirmed COVID-19 cases in vaccinated HCWs, at a COVID clinic in a medical college hospital. This single-center, prospective cohort study included HCWs who received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and tested positive for COVID-19 within 6 months. Data on demographics, symptoms, work category, COVID-19 vaccination interval, and infection severity were collected. Of 2381 vaccinated HCWs, 105 tested positive and were categorized as mild, moderate, or severe cases. Among vaccinated HCWs, 4.41% had post-vaccine COVID-19 infections. All 105 cases received the first dose, and 79 received the second dose. Of the cases, 47.6% were partially vaccinated, and 53.3% were breakthrough cases. The mean age was 30.90±8.69 years, with 63.8% male and 36.2% female cases. Most cases (85.7%) acquired infection in the hospital, and 47.6% had direct contact with COVID-19 patients. Common symptoms included fatigue (85.7%), fever (82.9%), and cough (64.8%). Among cases, 93.3% were mild, 5.7% were moderate, and 0.9% were severe. Hospital admission and supplemental oxygen therapy were required for moderate and severe cases. No mortality was reported. Certain variables were associated with age, preventive measures, workplace type, symptoms, and comorbidities. Breakthrough infections can occur among fully vaccinated HCWs but with reduced severity and mortality. Monitoring and infection control measures remain crucial even in vaccinated individuals. This study provides insights into clinical presentations, oxygen therapy requirements, and outcomes of post-vaccine COVID-19 cases among HCWs. The data will inform strategies for booster doses to prevent COVID-19., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (©2023 JOURNAL of MEDICINE and LIFE.)

Prolonged and repeated drought, as seen in India and other parts of South Asia, is a symptom of climate change, which is partially the result of human interventions. The performance of the widely used drought metrics Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) are evaluated for 18 stations in Uttar Pradesh state for the period 1971 to 2018 in this study. Drought characteristics such as intensity, duration, and frequency of different categories are estimated and compared based on SPI and SPEI. In addition, station proportion is estimated at a different timescales, providing a better insight into temporal variability drought of a specific category. Spatiotemporal trend variability of SPEI and SPI was investigated at a significance level of 0.05 using the non-parametric Mann-Kendall (MK) test. SPEI adds the effect of temperature rise and deficit change on the drought occurrences of different classes. SPEI provides a better estimation of drought characteristics due to its consideration of temperature change in the drought severity. The more significant number of drying events accounted for a timescale of 3 months and 6 months, reflecting the higher variability of the seasonal fluctuation of water balance over the state. At 9-month and 12-month timescales, SPI and SPEI fluctuate gradually with considerable differences between the duration and severity of the drought event. This study reveals that there have been a substantial number of drought events over the state during the last two decades (2000 to 2018). The results conclude that the study area is at risk of erratic meteorological drought conditions where the western part of the study is worst affected compared to the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh (India)., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Aim: Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is often an unrecognized, rare fibroinflammatory condition that can involve various organ systems. This study aimed to identify the different clinical patterns of this disease in a single center in North India., Methods: Patients were diagnosed on the basis of published diagnostic criteria for IgG4-RD. Patients' presenting complaints; epidemiologic profiles; and laboratory, radiologic, and histologic findings along with the treatment and outcomes were collected and analyzed., Results: In total, 70 patients were diagnosed with the disease. The female-to-male ratio was 0.94:1, and it increased with multiorgan involvement. The mean age of patients was 41.4 years, and the majority of the patients (65.7%) were younger than 50 years. Patients were diagnosed as possible (38.57%), probable (32.85%), and definite (28.57%) IgG4-RD. The incidence of the involvement of orbital and periorbital tissues was the highest (52.9%); however, 13% of the patients had multiple organ involvement. Patients with involvement of the retroperitoneal tissues and the lymph nodes were 8.5% and 5.7%, respectively. Increased serum IgG4 levels were found in 74.3% of the patients with single-organ involvement, whereas all patients with multiorgan involvement had increased IgG4 levels. The majority of patients (94.3%) required