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Working through Laboratory/Industry Linkages: Creating an Enabling Mechanism in CSIR India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kumar, Naresh, Dr.
India's research base rests on its more than 260 universities and about 2500 recognized research and development (r&d) laboratories. Most of them, representing diverse science disciplines have linkages, both formal and informal with academia and industry. These linkages, established primarily because of increasing global competition, burgeoning research costs and rapid technological changes, have helped in synergisation of intellectual efforts, sharing of r&d results, pooling of resources, and availability of trained manpower. This case study details institutionalization of one such cooperative effort in which a laboratory of India's Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in a multilateral linkage with industrial units and government agencies has embarked upon a programme which integrates the technology upgradation and management needs of a cluster of small enterprises. Initiated under the Government of India's Upgradation of Technology (UPTECH) scheme this cooperative effort involving four major agencies, with one of them being the nodal one, is to be implemented in three phases over a two year period. It has well set goals and agreed output norms. The programme, which started six months ago, has already given results which do generate hope for the success of this large multilateral linkage programme. It also heralds a promise for hundreds of small industrial enterprises, which need to modernize in terms of process upgradation, environmental friendliness and reaching out to global markets by following cluster and participative management approaches.
Networking as a Strategy for Technology Transfer and Commercialization from R&D Laboratories: Key Lessons from Case Studies in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Roy, Santanu
Managing R&D and the innovation process is closely linked with technology transfer and the commercialization of research results. This is especially so in the context of publicly-funded R&D laboratory systems in developing countries, such as India's Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Inefficiencies in the transfer process and a…
Libraries Serving the CSIR Complex.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rajagopalan, T. S.; Ramaswami, K.
A survey of the resources and services of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) libraries was made so that the libraries in the complex could share the benefit of the experiences of each other. The report is based on questionnaire replies received from 31 CSIR Institutions and eight Co-operative Research Associations and relates…
Overcoring in highly stressed granite: Comparison of USBM and modified CSIR devices
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Martin, C. D.; Christiansson, R. C.
An overcoring program in three nearly orthogonal boreholes, intersecting the same rock volume, was carried out in highly stressed Lac du Bonnet granite at the 240-m level of the Underground Research Laboratory (URL). The program was designed to determine if the more commonly used United States Bureau of Mines borehole deformation gauge (USBM gauge) gave similar in situ stress results as a modified Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) triaxial strain cell. A total of 15 successful USBM tests and 17 successful CSIR tests were carried out. The measured mean stress tensor for the USBM results fell within the 90% confidence limits for the CSIR results. The measured CSIR stress tensors were slightly influenced by the orientation of the boreholes, although this phenomenon may be site specific as it is probably related to the amount of stress-induced microcracking that occurs during the overcoring process. The results of the program provided sufficient confidence in the modified CSIR cell to warrant using it as the main overcoring device for future URL overcoring programs.
Analysis of Cumulus Solar Irradiance Reflectance (CSIR) Events
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Laird, John L.; Harshvardham
Clouds are extremely important with regard to the transfer of solar radiation at the earth's surface. This study investigates Cumulus Solar Irradiance Reflection (CSIR) using ground-based pyranometers. CSIR events are short-term increases in solar radiation observed at the surface as a result of reflection off the sides of convective clouds. When sun-cloud observer geometry is favorable, these occurrences produce characteristic spikes in the pyranometer traces and solar irradiance values may exceed expected clear-sky values. Ultraviolet CSIR events were investigated during the summer of 1995 using Yankee Environmental Systems UVA-1 and UVB-1 pyranometers. Observed data were compared to clear-sky curves which were generated using a third degree polynomial best-fit line technique. Periods during which the observed data exceeded this clear-sky curve were identified as CSIR events. The magnitude of a CSIR event was determined by two different quantitative calculations. The MAC (magnitude above clear-sky) is an absolute measure of the difference between the observed and clear-sky irradiances. Maximum MAC values of 3.4 Wm(exp -2) and 0.069 Wm(exp -2) were observed at the UV-A and UV-B wavelengths, respectively. The second calculation determined the percentage above clear-sky (PAC) which indicated the relative magnitude of a CSIR event. Maximum UV-A and UV-B PAC magnitudes of 10.1% and 7.8%, respectively, were observed during the study. Also of interest was the duration of the CSIR events which is a function of sun-cloud-sensor geometry and the speed of cloud propagation over the measuring site. In both the UV-A and UV-B wavelengths, significant CSIR durations of up to 30 minutes were observed.
