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In India, the past two decades have been crucial for the growing popularity of Electronic Dance Music (EDM). This is largely due to the burgeoning presence and significance of EDM festivals as a performative site of a contemporary Indian youth culture. A salient feature capturing the zeitgeist of twenty-first century, urban, modern Indian youth is EDM's gradual permeation into the cultural fabric of India through crucial collaborations with cultural industries like Bollywood. It is a truism that the legacy of Goa Trance remains a dominant point of reference in the global imagination of the Indian EDM scene. This article, however, argues that the contemporary mode of Indian Electronic Dance Music Culture (EDMC) has largely developed independently of this legacy. The main proponent of contemporary EDMC in urban India has been the multiple greenfield EDM festivals held annually all over the country. This article draws on fieldwork data collected between 2016-2018 at Indian EDM festival sites. Using this empirical data, the article examines the 'performance' of Indian EDMC and considers whether it is viable to speak in terms of an Indian way of raving, as a variation of other 'local' ways of performing EDMC that may exist elsewhere in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have focused sufficiently on the intricate link between functional health and depression among older people aged 60 and above in India. Therefore, the current study investigates the association between functional health and depression among older Indian adults through the mediating role of social disengagement and loneliness and the moderating role of living arrangements using recent data from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI: 2017–2018). Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Short Form (CIDI-SF) for depression, the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) for functional health, and the indoor/outdoor activities, visits, and religious events for social disengagement were used. The feelings of loneliness and living arrangements were measured using single-item questions and surveys/interviews of household members. Bivariate analysis, logistic regression, and a Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Model were adopted. The results show that older persons with functional health had 1.85 times higher odds of depression; similarly, those not engaging in social activities and experiencing loneliness were more likely to feel depressed. Living with someone was negatively linked to depression. A significant moderation by living arrangements in the functional health-depression relationship was also observed. The results also indicate significant mediating roles of social disengagement and loneliness, with 22.0% and 3.08% mediation effects, respectively. Therefore, this study recommends the provision of housing and social interaction among older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rMEQ, a popular tool for assessing chronotype/circadian preference across languages, lacks availability in Hindi, a widely spoken language. Therefore, the study aims to validate Hindi version of rMEQ in Indian adults with additional objectives to explore the prevalence and impact of chronotype on energy levels and sleep-wake behavior. It involved 605 participants aged 18-50, using the Hindi-rMEQ, with Hindi Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM-Hindi), Circadian Energy Scale (CIRENS), also recording sleep/wake times on workdays and free days. Most participants belonged to morning chronotypes (56.7%), followed by 34.2% neither type, and 9.1% evening chronotypes. The rMEQ-H demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=0.602) and confirmed a one-dimensional morningness construct validated through principal component analysis with varimax rotation. Positive correlations between rMEQ-H and CSM-Hindi scores validated the chronotype classifications between the two inventories. While significant negative correlations with CIRENS scores and sleep-wake times supported the effectiveness of rMEQ-H in quantifying chronotype, indicating its convergent validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the historical significance of two important works on slavery and post-emancipation labor studies. It argues for a reevaluation of indentured labor studies, urging researchers to examine the global migrant labor system in a broader context. The article emphasizes the need to consider factors such as gender relations, immigrant women, and the diverse experiences of indentured laborers beyond agricultural work. It also discusses the role of different populations in the development of plantation sectors and the marginalization of certain groups in indentured labor historiography. The text suggests incorporating disciplines like archaeology and anthropology to gain a deeper understanding of indentured laborers' experiences and highlights the importance of understanding the legacy of indentured labor in modern systems of slavery. [Extracted from the article]

This article reports a longitudinal study comparing religiosity among two cohorts of Indian older adults—those who age in the homeland of India (AIH cohort) and immigrants (to the USA) or diaspora older adults (DOA). Results indicated that AIH and DOA cohorts' religiosity outcomes were comparable at baseline but there was a statistically significant increase in all outcomes of the DOA cohort at subsequent time points. Women and single older adults in both the cohorts had higher religiosity scores at baseline. Religiosity scores were higher among those in the DOA cohort who migrated following marital disruption (widowhood, divorce) or grandchild birth and lived with adult immigrant children and their families. The immigration process can have an impact on religious orientation of older adults and place is a significant variable impacting religiosity possibly for augmenting the sense of self, acquire social capital and preserve cultural identity in the foreign land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blackness in Malaysia is associated with Semang or "Negritos" and Indians, ranked groups based on a mix of biological and cultural attributes in colonial and postcolonial racial worldviews. They inhabited separate but lower rungs of "civilized" and "aboriginal" slots in colonial Malaya and are treated as second-class citizens in postcolonial Malaysia. Ethnographic accounts demonstrate their experiences of prejudice and discrimination in contemporary Malaysia. Kensiu Semang and Tamil Indian racial projects for improving their conditions interact with other racial projects serving different interests. The social and cultural configuration shapes their positive self-identities that are not rooted in Blackness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A government's decision to communicate in a native tongue rather than a commonly used and understood but non-native language can prompt perception through an ethnically-tinted lens. While native-language communication is commonplace and typically benign, we argue that conveying a threat posed by an outgroup in a native tongue can trigger dehumanizing attitudes. We conducted a pre-registered survey experiment focusing on attitudes toward Muslim and Chinese people in India to test our expectations. In our two-stage design, we randomly assigned respondents to a survey language (Hindi or English) and, after that, to threat-provoking or control conditions. While Muslims and China are associated with recent violence against India, the government has routinely portrayed only the former as threatening. Likely due to this divergence, Hindi language assignment alone triggers Muslim dehumanization. Indians' more innocuous views of Chinese are responsive to exogenously-induced threat, particularly when conveyed in Hindi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an artist/academic, I discuss my pedagogical interventions in teaching Odissi through studio, theory, and