immunosuppressive medications along with corticosteroids. Azathioprine was the most commonly used (72.8%) immunosuppressive medication. Rituximab was used in 17.1% of the patients, of whom only one had multisystem involvement., Conclusions: This study depicts the most common patterns of organ involvement, along with the epidemiologic, laboratory, histologic, and radiologic data and response to treatment, in IgG4-RD, with a definite ophthalmology referral bias., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Phyllanthus species exhibit a wide range of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities; however, little is known about the compounds present in the extracts that are responsible for such actions., Objective: Development and validation of a simple reversed phase HPLC-PDA method for profiling of phyllanthin, hypophyllanthin, nirtetralin, and niranthin in extracts of Phyllanthus species was carried out., Methods: Separation was achieved using an XBridge column® (150 × 4.6 mm, 5.0 µm id) in an isocratic elution mode with mobile phase comprising of a mixture of acetonitrile and water with TFA (0.05%, v/v, pH = 2.15) at ambient temperature with a flow rate of 1 mL/min., Results: Phyllanthin, hypophyllanthin, nirtetralin, and niranthin were eluted at mean retention times of 10.47, 11.10, 13.67, and 14.53 min, respectively. LOD and LOQ for all four analytes were 0.75 and 3.00 μg/mL, respectively. RSDr values for intraday and interday precision for phyllanthin, hypophyllanthin, nirtetralin, and niranthin were 0.38-1.32 and 0.45-1.77%; 0.22-3.69 and 0.24-3.04%, 0.73-2.37 and 0.09-0.31%, and 1.56-2.77 and 0.12-0.68%, respectively., Conclusions: The developed and validated HPLC-PDA method was applied for identification and quantification of phyllanthin, hypophyllanthin, nirtetralin, and niranthin in extracts of different plant parts of selected Phyllanthus species. The outcome of the present investigation could be useful for selection of best species to promote its commercial cultivation and suitable extraction solvent for preparation of lignan-enriched fractions. This HPLC-PDA method could be useful for quality control of herbal formulations containing plants from Phyllanthus species., (© AOAC INTERNATIONAL 2020. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: This first in human study was designed as an open label clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. (SIIPL) Tdap vaccine in healthy adult volunteers, aged 18-45 years., Methods: A total of 24 healthy adults were administered a 0.5 ml single dose of SIIPL Tdap vaccine intramuscularly, and were followed for one month for safety outcomes viz., immediate, solicited, unsolicited and serious adverse events., Results: 23 subjects completed the study in compliance with the study protocol. None of the participants experienced any immediate adverse events or any local or systemic solicited adverse events., Conclusion: Tdap vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. is safe and well tolerable in adults. It was concluded that further clinical development of this vaccine should continue to assess its safety and immunogenicity, in the target population. Clinical Trial Registration - CTRI/2017/03/008003., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious disease, and it has the highest global burden on India with 21% prevalence rate and 27% of patients who do not receive pertinent medical treatment. Although India spends 23 billion dollars annually towards medical expenses for TB, India still ranks among the top 2 countries with the highest incidence and prevalence rates with more than 300,000 deaths excluding the patients with HIV and TB calling for prompt consideration. India faces a great challenge socially and economically. They lack a uniform health care system, making it burdensome to use effective surveillance techniques for prevention of TB. Currently, India is working on resolving the issue meticulously through the web-based application program 'Nikshay' with other strategies like Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) and World Health Organization's The End TB Strategy. India's cardinal goal is to make advanced diagnostic tools made available and public-private healthcare sector collaboration. India needs to focus more on primary prevention by effective policy formation and campaign which promote proper sanitation and vaccine administration while educating the layman., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors have none to declare., (Copyright © 2020 Tuberculosis Association of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the sensitivity patterns of anti-tubercular drugs in Xpert MTB-positive spinal tuberculosis (TB) patients and to formulate the guidelines for early start of empiric anti-tubercular treatment (ATT) in MDR-TB spine based on resistance pattern in this large series., Methods: It was a cross-sectional observational study of 252 