Analysis of cumulus solar irradiance reflectance (CSIR) events
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Laird, John L.; Harshvardhan
Clouds are extremely important with regard to the transfer of solar radiation at Earth's surface. This study investigates Cumulus Solar Irradiance Reflection (CSIR) using ground-based pyranometers. CSIR events are short-term increases in solar radiation observed at the surface as a result of reflection off the sides of convective clouds. When Sun-cloud observer geometry is favorable, these occurrences produce characteristic spikes in the pyranometer traces and solar irradiance values may exceed expected clear-sky values. Ultraviolet CSIR events were investigated during the summer of 1995 using UVA and UVB pyranometers. Observed data were compared to clear-sky curves which were generated using a third degree polynomial best-fit line technique. Periods during which the observed data exceeded this clear-sky curve were identified as CSIR events. The magnitude of a CSIR event was determined by two different quantitative calculations. The MAC (magnitude above clear-sky) is an absolute measure of the difference between the observed and clear-sky irradiances. Maximum MAC values of 3.4 Win -2 and 0.0169 Wm -2 were observed at the UV-A and UV-B wavelengths, respectively. The second calculation determined the percentage above clear-sky (PAC) which indicated the relative magnitude of a CSIR event. Maximum UV-A and UV-B PAC magnitudes of 10.1% and 7.8%, respectively, were observed during the study. Also of interest was the duration of the CSIR events which is a function of Sun-cloud-sensor geometry and the speed of cloud propagation over the measuring site. In both the UV-A and UV-B wavelengths, significant CSIR durations of up to 30 minutes were observed. C 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.
Perception-Induced Effects of Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSiR) for Stereotypical and Admired Firms.
Voliotis, Seraphim; Vlachos, Pavlos A; Epitropaki, Olga
How do stakeholders react to Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSiR)? What are the emotional mechanisms and behavioral outcomes following CSiR perception? The psychology of CSR literature has yet to address these important questions and has largely considered CSR and CSiR as the opposite poles of the same continuum. In contrast, we view CSR and CSiR as distinct constructs and theorize about the cognitive (perceptual), emotional, and behavioral effects of CSiR activity on observers (i.e., primary and secondary stakeholders) building on theories of intergroup perception. Specifically, building on the Stereotype Content Model (SCM; Fiske et al., 2002) and the BIAS map (i.e., Behaviors from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes; Cuddy et al., 2007)-which extends the SCM by predicting behavioral responses-we make predictions on potential stakeholder reactions to CSiR focusing on two practice-relevant cases: (a) a typical for-profit firm that engages in a CSiR activity, (b) an atypical admired firm that engages in CSiR activity. PMID:27445931
Perception-Induced Effects of Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSiR) for Stereotypical and Admired Firms
Voliotis, Seraphim; Vlachos, Pavlos A.; Epitropaki, Olga
How do stakeholders react to Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSiR)? What are the emotional mechanisms and behavioral outcomes following CSiR perception? The psychology of CSR literature has yet to address these important questions and has largely considered CSR and CSiR as the opposite poles of the same continuum. In contrast, we view CSR and CSiR as distinct constructs and theorize about the cognitive (perceptual), emotional, and behavioral effects of CSiR activity on observers (i.e., primary and secondary stakeholders) building on theories of intergroup perception. Specifically, building on the Stereotype Content Model (SCM; Fiske et al., 2002) and the BIAS map (i.e., Behaviors from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes; Cuddy et al., 2007)—which extends the SCM by predicting behavioral responses—we make predictions on potential stakeholder reactions to CSiR focusing on two practice-relevant cases: (a) a typical for-profit firm that engages in a CSiR activity, (b) an atypical admired firm that engages in CSiR activity. PMID:27445931
CSIR at INEX 2008 Link-the-Wiki Track
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lu, Wei; Liu, Dan; Fu, Zhenzhen
In this paper, we describe methods taken by CSIR in the INEX 2008 Link-the-Wiki track. For the incoming link detection, we use p(d|t), the probability to generate a document, when given the topic file, to judge which documents are proper link sources for the given topic. For the file-to-file task of outgoing link detection, we take a two-step approach: first, we identify a group of candidate target documents by literally matching the topic file title and document content; then, candidate documents are ranked by the number of incoming links. For the anchor-to-BEP task, we use p(d|a,t), the probability to generate a document, when given the topic file and an anchor name, to select anchors and link targets for a given topic.