praxis courses to populations across university students and professional artists. Through interdisciplinary research, I work at the confluence of historical and contemporary forces. Casteist, fundamentalist, racist, sexist, ablist, and hierarchical modes of teaching and learning plague Odissi as part of the field popularly known as "Indian classical dance." The appellation of "classical" is itself a byproduct of complex social and cultural forces across Hindu majoritarianism, historical nostalgia, and anti-colonial nationalist resistance. While dance scholars have unpacked this historical complexity to some extent, I apply contemporary trends in performance and pedagogy that have received little scholarly engagement. I ground my work in an ethos of community building creating through lines across the diasporic Indian community and academia. This way of working presents questions of access and ownership as it bumps up against historical entanglements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type-II Diabetes is the most common form of Diabetes and accounts for more than 90 percent of all diabetes cases. This disease is also closely associated with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and obesity. It has been seen that Asian Indians seems to be highly susceptible to this disease. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates the total number of diabetic subjects to be around 40.9 million in India and this is further set to rise to 69.9 million by the year 2025. Genetic factors play an important role in the development of this disease and the major focus is on insulin signaling pathway. Major focus of our research is on the mutation screening and association analysis of PC-1 and IRS-1 gene in Type II diabetic patients from Northern India. Now first of all we have to understand why these genes are important in Type-II Diabetes. Both these genes are involved in insulin signaling pathway. Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 plays a key role in transmitting signals from the insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptors to intracellular pathways PI3K / Akt and Erk MAP kinase pathways.IRS-1 plays important biological function for both metabolic and mitogenic (growth promoting) pathways. Plasma cell membrane glycoprotein-1 (PC-1) affects insulin signalling by direct interaction with insulin receptor α-subunit blocking insulin action.PC-1 is expressed in many tissues and inhibits insulin signalling either at the level of the insulin receptor or downstream at a postreceptor site. An elevated PC-1 content in insulin target tissues may play an important role in the development of insulin resistance in obesity and T2DM mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the climatological prevalence of hot, humid conditions, moist heat extremes are a significant challenge to the health and wellbeing of the people in India. While research has demonstrated the importance of summer monsoon to moist heat in India, impact of monsoon‐break and warm spells in modulating extreme moist heat regionally has not been fully investigated. Here we investigate moist heat extremes, as measured by the Wet‐Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) metric, specifically during monsoon and monsoon‐break periods and find that they pose a major threat to physical labor and health relative to other seasons. During the 1951–2020 break period, an increase in area exposed (∼42.76 million km2), representing at least 670 million people, to extreme and detrimental WBGT values >31°C occur. Our results imply that future studies on extreme moist heat must pay close attention to the variation of weather systems on synoptic to subseasonal time scales that are superimposed on the seasonal monsoon migration. Plain Language Summary: A significant increase in temperature extremes associated with high humidity has been observed recently in India. While the Indian population is susceptible to moist heat owing to the current agricultural sector, the recent rise in construction employment can exacerbate its impact. Prolonged exposure to elevated moist heat during any period can lead to a health hazard that can be fatal during certain climatic conditions. We show that India has been exposed to dangerous levels of moist heat during monsoon‐break, significantly affecting millions of people. While moist heat extremes occur during monsoon‐breaks, it's recent rise is primarily due to global warming. Additionally, the risk associated with the rise in monsoon‐break moist heat is substantially higher than other seasons in India. Our findings have implications for public health and subsequent policy development. In recent decades, the increasing agricultural and construction activities in India have drawn immediate attention to policy revision in outdoor working hours. Key Points: Extreme monsoon‐break moist heat is detrimental to physical labor relative to other seasons in the Indian regionThe substantial rise in extreme moist heat has contributed to elevated risk and population exposure over the countryRising global temperature drives extreme moist heat during the monsoon‐break, similar to regional temperature change [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite significant strides made in childhood survival during the last 75 years, India bears the largest burden of congenital heart disease (CHD) in the world. The care of a child with CHD requires multidisciplinary collaboration and development of distinct training opportunities in developing countries to ensure outcomes similar to those achieved in high-income countries. We present a commentary on the current state of pediatric cardiac critical care in India and propose pathways to fulfil the unmet needs of Indian children. The aim is to achieve self-reliance in pediatric cardiac services and to move towards optimal outcome and intact survival of children with CHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Falls are common in the elderly and can lead to adverse consequences, like injuries, hospitalization, disability even mortality. Successful ageing emerged in sight to assess physical, psychological and social status of older adults. This study is conducted to explore the association between them in a large Indian community-dwelling population. Methods: Data were based on the wave 1 survey of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI). People aged 60 and above with complete information were included. The elderly met five standards including absence of chronic diseases, freedom from disability, high cognitive ability, free from depressive symptoms and active social engagement, were classified into successful agers. The assessment of falls, fall-related injuries and multiple falls depended on interview. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to find the associations between falls, fall-injury, multiple falls and successful ageing after adjusting both socio-demographic and biological covariates. The log-likelihood ratio test was calculated interactions in subgroups. Results: 31,345 participants in LASI were finally included in our study. Of them, 20.25% reported fall, and 25% were classified into successful agers. After full adjustment, successful ageing was negatively associated with falls (OR 0.70; 95%CI 0.65–0.76) and multiple falls (OR 0.70; 95%CI 0.63–0.78). And the association did not show the significance in older adults with fall-related injuries (OR 0.86; 95%CI 0.72–1.04). Conclusions: Successful ageing was negatively associated with falls and multiple falls, but not fall-related injuries in older people in India. Future studies are demanded to explore the causal relationship and to reveal the underlying mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the efforts to establish Western-style astronomical observatories in India made by colleges and universities over the last century prior to Indian independence in 1947. The focus is therefore on the nineteenth-century emergence of the Presidency College Observatory in Calcutta, St. Xavier's