consecutive patients who were Xpert MTB-proven spinal TB cases with retrospective analysis of prospective data. The Xpert MTB/RIF (Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampicin) assay was used to diagnose spinal TB and RIF resistance. All patients underwent drug sensitivity testing (DST) to 13 commonly used anti-tubercular drugs using BACTEC MGIT-960 system. The drug sensitivity pattern of primary and secondary anti-tubercular drugs was recorded and compared., Results: The DST study revealed 110 (43.6%) cases of multi-drug resistant (MDR-resistance to both isoniazid and rifampicin) and 24 (9.5%) cases of non-MDR-TB spine. The widespread resistance was found for both isoniazid (91%) and rifampicin (85%), followed by streptomycin (61.9%). The least resistance was found for kanamycin, amikacin and capreomycin and no resistance found for clofazimine., Conclusion: The Xpert MTB/RIF assay is an efficient technique for the rapid diagnosis of spinal TB and suspected MDR-TB; however, it is recommended to do culture and DST in all patients with spinal TB to guide the selection of appropriate second-line drugs when required. In cases of non-availability of culture and DST, it is suggested to use data from large series such as this to plan the best empirical ATT regimen. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Aims: Agate workers in Khambhat, India and their community members are exposed to high levels of silica dust and related diseases. Use of effective prevention practices remains low, prompting the need for effective interventions which increase the uptake of and investment in prevention practices. We sought: (a) to describe knowledge, self-efficacy, and practices among a population of workers, their family members, and neighbors involved in or located close to agate processing; and (b) to explore which factors are related to use of prevention practices and willingness to invest in new dust control technologies., Methods: A community survey was conducted to measure demographics, occupation and financial factors, knowledge, prevention practices, barriers, risk perceptions, and efficacy beliefs. Descriptive statistics were used and, among agate workers, hierarchical logistic regression explored predictors of prevention practice use and willingness to invest., Results: Among 1120 respondents, approximately 44%, 35%, and 8% of workers, family members, and neighbors used prevention practices, respectively. Knowledge and risk perceptions were generally high, where efficacy beliefs were low. Workers who had high levels of education, worked at home, and had high efficacy beliefs were more likely to report using prevention practices and being willing to invest. Barriers to prevention practice use included financial barriers, and beliefs that prevention is ineffective and health is not at risk., Conclusions: Interventions and future research should be designed to engage the community to improve preventive behavior, and implement affordable and effective dust control interventions in the agate industry., (© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Occupational Health published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Japan Society for Occupational Health.)

Objectives: Health interventions based on cognitive theories effectively bring about behaviour change. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the determinants of oral hygiene behaviour (OHB) based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) among patients with moderate and severe periodontitis., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a 47-item self-report questionnaire to evaluate oral health knowledge (OHK), expected social outcomes (ESO) and OHB based on the variables of TPB [attitude (ATT), social norms (SN) and perceived behavioural control (PBC)] of patients with moderate and severe periodontitis. Analysis of variance was used for comparison between the parameters. Regression analyses identified the significant determinants of OHB., Results: A total of 543 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were included. ESO (B = 0.04) and OHK (B = 0.14) significantly predicted intention to perform OHB. None of the TPB variables significantly predicted OHB. Apart from ESO and OHK, which were significant predictors for both genders, ATT (β = 0.22) additionally predicted OHB among men. Also, for university graduates, ESO (β = 0.13) and OHK (β = 0.17) significantly predicted OHB. Lastly, OHB showed a significant and positive correlation with all the parameters (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: The study concludes that the TPB model facilitates the evaluation of psychosocial determinants of OHB among patients with periodontitis. Also, a significant relationship between gender, OHB and variables of TPB further highlights the importance of patient-focused preventive oral health care education., (© 2018 FDI World Dental Federation.)