Establishment of Traceability of Reference Grade Hydrometers at National Physical Laboratory, India (npli)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kumar, Anil; Kumar, Harish; Mandal, Goutam; Das, M. B.; Sharma, D. C.
The present paper discusses the establishment of traceability of reference grade hydrometers at National Physical Laboratory, India (NPLI). The reference grade hydrometers are calibrated and traceable to the primary solid density standard. The calibration has been done according to standard procedure based on Cuckow's Method and the reference grade hydrometers calibrated covers a wide range. The uncertainty of the reference grade hydrometers has been computed and corrections are also calculated for the scale readings, at which observations are taken.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Semaan, Leslie
This text examines India's rich and long history, then uses this perspective to focus on present day problems and aspirations. It forces students to reevaluate their stereotyped images of India by presenting a nation that has striven to recover from a past of colonial domination, is presently faced with regional ethnic discord and disparity, and…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Semaan, Leslie; Lightman, Kathleen
Not only is India one of the oldest continuous civilizations in the world, it has also become one of the greatest industrial nations. This package explores India's heritage, its people, and the traumatic changes of the 20th century. Contents include: Introduction, Climate, The Land, Cities, Agriculture, Rural Life, History, Religions, Dress, Food,…
In this discussion of India attention is directed to the following: the people; geography; history; government; political conditions; the economy; foreign relations (Pakistan and Bangladesh, China, and the Soviet Union); defense; and the relations between the US and India. In 1983 India's population was estimated at 746 million with an annual growth rate of 2.24%. The infant mortality rate was estimated at 116/1000 in 1984 with a life expectancy of 54.9 years. Although India occupies only 2.4% of the world's land area, it supports nearly 15% of the world's population. 2 major ethnic strains predominate in India: the Aryan in the north and the Dravidian in the south, although the lines between them are blurred. India dominates the South Asian subcontinent geographically. The people of India have had a continuous civilization since about 2500 B.C., when the inhabitants of the Indus River Valley developed an urban culture based on commerce, trade, and, to a lesser degree, agriculture. This civilization declined about 1500 B.C. and Aryan tribes originating in central Asia absorbed parts of its culture as they spread out over the South Asian subcontinent. During the next few centuries, India flourished under several successive empires. The 1st British outpost in South Asia was established in 1619 at Surat on the northwestern coast of India. The British gradually expanded their influence until, by the 1850s, they controlled almost the entire area of present-day India. Independence was attained on August 15, 1947, and India became a dominion within the Commonwealth of Nations with Jawaharlal Nehru as prime minister. According to its constitution, India is a "sovereign socialist secular democratic republic." Like the US, India has a federal form of government, but the central government in India has greater power in relation to its states, and government is patterned after the British parliamentary system. The Congress Party has ruled India since independence with the
In 1988, India's population stood at 817 million, 25% of which was concentrated in urban areas. The annual rate of population growth is 2.01%. Life expectancy is currently 56 years, and infant mortality is 90/1000 live births. Education is compulsory to the age of 14 years, but the adult literacy rate is only 36%. Of the work force of 300 million, 70% are engaged in agriculture, 19% are in industry and commerce, 8% work in the services and government sector, and 3% are employed in transport and communications. India's gross national product currently stands at US$246 billion, with a real growth rate of 1.8% and a per capita income of $313. Although India is a federal republic, its central government has greater power in relation to its states than is the case in the US and there is a parliamentary system. Nonetheless, some states have been revitalizing traditional village councils and introducing grassroots democracy at the village level. A relatively sophisticated industrial base and pool of skilled labor have emerged since India achieved independence, although agriculture remains the crucial economic sector. There was a surge in agricultural production in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a result of the "green revolution" that made India largely self-sufficient in grain production through the use of hybrid seeds, irrigation, and fertilizer. However, failed monsoons and severe drought conditions have created fluctuations in the output of the agricultural sector in recent years. Gradual deregulation of industry and trade is providing increased incentives for foreign trade, and the Indian Government is encouraging collaborations that involve the transfer of high technology. PMID:12177992
Practical guidelines for setting up neurosurgery skills training cadaver laboratory in India.