College Observatory in Calcutta, Takhtasinghji Observatory in Poona, and Langat Singh College Observatory in Muzaffarpur. Three of these observatories were established either to aid educated Indians in gaining a realistic knowledge of Western astronomy, or so that India itself could contribute to that body of research knowledge. The fourth observatory, at the Presidency College in Calcutta, was a local government initiative founded primarily to provide a local time service and meteorological data. Unlike the observatories discussed in the first paper in this series, none of the observatories reviewed in this paper was set up primarily to further Britain's colonial ambitions. All were local Indian initiatives, but the critical involvement of Western astronomers or academics at three of the four observatories reveals that a colonial link was still there, albeit as an underlying element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores India's response to the Ukraine crisis and its decision not to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It examines various factors that contribute to India's reluctance, such as its fear of pushing Russia closer to China, its reliance on Russia for weaponry, a sense of nostalgia from the Cold War era, and economic benefits from maintaining silence. The article concludes that India is unlikely to change its stance on Russia in the near future, which could impact its alignment with the United States. It also discusses India's longstanding partnership with Russia and how it influences India's foreign policy decisions, particularly in relation to Russia's actions in Ukraine. The article suggests that India's ties to Russia may hinder its ability to develop a closer relationship with the United States, potentially allowing China and Russia to gain influence in the region. [Extracted from the article]

"Our blood is becoming white." This was a constant lament I heard from siddis in contemporary Hyderabad, India—third‐ and fourth‐generation descendants of East African slaves and soldiers recruited by the local ruler or Nizam in the 1860s to form the African Cavalry Guard in his army. The article explores this siddi lament and the multivalent symbols—of color, blood, affect, belonging—latent in it. It draws on fieldwork conducted over the course of the last decade among siddis in Hyderabad, ambivalently situated as Indian citizens who are racialized as "Black" in an Indian and global order that denigrates Blackness and marked by their religious identification as Muslim in a virulently Hindu nation. The article unpacks these contexts, exploring the forces of empire and region and constructions of race, gender, and religion that have prodded and inflected siddi processes of becoming. In so doing, it unearths the ways in which Blackness, Muslimness, and masculinity are constituted as (intersecting) social and political categories, caught in the dialectics of alienation and intimacy, belonging and otherness, with enduring effects on the lives and cosmologies of siddis in Hyderabad and on the contemporary politics of race, gender, and religion in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the historical trade relationships between American, Indian, and Zanzibari merchants in the 19th century. American merchants recognized the commercial potential of Zanzibar and formed close ties with Indian businessmen, such as Jairam Shivji, to establish a mutually beneficial trade system. Zanzibar served as a gateway for American ventures across the Western Indian Ocean. The article emphasizes the significance of Indian commercial networks and the complexities of cross-cultural trade. It also discusses the theoretical frameworks of trade networks and circulation societies in understanding these interactions. The text further delves into the relationship between American traders and Indian merchants in the Indian Ocean region, the challenges faced in establishing commercial relationships on Zanzibar, and the role of the Omani Empire. It also highlights the development of bilingual commodity contracts and the expansion of American trade to other ports, including Bombay. Despite obstacles, the close relationship between American and Indian merchants remained crucial in facilitating trade in the Western Indian Ocean. [Extracted from the article]

The present study attempts to understand what happens to conventional values like obedience in a changing socio-cultural milieu. There are two possible courses. Either the society tends to move towards the values of autonomy, independence, and individuality from the conventional values of obedience and interdependence (Lerner in The passing of traditional society: modernizing the middle east, Press Identifier Glencoe, 1958 and Schramm in Mass media and national development. The role of information in developing countries, Stanford University, California, 1964), or old values are aptly modified by interacting with new values (Trommsdorff, in: Noack (Ed) Psychological responses to social change: Human development in changing environments, de Gruyter, Berlin, 1995). Indian studies demonstrate that co-existence is a preferred strategy of Indians to accommodate cultural changes (Mishra, In: Sharan and Suar (Eds) Psychology matters: development, health, and organization, Allied Publishers, New Delhi, 2007, Mishra, Sinha and Berry in Ecology, acculturation, and psychological adaptation: a study of Adivasis in Bihar, Sage Publication, New Delhi, 1996, Chaubey in Psychol Dev Soc 14:201–220, 2002, Mishra and Sinha in Soc Sci Int 28:159–175, 2012). Testing these ideas regarding obedience, a study was conducted in Varanasi, with 30 participants (15 boys, 15 girls) aged 18–19 years randomly selected for the sample. They were given a questionnaire with ten open-ended questions assessing obedience's meaning, significance, flexibility, and context. Thematic analysis showed that the value of obedience is very significant in the lives of young people. It serves four functions, viz., knowledge function, self-enhancement function, harmonising function, and other miscellaneous functions for them. However, signs of acculturation are also evident in increased demands for autonomy and independence. This makes obedience more flexible and context-bound than before. In an attempt to balance autonomy with relatedness, a guided autonomy model has emerged in India which helps Indian youth accommodate cultural change without getting uprooted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: MODY (maturity onset diabetes of the young) is a rare, monogenic, autosomal dominant form of diabetes occurring in young (< 25 years) individuals. It has a wide phenotypic variability and can be misdiagnosed as type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Appropriate detection of MODY has therapeutic and genetic implications. This study aimed to detect MODY among long standing, clinically diagnosed T1DM patients with preserved C-peptide levels. Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study from central South India which included 100 clinically diagnosed T1DM patients (according to ADA criteria), with a duration of > 3 years. MODY probability score, urinary C-peptide to creatinine ratio (UCPCR), and relevant biochemical investigations were performed. Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) for MODY-related genes (13 genes) was done for individuals with UCPCR > 0.2. Results: A UCPCR value of > 0.2 (suggestive of preserved endogenous insulin secretion) was observed in eight individuals. The mean HbA1c values were lower, and the MODY probability score was higher in individuals with preserved endogenous insulin (8.07% vs 9.53% and 2.8% vs 1.5%; p-value: 0.005 and 0.004 respectively). One of the eight individuals (12.5%) had a non-pathogenic gene variant in KLF11. Conclusion: In a South Indian cohort of T1DM with preserved C-peptide, we could not find any case of MODY through targeted NGS. UCPCR can be used as a screening tool to identify cases needing genetic testing for MODY. Larger studies utilizing whole exome sequencing should be conducted to know the actual prevalence of MODY among T1DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role of Black West Indian women in the construction of the Panama Canal and their contributions to the U.S. imperial project. These women played a crucial role in sustaining the Black male canal workers and caring for white families through their domestic and care labor. Despite their essential contributions, they faced discrimination and disparagement from both officials and white female employers. The author highlights the resilience and agency of these women, as well as their ability to navigate between the social reproduction of imperial racial capitalism and the social reproduction of West Indian lives. The book provides a more accurate account of the Panama Canal by utilizing non-U.S. based sources and contextualizing women's migration to Panama within their preexisting traditions and practices. Overall, the book makes significant contributions to the scholarship of the Panama Canal, Caribbean diaspora, post-emancipation labor in the Caribbean, and imperial history. [Extracted from the article]