This phase II / III clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of the Tetravalent Influenza vaccine (Split virion) I.P. (TetIV) developed indigenously in the country for the first time by M/s Cadila Healthcare Limited, India containing two influenza A and two influenza B strains, one of each, Yamagata (B/Phuket) and Victoria (B/Brisbane) lineage and also compare it to that of an licensed seasonal Trivalent Influenza vaccine (TriIV) of Sanofi Pasteur India Private Limited, containing the two influenza A and only the Yamagata lineage (B/Phuket) strain. Three hundred and fifty subjects of either sex, aged more than 18 years of age, were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either the TetIV or TriIV. Immunogenicity assessments (antibody against A/H1N1, A/H3N2, B/Phuket and B/Brisbane) were done by Haemagglutination Inhibition assay at baseline and 21 d after vaccination. Solicited (local and systemic) and unsolicited adverse events were recorded for up to 42 d following vaccination. The TetIV was found to fulfill the criteria set by the European and the US regulatory authorities and WHO guidance on the requirements of clinical data for licensure of seasonal inactivated influenza vaccines. The seroconversion rates with TetIV were 93.5% for A/H1N1, 90.0% for A/H3N2, 70.0% for B/Phuket and 82.9% for B/Brisbane strain. There was no significant difference in the seroconversion and seroprotection rates at day 21 for A/H1N1, A/H3N2 and B/Phuket in the two groups while the TetIV was superior to the TrivIV for the seroconversion and the seroprotection rate for the B/Brisbane strain (Victoria lineage). Both the vaccines were well tolerated by all the study participants; addition of the fourth strain in the TetIV did not compromise the safety as compared to TriIV. The most common systemic adverse event reported in both the groups was headache followed by fever.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem in H. pylori treatment. The study was intended to evaluate the prevalence of resistance amongst 80 H.pylori isolates cultured from biopsy taken during routine endoscopies in 2008-2011., Materials and Methods: 855 gastro duodenal biopsies were collected and cultured on H.pylori selective medium (containing Brucella agar and Columbia agar (Hi media), with Skirrow's supplement (antibiotic supplement) and 7% human blood cells). H.pylori was isolated from 80 specimens. The antimicrobial susceptibility of H.pylori isolates was carried out by the Kirby Bauer technique against metronidazole (5 µg), clarithromycin (15 µg), ciprofloxacin (5 µg), amoxicillin (10 µg), tetracycline (30 µg), erythromycin (15 µg), levofloxacin (5 µg), and furazolidone (50 µg) (Sigma- Aldrich, MO)., Results: 83.8% isolates were resistant to metronidazole, 58.8% were resistant to Clarithromycin 72.5% were resistant to Amoxicillin, 50% to Ciprofloxacin and 53.8% to tetracycline. furazolidone, erythromycin and Levofloxacin showed only 13.8% resistance to H.pylori. Multi drug resistance with metronidazole+clarithromycin+tetracycline was 85%. For all the drugs Antimicrobial resistance rate was found higher in males compare to females. Metronidazole and amoxicillin resistance was found noteworthy in patients with duodenal ulcer (p=0.018), gastritis (P=0.00), and in reflux esophagitis (P=0.00). clarithromycin and tetracycline resistance was suggestively linked with duodenitis (P=0.018), while furazolidone, erythromycin and levofloxacin showed excellent sensitivity in patients with duodenitis (P value--0.018), gastritis (P=0.00) and reflux esophagitis (P=0.00). Resistance with metronidazole (P=0.481), clarithromycin (P=0.261), amoxicillin (P=0.276), tetracycline (P=0.356), ciprofloxacin (P=0.164) was not correlated well with Age-group and Gender of the patients., Conclusion: A very high percentage of patients were infected with metronidazole and clarithromycin resistant strains. The use of antibiotics for other indications seems to be the major risk factor for the development of primary resistance. High incidence should alarm the gastroenterologist while prescribing the eradication regimen.