Suri, Ashish; Roy, Tara Sankar; Lalwani, Sanjeev; Deo, Rama Chandra; Tripathi, Manjul; Dhingra, Renu; Bhardwaj, Daya Nand; Sharma, Bhawani Shankar
Though the necessity of cadaver dissection is felt by the medical fraternity, and described as early as 600 BC, in India, there are no practical guidelines available in the world literature for setting up a basic cadaver dissection laboratory for neurosurgery skills training. Hands-on dissection practice on microscopic and endoscopic procedures is essential in technologically demanding modern neurosurgery training where ethical issues, cost constraints, medico-legal pitfalls, and resident duty time restrictions have resulted in lesser opportunities to learn. Collaboration of anatomy, forensic medicine, and neurosurgery is essential for development of a workflow of cadaver procurement, preservation, storage, dissection, and disposal along with setting up the guidelines for ethical and legal concerns. PMID:25033845
Atmospheric Science Data Center
... measured from space in surface classification and physical process studies. Note that the algorithms used to produce these ... NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Terra spacecraft is managed ...
Laboratory Investigations on the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in the Malnourished Tribal Population of Melghat, India
Kashyap, Rajpal S.; Nayak, Amit R.; Gaherwar, Hari M.; Bhullar, Shraddha S.; Husain, Aliabbas A.; Shekhawat, Seema D.; Jain, Ruchika K.; Gaikwad, Sonali S.; Satav, Ashish R.; Purohit, Hemant J.; Taori, Girdhar M.; Daginawala, Hatim F.
Background Malnutrition is a major risk factor for the development of tuberculosis (TB). In India, Melghat is among the tribal regions which consist of highest number of malnutrition cases. Because of the paucity of TB data from these malnourished areas there is an urgent need for the development and evaluation of improved TB diagnostic tests. In the present study, three in house developed diagnostic tests namely TB-Ag(antigen) ELISA, Adenosine deaminase (ADA) estimation and IS6110 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay were investigated for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb.) infection. Methods For investigation, blood samples were collected from 128 study subjects from six villages of Melghat tribal area and evaluated using three in house developed assays, namely TB-Ag ELISA, ADA estimation and IS6110 PCR. Results The TB-Ag ELISA method yielded 83% sensitivity and 94% specificity. The ADA and PCR assay gave a sensitivity of 61% and 49% and specificity of 62% and 98% respectively. A considerable good agreement of 82.81% (k=0.472) between TB-Ag ELISA and PCR was observed. The overall sensitivity of TB-Ag ELISA was significantly higher (p<0.05) than the ADA and PCR while PCR yielded highest specificity among all the three evaluated tests. Conclusions We concluded that the routine use of TB-Ag ELISA can be useful for screening of suspected TB patients in the malnourished population where sophisticated laboratory set up is difficult. PMID:24069327
The ICT Laboratory: An Analysis of Computers in Public High Schools in Rural India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Arora, Payal
There has been a strong push towards e-literacy in India, particularly in the distribution and usage of information and communication technologies (ICT) in schools for economic and social growth. As a result, the Vidhya Vahini scheme was launched in Kuppam, a marginalized village constituency in Andhra Pradesh. This scheme strived to disseminate…
A training course on laboratory animal science: an initiative to implement the Three Rs of animal research in India.
Pratap, Kunal; Singh, Vijay Pal
There is a current need for a change in the attitudes of researchers toward the care and use of experimental animals in India. This could be achieved through improvements in the provision of training, to further the integration of the Three Rs concept into scientific research and into the regulations of the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA). A survey was performed after participants undertook the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA) Category C-based course on Laboratory Animal Science (in 2013 and 2015). It revealed that the participants subsequently employed, in their future research, the practical and theoretical Three Rs approaches that they had learned. This is of great importance in terms of animal welfare, and also serves to benefit their research outcomes extensively. All the lectures, hands-on practical sessions and supplementary elements of the courses, which also involved the handling of small animals and procedures with live animals, were well appreciated by the participants. Insight into developments in practical handling and welfare procedures, norms, directives, and ethical use of laboratory animals in research, was also provided, through the comparison of results from the 2013 and 2015 post-course surveys. PMID:27031601
Non-matrix Matched Glass Disk Calibration Standards Improve XRF Micronutrient Analysis of Wheat Grain across Five Laboratories in India.