The British rulers pushed India into the Second World War without taking the Indians into confidence. The Indian National Congress opposed any type of co-operation with the British war effort. The political climate deteriorated with each passing day. The Quit India Movement, launched in August 1942, further aggravated the unrest. Further, the Japanese had subjugated Malaya and Burma and were threatening India. The need for augmenting the armed forces was pressing indeed. However, the moot question is how, despite the Congress's opposition to the war, over two million Indians joined the armed forces to support the British, leading to the largest voluntary force worldwide. This article seeks to investigate the reasons for the expansion of the Indian armed forces during the war. The article also seeks to examine the impact of the large mobilisation of Indian youth. It is based on interviews and biographies of the men who joined the armed forces during the war, as well as the original records available at the National Archives of India and some other archives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In non-endemic countries, surveillance of non-travel cases of enteric fever is important to identify carriers and reduce secondary transmission. We characterised these cases in England between 2012 and 2021 and assessed potential sources of infection to inform guidance revision. Retrospective case–case. We identified enteric fever cases from the national surveillance dataset. Non-travel cases were defined as no travel to an endemic country or travel but onset of >60 days after return. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with non-travel cases. We reviewed the case records of cases with unknown source of infection. Compared to travel cases, non-travel cases (7%; 225/3075) were older (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.04), asymptomatic (OR = 9.3: 95% CI: 4.3–20.3), and confirmed with Salmonella typhi infection (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.26–2.4). Non-travel cases had lower odds of being of Indian (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.16–0.45) or Pakistani ethnicity (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.16–0.45) than White British. Surveillance questionnaires identified a possible infection source for 53%: case records review identified a further 23%: 33% secondary transmission, mostly household; 21% had overseas visitors, or travelling family; 12% were carriers (cases with enteric fever in the past), 12% travelled to endemic country outside of the 60-day window, and 22% had other possible sources. Case records differentiated between travel 60–90 days (5%) vs travel years prior to onset (7%), suggesting carrier status. Not all possible carriers were identified through the surveillance questionnaire. Therefore, we recommend additional questions to systematically capture travel history beyond 60 days to assist in classifying carrier status and to updating the source of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argemone mexicana belonging to family Papaveraceae is a traditional medicinal plant widely utilized by tribal people in India for treating various ailments like skin infections, wounds and inflammation. This plant is very rich in alkaloidal content, which has a great potential in the treatment of anti-inflammatory disorders. Therapeutically promising bioactive molecules are often produced by endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plants. In this investigation, endophytic fungi were isolated from various parts of A. mexicana and screened for alkaloidal content. Among these, one of the fungal isolate, Acremonium alternatum AMEF-5 producing maximum alkaloids showed significant anti-inflammatory activity. Fractionation of this crude fungal extract through column chromatography yielded eight fractions, which were further screened for anti-inflammatory activities. Fraction 3 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity by the inhibition of lipoxygenase enzyme (IC50 15.2 ± 0.09 µg/ml), scavenging of the nitric oxide radicals (IC50 11.38 ± 0.35 µg/ml), protein denaturation (IC50 14.93 ± 0.4 µg/ml), trypsin inhibition (IC50 12.06 ± 0.64 µg/ml) and HRBC stabilization (IC50 11.9 ± 0.22 µg/ml). The bioactive alkaloid in fraction 3 was identified as aconitine which was confirmed by UV, FTIR, HPLC, HRMS, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR analysis. This study demonstrates that endophytic fungi serve a potential source for sustainable production of therapeutically important alkaloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Country-specific evidence-based research is crucial for understanding the role of nonnutritive sweeteners (NNS) in managing type 2 diabetes (T2D). The main aim of this study was to explore the effect of replacing sucrose with sucralose in coffee/tea in Asian Indians with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: This 12-week, parallel-arm randomized controlled trial included 210 participants with T2D, assigned to the intervention group, where sugar/sucrose in coffee or tea was substituted with sucralose, or the control group, where sugar/sucrose was continued. Lifestyle factors remained unchanged. The primary outcome was change in HbA1c. Secondary outcomes were changes in body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), lipid profiles, and inflammatory markers. Results: At the end of 12 weeks, no change was observed in HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, and inflammatory markers between or within groups. There was a small but significant reduction in BW (− 0.5 kg [95% CI − 1.0, − 0.1]; p = 0.02), BMI (− 0.2 kg/m2 [− 0.4, 0.0]; p = 0.03), and WC (− 0.8 cm [− 1.4, − 0.3]; p = 0.002) in the intervention group. Improvements were also observed in lipid accumulation product (p = 0.01), visceral adiposity index (p = 0.04), triglyceride/glucose index (p = 0.04), total energy intake (p = 0.04), and carbohydrate intake (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: In Asian Indians with T2D, replacing about 60 kcal of added sucrose with sucralose in coffee/ tea had no benefit on glycemia but resulted in a small reduction in body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference. Trial Registration: Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI/2021/04/032686). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood is a critical developmental stage where established dietary patterns can impact lifelong health outcomes. This study investigates dietary patterns and their relationships with sociodemographic factors among Malaysian preschoolers. A total of 643 preschoolers of Malay, Indian, Chinese and other ethnicities participating in South East Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS II) were included. Dietary intake was assessed using a single triple‐pass 24‐h dietary recall method. Dietary patterns were derived using principal component analysis and their association with sociodemographic factors was determined using complex sampling logistic regressions. Five dietary patterns were identified: "healthy eating," "wholegrains and starchy vegetables," "high salt and sugar," "Western food," and "sugary drinks and legumes". Having older siblings was inversely associated with a "healthy eating" pattern (adjusted OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.33–0.87). Malay ethnicity was associated with higher odds of adhering to the "high salt and sugar" pattern (adjusted OR: 4.12, 95% CI: 2.20–7.75). Meanwhile, children living in urban areas (adjusted OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.03–3.01), those from middle‐income families (adjusted OR: 3.20, 95% CI: 1.38–7.40) and whose fathers were overweight (adjusted OR: 2.79, 95% CI: 1.58–4.94) showed a higher association with "Western food" pattern. Conversely, children whose mothers had overweight were less likely to adhere to the "Western food" pattern (adjusted OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.30–0.83). Older age was significantly associated with a greater likelihood of the "sugary drinks and legumes" pattern (adjusted OR: 3.99, 95% CI: 1.75–9.06). There was no significant association between "wholegrains and starchy vegetables" pattern with sociodemographic characteristics (all p > 0.05). These findings suggest that ethnicity, age, residence area, having older siblings, parental weight status and household income level are associated with dietary patterns among multiethnic preschoolers in Malaysia. Thus, these sociodemographic characteristics should be considered when designing targeted dietary strategies and interventions for preschoolers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vitamin B12 deficiency is widely prevalent in all age groups which is of major concern. However, there is no valid Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) for dietary vitamin B12 estimation. Hence, we aimed to develop and validate an FFQ for the estimation of dietary intake of Vitamin B12. Materials and Methods: Commonly consumed B12-rich food items were selected from literature and filtered using a market survey. For concordant and discriminant validation, B12 and homocysteine levels were estimated. To establish convergent validity, the Cobalamin Intake in North Indians by Food Frequency Questionnaire (COIN-FFQ) and 72-hour dietary recall (72HrDR) were both administered to the same subjects. The COIN-FFQ was readministered after initial administration for test-retest reliability. Internal consistency of the FFQ was then tested using Cronbach's alpha. Results: We enrolled 115 adults with a mean age and weight of 31.9 ± 8.7 years and 66.0 ± 11.8 kg, respectively. In total, 19.1% were vegetarian. The dietary B12 using COIN-FFQ (n = 60; mean = 4.3 ± 1.8 µg/d) was significantly correlated (r = 0.255; P = 0.049) with serum levels (mean = 120.1 ± 62.6 pmol/L) establishing concordant validity. A significant difference was noted between the dietary, serum B12, and homocysteine levels of vegetarians versus nonvegetarians establishing discriminant validity (mean diff 1.4 (0.5-2.4), P = 0.004; Z-statistic -2.182, P value 0.029, and Z-statistic -2.438; P value 0.015), respectively. FFQ was strongly correlated with 72HrDR and test--retest FFQ (n = 27; r = 0.814, P < 0.001 and r = 0.869, P < 0.001, respectively) establishing convergent validity and test--retest reliability. The internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha was in the acceptable range, 0.631 (n = 115). Conclusion: The newly developed COIN-FFQ is valid and reliable in estimating dietary B12 intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

J.S. Mill is considered one of the most influential figures of the classical political economy. In attempting to reconcile Ricardian and non-Ricardian political economy, Mill developed radical views on various matters, including the distribution of wealth and his political economy of small proprietorships. Mill, as an Examiner of the East India Company, was inclined towards defending imperialism and British rule in India. His support for British imperialism aimed at promoting the material and moral improvement of British colonies while, at the same time, he believed that the harm principle sets limits to coercion, as people in India were not savages but enslaved people to despots. This article points out that the Indian land case provides a crucial link to connect Mill's political economy of small proprietorships with his tolerant imperial political thought. It is argued that this conjunction is necessary to our understanding of Mill's political economy and political theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 4.8 million Asian Indians were documented by the US Census Bureau in 2023. Members of this population follow different religious practices, speak a multitude of languages, and belong to different socioeconomic classes. Asian Indians immigrated to this country in different waves, leading to transgenerational diversity. Immigration, financial, religious, and cultural factors uniquely impact how Asian Indians interact with their healthcare providers. Asian Indians have settled throughout the country, and it is important that clinicians familiarize themselves with the specific health concerns that affect this rapidly growing population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the patterning of multiple long‐term conditions (MLTCs) by age, ethnicity and across conceptualisations of MLTCs (e.g. MLTCs with/without mental health conditions [MHCs]). We examined ethnic inequalities in age‐related patterns of MLTCs, and combinations of physical and MHCs using the English GP Patient Survey and Clinical Practice Research Datalink. We described the association between MLTCs and age using multilevel regression models adjusting for sex and area‐level deprivation with patients nested within GP practices. Similar analyses were repeated for MLTCs that include MHCs. We observed ethnic inequalities from middle‐age onwards such as older Pakistani, Indian, Black Caribbean and Other ethnic people had increased risk of MLTCs compared to white British people, even after adjusting for area‐level deprivation. Compared to white British people, Gypsy and Irish Travellers had higher levels of MLTCs across the age groups, and Chinese people had lower levels. Pakistani and Bangladeshi people aged 50–74 years were more likely than white people to report MLTCs that included MHCs. We find clear evidence of ethnic inequalities in MLTCs. The lower prevalence of MLTCs that include MHCs among some minoritised ethnic groups may be an underestimation due to underdiagnosis and/or inadequate primary care and requires further scrutiny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the authors' joint activism on the rights of refugees and stateless people in India and Myanmar, this article considers how digital ID systems can be used to exclude minorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and unfair treatment can negatively affect the health and well-being of many women, especially women of color. Few studies have investigated the mental health impact of both forms of victimization together. Unlike most research on Asian Indian women, which has used aggregated samples of women of various Asian Indian or South Asian descent, this study focused on a specific group of Asian Indians. Data were collected from a probability sample of Gujarati residents, aged 18–65 years, in a midwestern state of USA via computer-assisted telephone interviews. One third of married women reported having experienced IPV and two thirds received unfair treatment during the previous 6 months. Respondents overall reported a low level of depressive symptoms. Analyses using negative binomial regression models found that while both IPV and unfair treatment were positively associated with depressive symptoms, their interaction effect was not statistically