Polymorphic variability in the enzymes involved in biotransformation of tobacco-related pro-carcinogens plays an important role in modulating oral cancer susceptibility. CYP1A1*2A, CYP1A1*2C, GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms were determined in 122 oral carcinoma cases and 127 controls from Gujarat, West India using PCR-based methods. The results revealed that the polymorphic variants of CYP1A1 gene did not show association towards oral cancer risk. The GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes were found to be over-represented in patients than controls, suggesting a moderate increase in risk of oral cancer. The oral cancer risk was significantly increased in the patients having either alone or concurrent deletion of GSTM1 and GSTT1. The results also suggested significant association between tobacco habits, especially chewing, variant genotypes of CYP1A1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 and oral cancer risk. Our data have provided evidence that GST polymorphism modified the susceptibility to oral cancer and individuals with variant genotypes of the three genes with tobacco habits are at significant risk of developing oral cancer., (© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A phenanthrene-degrading bacterial consortium (ASP) was developed using sediment from the Alang-Sosiya shipbreaking yard at Gujarat, India. 16S rRNA gene-based molecular analyses revealed that the bacterial consortium consisted of six bacterial strains: Bacillus sp. ASP1, Pseudomonas sp. ASP2, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain ASP3, Staphylococcus sp. ASP4, Geobacillus sp. ASP5 and Alcaligenes sp. ASP6. The consortium was able to degrade 300 ppm of phenanthrene and 1000 ppm of naphthalene within 120 h and 48 h, respectively. Tween 80 showed a positive effect on phenanthrene degradation. The consortium was able to consume maximum phenanthrene at the rate of 46 mg/h/l and degrade phenanthrene in the presence of other petroleum hydrocarbons. A microcosm study was conducted to test the consortium's bioremediation potential. Phenanthrene degradation increased from 61% to 94% in sediment bioaugmented with the consortium. Simultaneously, bacterial counts and dehydrogenase activities also increased in the bioaugmented sediment. These results suggest that microbial consortium bioaugmentation may be a promising technology for bioremediation., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Agate stones have been shaped and polished into beads and other decorative items for thousands of years in Khambhat, India. Agate is a silicate quartz that produces a fine dust when shaped and polished. The people who shape and polish the stones in workshops in their homes are being sickened with silicosis, as are their families and neighbors. These home-based workshops are unregulated and the workers and their families have no access to occupational health services or workers' compensation when they become ill. Occupational health activists have tried to find an effective strategy to confront these working conditions and protect the health and livelihood of the agate workers. They have had limited success, and huge challenges remain.

Introduction: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is exceptionally prevalent amongst globally dispersed migrant groups originating from the Indian subcontinent, but the contribution of dyslipidaemia to their increased risk remains poorly defined., Methods: Fasting lipids and lipoproteins, apolipoproteins (Apo), low density lipoprotein (LDL) diameter and oxidised LDL were measured amongst rural Indians in India (n=294) and their migrant contemporaries in the UK (n=242). The performance of qualitative and quantitative measures of lipid metabolism were compared in the discrimination of WHO defined metabolic risk and raised Framingham CHD risk scores (>15%) using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves., Results: LDL diameter was correlated with triglycerides (R(2)=0.12, P<0.001) and with high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels (R(2)=0.15, P<0.001) in both groups. Migrants had less small dense LDL (95% CI: 12.5-14.2%) vs. rural Indians (15.7-17.2, P<0.05). On ROC analysis, triglycerides were the only consistent discriminators of metabolic and CHD risk scores (all P< or =0.001). Apo B was also a strong indicator of raised CHD risk scores. Irrespective of site, individuals with raised triglycerides also had higher total cholesterol and Apo B, denser LDL, lower HDL and more oxidised LDL (all P< or =0.01)., Discussion: Fasting triglycerides reflect both qualitative and quantitative aspects of lipid metabolism, and are a comprehensive discriminator of CHD risk in this South Asian population., (Crown Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)