Guild, Georgia E; Stangoulis, James C R
Within the HarvestPlus program there are many collaborators currently using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy to measure Fe and Zn in their target crops. In India, five HarvestPlus wheat collaborators have laboratories that conduct this analysis and their throughput has increased significantly. The benefits of using XRF are its ease of use, minimal sample preparation and high throughput analysis. The lack of commercially available calibration standards has led to a need for alternative calibration arrangements for many of the instruments. Consequently, the majority of instruments have either been installed with an electronic transfer of an original grain calibration set developed by a preferred lab, or a locally supplied calibration. Unfortunately, neither of these methods has been entirely successful. The electronic transfer is unable to account for small variations between the instruments, whereas the use of a locally provided calibration set is heavily reliant on the accuracy of the reference analysis method, which is particularly difficult to achieve when analyzing low levels of micronutrient. Consequently, we have developed a calibration method that uses non-matrix matched glass disks. Here we present the validation of this method and show this calibration approach can improve the reproducibility and accuracy of whole grain wheat analysis on 5 different XRF instruments across the HarvestPlus breeding program. PMID:27375644
Non-matrix Matched Glass Disk Calibration Standards Improve XRF Micronutrient Analysis of Wheat Grain across Five Laboratories in India
Guild, Georgia E.; Stangoulis, James C. R.
Within the HarvestPlus program there are many collaborators currently using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy to measure Fe and Zn in their target crops. In India, five HarvestPlus wheat collaborators have laboratories that conduct this analysis and their throughput has increased significantly. The benefits of using XRF are its ease of use, minimal sample preparation and high throughput analysis. The lack of commercially available calibration standards has led to a need for alternative calibration arrangements for many of the instruments. Consequently, the majority of instruments have either been installed with an electronic transfer of an original grain calibration set developed by a preferred lab, or a locally supplied calibration. Unfortunately, neither of these methods has been entirely successful. The electronic transfer is unable to account for small variations between the instruments, whereas the use of a locally provided calibration set is heavily reliant on the accuracy of the reference analysis method, which is particularly difficult to achieve when analyzing low levels of micronutrient. Consequently, we have developed a calibration method that uses non-matrix matched glass disks. Here we present the validation of this method and show this calibration approach can improve the reproducibility and accuracy of whole grain wheat analysis on 5 different XRF instruments across the HarvestPlus breeding program. PMID:27375644
An attempt of cryopreservation of mouse embryos at the ACTREC laboratory animal facility in India.
Thorat, Rahul; Ingle, Arvind
Cryopreservation is the long-term storage of viable cells/tissue in liquid nitrogen. The present study was conducted to freeze 8-cell- to morula-stage mouse embryos from the ACTREC Laboratory Animal Facility using a "slow freezing and fast revival" method. In all, 4,088 embryos were collected from 495 donor female mice of ten different strains. An average recovery of 8 embryos per donor mouse were recorded. Of the 4,088 embryos, 3,946 embryos of normal morphology were frozen in 173 straws. They were cooled down using a controlled-rate freezing assembly, and the straws were directly plunged into liquid nitrogen for long-term storage. Out of these 3,946 frozen embryos, 2,650 were found to be viable after fast revival. The highest survival rate, 81%, was recorded in B6D2F1 hybrid mice, whereas the lowest rate, 51%, was recorded in the S/RV/Cri-ba mutant strain. Out of 2,650 viable embryos, 2,359 embryos (89%) developed to the blastocyst stage after 24 h of incubation in a CO(2) incubator. The developed blastocysts were transferred surgically into 101 pseudopregnant female mice, of which 49 (48.5%) females were found to be pregnant. The highest percentage of pregnancy, 75%, was recorded in C57BL/6NCrl and NIH-III mice, whereas no pregnant recipients were recorded in Ptch, C3H/HeNCrl and NOD SCID mice. Based on the deliveries of these 49 females, an average of 4 young were delivered per female. Improvement in efficiency of freezing, thawing, and surgical transfer of embryos into pseudopregnant females is one of the challenges in such studies. PMID:22531729
Analysis of the time-clustering behavior of the Koyna-Warna (India) reservoir-triggered seismicity: coseismic and preseismic variations
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Telesca, L.