significant. When IPV victimization and support from family were included in the model, the incidence rate ratio for unfair treatment became nonsignificant, but the significant effect of IPV remained. Findings suggest that practitioners not only in mental health and IPV programs but also in alternative settings frequented by Gujarati women should inquire about these types of interpersonal victimization and assist women in connecting with and cultivating supportive networks. More research on the mental health impact of IPV and other types of interpersonal victimization is needed for underresearched yet growing population groups to inform socioculturally responsive assistance programs. Public Policy Relevance Statement: This study documented that experiencing violence in intimate relationships and being exposed to unfair treatment in the public sphere were associated with greater depressive symptoms among a group of Asian Indian women, a growing but underserved population group. Our study findings suggest a need for socioculturally responsive policies and programs for women experiencing intimate partner violence and unfair treatment, moving away from the one-size-fits-all approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article revisits the concept of empowerment that has underpinned the global movement to address gendered violence. Using a critical praxis lens, the article explores different understandings of empowerment that arose in interviews with front-line domestic violence workers who support refugee and migrant women experiencing gendered violence in Queensland, Australia. Two-thirds of the participants are from refugee and migrant backgrounds themselves. The findings reflect the shift in the service sector from more macro understandings of empowerment, grounded in feminist activism, to more micro understandings. In a context of neoliberal, bureaucratic service delivery, and limited means to address gendered violence that focus on women leaving and legal interventions, empowerment is sometimes viewed in individualistic, therapeutic terms of self-help. There is evidence that domestic violence services, founded on theories of empowerment, are now implicated in the surveillance and risk tracking role of social work as a profession, which has implications for survivor centeredness, agency, and equal participation. However, there is also evidence that front-line workers are aware of structural failings and questioning individualistic conceptions of empowerment amid broader concerns of social justice. Empowerment is viewed as transformative, with possibilities for more collective models aimed at addressing social justice. Outlining implications for feminist scholarship and practice, I suggest empowerment might be revisited by considering the differences between and within groups; structural violence and the consequences of interventions for marginalized groups; collective strategies aimed at broader structural change, such as poverty and race; and by strengthening the capacity of communities to respond to violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various CYP2C19-mediated metabolizer groups may arise as a result of inter-individual variability, which potentially influences the efficacy and safety of escitalopram. Hence, it is crucial to establish a comprehensive collection of information relevant to each phenotype regarding the efficacy and tolerability of therapy. This will enable psychiatrists to make optimal decisions for individual patients. The aim of the study. The aim of this study is to classify MDD patients into various CYP2C19 metabolizer groups and to determine the association between phenotype and treatment outcome. Materials and Methods. The study enrolled 119 escitalopram monotherapy-treated MDD patients aged 18-58. MADRS, HDRS-17, and CGI were used to measure efficacy at baseline, weeks 4, 8, and 12. Safety and tolerability outcomes were examined from occurring ADRs. Clinical outcomes were compared among phenotypes based on changes in HDRS-17 and CGI scores from week 4 to week 12. Results. Subjects were categorized by CYP2C19 genotype: 20 poor (PM), 64 intermediate (IM), 24 extensive (EM), and 11 ultra-rapid (UM) metabolizers. Response and remission occurred in 67.2 % and 26.8 % of the 119 subjects at the end of the 12th week of the study. The response rate in PM was much lower (21.6 %) compared to EM. There were 312 adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and 88 (73.94 %) individuals had at least one. In safety data, nervousness was the most common ADR among the four groups 66 (55.4 %), followed by decreased appetite 48 (40.3 %). There were no severe ADRs. Men had more ADRs than women. Conclusions. CYP2C19 genotyping may help personalize escitalopram medication. The study found that the reduced ability of PM to metabolize escitalopram is probably associated with the decreased efficacy and tolerance shown in PM compared to EM and IM. The relationship between metabolizer status and treatment response followed the anticipated direction. Our findings should guide future clinical studies that include pharmacokinetic assessments [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing the client's reviews from various online platform helps to improvise the business to higher levels. These User's opinions can be analyzed using Sentiment Analysis. Sentimental analysis on Indian languages is a tedious work as there is a wide diversity in different languages of the India. Kannada is one of the prominent languages in India as 43 million of Indian population use Kannada as their native language for communication and it holds 27th rank among top 30 languages across the world, as there is very less work carried out on Indian languages, especially in Kannada language, more work is required to process the Kannada language across different domains. The sentimental analysis on the Kannada language has the accuracy about 72% from the previous work. So, in this work, we have made comparative study of various machine learning algorithms for Kannada Twitter sentimental analysis. It is experimented on live Twitter data and found that Multinomial Naive Bayes Classifier has performed better with accuracy of 75%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor people in India routinely have to wait for short-term employment, basic services and subsidized goods. Based on fieldwork in Delhi, this paper describes how this waiting blends into an environment where men are underemployed and women try to make ends meet by engaging in contentious public activities. While negotiating destabilized gender roles, the latter downplay their wait for services and describe much of their paid and unpaid work as 'mere' waiting and just 'passing time'. In complex responses, they sometimes internalize the relations of power that keep them waiting, while subverting them on other occasions. Exploring what these women hide or minimize brings to light a host of activities that question our understanding of the boundaries of labour, idleness and the broader work of social reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human life and existence are intertwined with a few domestic animals. One of the most important animals of this kind is the cow. Cows play a vital role in daily activities. Most of the people in India consume cow's milk as one of their major nutrients. Monitoring the health of a cow's everyday life is quite challenging. After infertility and mastitis, lameness is typically ranked as the third most economically significant health issue in dairy herds.Lameness are caused due to genetics, lack in nutrition i.e. a diet deficient in essential nutrients such as biotin, which can lead to hoof problems. Due to geographical environments like cows kept in wet, muddy conditions are more likely to develop hoof problems. This investigation analyses the typical characteristics of cow behavior, and a Smart Cow Health Monitoring System (ScHeMoS) using IoT is proposed to identify the cow's health through the data obtained from Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, including position, body temperature, stability, acceleration, and animal feed. IoT is combined with Deep learning (DL) technique to monitor and diagnose animal health. We used the Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) network to predict cow lameness by capturing the body temperature and other parameters, which will aid in predicting their illness. The accelerometer values are stored so that it will further help to determine which cow is lame and which is pregnant or regular and could be intimated to the care takers in the farms. We utilised a self collected dataset to perform the investigation. By implementing this system, we achieved 92.45% accuracy and 0.92 as F1 score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In India research on health issues of transgender populations are very recent and limited though transgenders are an important sub-group of the population. Hence, this study attempts to understand the state of transgender health research in India through a systematic review of literature. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using bibliometric analysis. Initially, 132 studies were identified, and only 37 articles meeting selection criteria were subsequently selected for review using PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The research landscape was examined with tools such as Biblioshiny, Arc-GIS (10.1), and Vos-Viewer. Results: The review highlights that existing literature on transgender health in India mainly focuses on sexual health while neglecting their overall health status. It also emphasises the skewed geographical coverage of these studies. Based on the analysis, the interdisciplinary nature of the subject is illustrated in a three-field plot and through term co-occurrence. These indicate the need for culture-specific gender-affirmative services promoting a holistic approach to comprehend the health of transgender populations in India. Conclusion: In India research on transgender health is lopsided and at an initial stage. There is a need to develop diverse research focus on various health issues of transgenders that should also be geographically representative. Future in-depth research on this subject will enable optimizing resource allocation, developing effective gender-inclusive policies, and support holistic planning for better health status of transgender people in India, and other countries with similar socio-cultural background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The purpose of the study was to describe the most sensitive and specific radiological parameter to diagnose symptomatic adult acquired flatfeet deformity (AAFD) with weight bearing radiographs in Indian population. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted in which 50 consecutive patients with 100 flat feet were included at department of orthopedics from August 2021 to October 2022. Amongst them, 32 were bilateral (64 feet) and 18 were unilateral (18 flat feet and 18 normal feet) flat feet. Results. Out of these 50 subjects, 32 (64%) had bilateral flat feet, 18 (36%) were unilateral (11 left foot and 7 right foot). Out of 50 patients (100 feet), 24 had symptoms on left foot, whereas 26 had symptoms on right foot (total number of symptomatic patients were 50). Amongst our study population (50 subjects), 23 (46%) patients did not have any co-morbidities. 18 (36%) patients had type 2 diabetes, 5 (10%) patients had hypertension, 3 (6%) patients were associated with hypothyroidism and one individual (2%) showed psychiatric disorder. The talar 1st metatarsal angle in lateral view, talar uncoverage angle and the talar 1st metatarsal angle in anteroposterior (AP) view, were found to be statistically significant. Conclusions. Three radiologic parameters-talar 1st metatarsal angle in lateral view and talar uncoverage angle and talar-1st metatarsal angle in anteroposterior view can be the most relevant radiological parameters in the assessment of AAFD in Indian population. We also conclude that the talar uncoverage angle has a higher sensitivity of 82% to predict symptomatic flat foot in adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the oral health status, oral health behaviours and oral healthcare utilization among Indian migrants living in the Netherlands and how they compare with the host population. Based on a random sample from Dutch municipalities, cross-sectional data were obtained for the Indian migrants living in the Netherlands (n = 148) and the host population (n = 244). A questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic, self-reported oral health status, oral health behaviours and oral healthcare utilization. The distribution of self-reported oral health variables for both groups were tabulated and compared using logistic, ordinal and multinomial regression analysis. When adjusted for covariates such as age, gender, marital status, education, income, occupation and dental insurance, regression analysis for oral health status showed that the odds of reporting oral impact on daily performances (OIDP) was 5.87 times higher for Indians compared to the host population (95%CI:3.45;9.65). In contrast, the odds of Indians reporting bleeding gums [OR = 0.44 (95%CI:0.27;0.73)] and diagnosed with gum diseases [OR = 0.23(95%CI:0.13;0.39)] were lower than the host population. Also, the odds of consuming alcohol and cakes or chocolates was significantly lower among Indian migrants compared to the host population [(OR = 0.15(95%CI:0.09;0.25)] and [OR = 0.33(95%CI:0.21;0.52)], respectively. But the odds of consuming sugar in hot beverages were significantly higher among Indians [OR = 10.44(95%CI:5.99;18.19)]. The odds of Indians visiting a dental professional were 9.22 times (95%CI:4.62;18.40) lower compared to the host population. We found that oral health status and behaviours among Indian migrants were different in certain aspects compared to the host population. However, their oral healthcare utilization remained overall lower. The underlying determinants for such observations merit further research. Migrant friendly approach from both the dental professionals and policy makers can encourage dental visits and improve the utilization patterns among Indians migrants in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article challenges the prevailing belief that Indian print culture emerged in the nineteenth century by exploring the participation of Indians in print culture in the late eighteenth century. It reveals that Indians were actively involved in print culture as both readers and patrons, contributing to periodicals, reading newspapers, and handling official documents. Subscription publishing, a method that limited risk and raised funds in advance, gained popularity in India, with Indian names appearing on almost half of the extant lists of subscribers to books published in India during the eighteenth century. The article argues that this early Indian experience with print laid the foundation for its later proliferation, contradicting the notion that Indian print culture only emerged after the arrival of foreign institutions. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Tuberculous meningitis is a major public health issue, despite showing low incidence, tuberculous meningitis causes substantial mortality. For better clinical management, identification of prognostic factors is crucial to reduce health risk of Malaysian society. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the prognostic factors of adult tuberculous meningitis in peninsular Malaysia. Materials & methods: Initially, a retrospective cohort study and one-year of follow-up period was carried out. In addition, a total of 217 adult tuberculous meningitis patients treated or had follow-up in four tertiary hospitals in peninsular Malaysia were recruited. Cox proportional hazards regression was employed to perform multivariable analysis. Results: The overall survival probability of adult tuberculous meningitis was 36.8% with median survival time 244 days. Significant prognostic factors were Glasgow coma scale score (aHR=0.71, 95% CI=0.65, 0.76; p<0.001), HIV status (aHR=1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.19, 3.15; p=0.008), headache (aHR=0.48, 95% CI=0.31, 0.76; p=0.002) and meningeal enhancement (aHR=0.47, 95% CI=0.30, 0.74; p=0.001), nausea (aHR=2.21, 95% CI=1.33, 3.66; p=0.002), and vomit (aHR=0.58, 95% CI=0.36, 0.93; p=0.023). Conclusions: Evidently, the survival of among adults with tuberculous meningitis was low. Since HIV positive has a significant influence in mortality; early screening, diagnosis, and prompt treatment in this subgroup of patients play a key role in survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous plants have therapeutic and pharmacological significance in the traditional system of medicine. Plants and their products, which are extremely helpful for a variety of animals and humans, are the primary source of food and medicine. Local names for the tree Melia azedarach (family: Meliaceae) include "bakain" or "drek" in Hindi, "Persian lilac" or "China tree" in English, and "Fleurs lilas" in French. It is widely referred to as "paraiso" or paradise in South America and as Indian lilac or white cedar in the US. Indigenous and tribal people in India have traditionally used the entire plant or specific parts of it (the leaves, stem, and roots) for medicinal purposes. Melia azedarach is used as an ayurveda and unani medicine in India and Arab nations, respectively, for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, insecticidal, rodenticidal, anti-diarrheal, deobstruent, diuretic, antidiabetic, cathartic, emetic, antirheumatic, and antihypertensive properties. It is employed in the production of furniture, plywood, boxes, poles, tool handles, and fuel wood. It is frequently grown as a shade tree in abaca (Musa textilis) and coffee plantations. The tree is a well-known ornamental. Therefore, the current study aims to provide a thorough overview of the literature on its botanical information, phytochemical reports, pharmacological research, and therapeutic significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial comorbidity exists between posttraumatic stress disorder and sleep disturbances/disorders. Such comorbidities are understudied in minority groups, including Asian Indians residing in countries outside India. Thus, we synthesized the existing literature specific to this group of Asian Indians to determine (a) prevalence estimates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sleep disturbances/disorders; and (b) PTSD-sleep comorbidity estimates. For this systematic review, we searched four databases (PubMed, PsycInfo, PTSDpubs, Web of Science) using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Of 3,796 screened articles, 9 articles (10 studies) met inclusion criteria. Study sample sizes ranged from 11 to 2,112 Asian Indians; studies were conducted in Singapore or Malaysia. No reviewed study examined PTSD. All studies examined sleep disturbances/disorders among Asian Indians; prevalence estimates were: 8.3% to 70.4% for short sleep duration, 2.0% to 22.9% for long sleep duration, 25.9% to 56.3% for poor sleep quality, 3.4% to 67.5% for insomnia diagnosis or probable insomnia, 7.7% for excessive daytime sleepiness, 3.8% to 54.6% for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis or high OSA risk, and 5.1% to 11.1% for sleep-disordered breathing. Specific to Asian Indians residing in countries outside India, this review advances PTSD-sleep literature by (a) suggesting substantial prevalence of sleep disturbances/disorders; (b) highlighting the need for culturally relevant sleep interventions; and (c) highlighting research gaps (e.g., no PTSD-focused research). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biological behavior and prognosis of breast cancer is often unpredictable with a number of factors contributing to the outcome. Nottingham's Prognostic Factor (NPI) takes into account the tumor size, nodal status, and histological grade of tumor. The receptor status considers the hormone receptor and HER2 status. The aim of the study was to correlate the NPI score with the receptor status expression in Indian women with breast cancer. A total of 78 breast cancer patients who underwent upfront modified radical mastectomy were recruited. NPI score and receptor status assessment was done at histopathological examination of the specimen. Hormone receptor negative breast cancer tended to have a higher NPI score compared to hormone receptor positive patients. However, this difference did not achieve statistical significance. NPI score parameters except for the histological grade are a reflection of the duration or time span of the tumor. On the contrary, the receptor status is indicative of the tumor biology and not of its time duration. A scoring system which incorporates the three parameters of the NPI as well as the receptor status would be the best prognostic index as well as predictive regarding the choice of adjuvant therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the colonial policies around public health, sanitary measures and control of venereal diseases in the Madras Presidency in the 1860s and 1870s, and describes how these policies shaped urban development of Madras. It investigates how British colonial measures to curtail venereal diseases concurred with concerns about 'public health' in the 1860s and 1870s in the Madras Presidency and the city of Madras. It questions the extent to which British 'public health' policies encompassed the Indian population. Although there is a recent increase in scholarly interest in studying the medical and sanitary history of the Madras Presidency, very few historians have focused on the ways in which colonial morality influenced town-planning and sanitary policies in the area. Earlier, scholars believed that segregation was key to maintaining public health in colonial cities; however, recent scholarship has questioned the notions of 'dual city' by highlighting the blurred lines. This article also investigates how far the colonial administration successfully segregated the European population from the Indian population and the Indian labouring and service-providing poor from the non-labouring poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early-stage prediction of a disease is an important and challenging task. The application of machine learning techniques is playing an important role in this era. Thyroid is one of the chronic endocrine diseases, and approximately 42 million people in India are affected by this disease. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the enhancement of classification performance through the novel 'FeatureBoostThyro' (FBT) model. The study evaluates various machine learning algorithms, including stochastic gradient descent (SGD), K nearest neighbor (KNN), logistic regression (LR), naive bayes (NB), and support vector machine (SVM), in conjunction with diverse feature selection methods. The research systematically explores the impact of feature selection techniques such as information gain, relief F, chi-square, gini index, forward selection, backward selection, recursive feature elimination, and LASSO on model performance across the chosen algorithms. The analysis reveals notable variations in performance metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score, providing valuable insights into the interplay between algorithm and feature selection. One main contribution of this research is the introduction of the FBT model, which consistently outperforms other models across various feature selection methods, making it a promising tool for addressing complex classification tasks. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of model selection and optimization in machine learning applications. The proposed model undergoes evaluation using two distinct datasets: the primary dataset acquired from Lata Mangeshkar Hospital in Nagpur and the secondary dataset obtained from the UCI dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]