Time-clustering analysis of the 1996-2005 seismicity of Koyna-Warna region (India), a unique site where reservoir-triggered earthquakes have been continuously occurring over the last 40 yr, has been performed. The scaling exponent, estimated by using the Allan Factor method, shows significant co-seismic and pre-seismic variations associated with the largest events occurred in the area. This work has been carried out in the frame of the scientific bilateral agreement CNR/CSIR.
Dietary use and conservation concern of edible wetland plants at indo-burma hotspot: a case study from northeast India
Background The wetlands of the North East India fall among the global hotspots of biodiversity. However, they have received very little attention with relation to their intrinsic values to human kind; therefore their conservation is hardly addressed. These wetlands are critical for the sustenance of the tribal communities. Methods Field research was conducted during 2003 to 2006 in seven major wetlands of four districts of Manipur state, Northeast India (viz. Imphal-East, Imphal-West, Thoubal, and Bishnupur). A total of 224 wetland-plant-collectors were interviewed for the use and economics of species using semi-structured questionnaires and interview schedules. Imphal, Bishenpur and Thoubal markets were investigated in detail for influx and consumption pattern of these plants. The collectors were also inquired for medicinal use of wetland species. Nutritive values of 21 species were analyzed in laboratory. The vouchers were collected for all the species and deposited in the CSIR-NEIST (Formerly Regional Research Laboratory), Substation, Lamphelpat, Imphal, Manipur, India. Results We recorded 51 edible wetland species used by indigenous people for food and medicinal purposes. Thirty eight species had high medicinal values and used in the traditional system to treat over 22 diseases. At least 27 species were traded in three markets studied (i.e. Imphal, Thoubal and Bishenpur), involving an annual turnover of 113 tons of wetland edible plants and a gross revenue of Rs. 907, 770/- (US$1 = Rs. 45/-). The Imphal market alone supplies 60% of the total business. Eighty per cent of the above mentioned species are very often used by the community. The community has a general opinion that the availability of 45% species has depleted in recent times, 15 species need consideration for conservation while another 7 species deserved immediate protection measures. The nutrient analysis showed that these species contribute to the dietary balance of tribal communities. Conclusions
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
2008-01-01Delhi is the second largest metropolis in India, with a population of 16 million. Located in northern India along the banks of the Yamuna River, Delhi has the status of a federally-administered union territory. Within it is the district of New Delhi, India's capital. Delhi is one of the oldest continually inhabited cites in the world, with traces of human occupation dating to the second millennium BC. The image was acquired September 22, 2003, covers an area of 30.6 x 34.8 km, and is located near 28.6 degrees north latitude, 77.2 degrees east longitude. The image was acquired on August 4, 2005, covers an area of 55.8 x 55.8 km, and is located at 68.6 degrees north latitude, 134.7 degrees west longitude. The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.
Perception of Medical Students about Communication Skills Laboratory (CSL) in a Rural Medical College of Central India
Jagzape, Arunita Tushar; Vagha, Jayant Dattatray; Chalak, Anita; Meshram, Revatdhamma Jagdish
Introduction "The art of medicine is intricately tied to the art of communication." In traditional medical curriculum, communication is not taught formally and this leads to a gap in reliability and consistency of the teaching. Few studies have shown that much litigation against doctors is due to lack of communication and not because of lack of clinical expertise. Considering the importance of training in communication skills, it was included in the curriculum of students of DMIMS (DU), which has got probably the first communication skills lab in a medical college in India. Aim To study the perception of medical students about usefulness of communication skills lab. Materials and Methods This observational study was carried out at Communication Skills Lab (CSL) of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Sawangi (M), Wardha, Maharasthra. Feedback was obtained with the help of a prevalidated questionnaire from 65 final MBBS students about their perception about utility of the module taught in the CSL including factors which helped and which hindered in learning. Descriptive statistics was used for the quantitative data and categorization for qualitative data. Results A total of 78.46% students were of the idea that CSL posting is must for all medical undergraduates. A 93.83% perceive that the module taught was very relevant and useful and were satisfied with the duration of posting (81.47%). A 78.46% students experienced improvement in their communication skills. They opined that more emphasis should be given on communication between doctor and patient (61.53%). Conclusion The students found communication skills lab very useful. They desired more emphasis on communication between doctor and patient and sought more interactivity, video demonstrations to be part of the module. PMID:26816918
Application of sigma metrics for the assessment of quality assurance in clinical biochemistry laboratory in India: a pilot study.
Singh, Bhawna; Goswami, Binita; Gupta, Vinod Kumar; Chawla, Ranjna; Mallika, Venkatesan
Ensuring quality of laboratory services is the need of the hour in the field of health care. Keeping in mind the revolution ushered by six sigma concept in corporate world, health care sector may reap the benefits of the same. Six sigma provides a general methodology to describe performance on sigma scale. We aimed to gauge our laboratory performance by sigma metrics. Internal quality control (QC) data was analyzed retrospectively over a period of 6 months from July 2009 to December 2009. Laboratory mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation were calculated for all the parameters. Sigma was calculated for both the levels of internal QC. Satisfactory sigma values (>6) were elicited for creatinine, triglycerides, SGOT, CPK-Total and Amylase. Blood urea performed poorly on the sigma scale with sigma <3. The findings of our exercise emphasize the need for detailed evaluation and adoption of ameliorative measures in order to effectuate six sigma standards for all the analytical processes. PMID:22468038
Field and laboratory comparative evaluation of rapid malaria diagnostic tests versus traditional and molecular techniques in India
Background Malaria presents a diagnostic challenge in most tropical countries. Microscopy remains the gold standard for diagnosing malaria infections in clinical practice and research. However, microscopy is labour intensive, requires significant skills and time, which causes therapeutic delays. The objective of obtaining result quickly from the examination of blood samples from patients with suspected malaria is now made possible with the introduction of rapid malaria diagnostic tests (RDTs). Several RDTs are available, which are fast, reliable and simple to use and can detect Plasmodium falciparum and non-falciparum infections or both. A study was conducted in tribal areas of central India to measure the overall performance of several RDTs for diagnosis of P. falciparum and non-falciparum infections in comparison with traditional and molecular techniques. Such data will be used to guide procurement decisions of policy makers and programme managers. Methods Five commercially available RDTs were tested simultaneously in field in parallel with peripheral blood smears in outbreak-affected areas. The evaluation is designed to provide comparative data on the performance of each RDT. In addition, molecular method i.e. polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was also carried out to compare all three methods. Results A total of 372 patients with a clinical suspicion of malaria from Bajag Primary Health Centre (PHC) of district Dindori and Satanwada PHC of district Shivpuri attending the field clinics of Regional Medical Research Centre were included in the study. The analysis revealed that the First Response Malaria Antigen pLDH/HRP2 combo test was 94.7% sensitive (95% CI 89.5-97.7) and 69.9% specific (95% CI 63.6-75.6) for P. falciparum. However, for non-falciparum infections (Plasmodium vivax) the test was 84.2% sensitive (95% CI 72.1-92.5) and 96.5% specific (95% CI 93.8-98.2). The Parascreen represented a good alternative. All other RDTs were relatively less sensitive for
Effects of Laboratory Disinfecting Agents on Dimensional Stability of Three Commercially Available Heat-Cured Denture Acrylic Resins in India: An In-Vitro Study
Jujare, Ravikanth Haridas; Varghese, Rana Kalappattil; Singh, Vishwa Deepak; Gaurav, Amit
Introduction Dental professionals are exposed to a wide variety of microorganisms which calls for use of effective infection control procedures in the dental office and laboratories that can prevent cross-contamination that could extend to dentists, dental office staff, dental technicians as well as patients. This concern has led to a renewed interest in denture sterilization and disinfection. Heat polymerized dentures exhibit dimensional change during disinfection procedure. Aim The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of different types of widely used laboratory disinfecting agents on the dimensional stability of heat-cured denture acrylic resins and to compare the dimensional stability of three commercially available heat-cured denture acrylic resins in India. Materials and Methods Twelve specimens of uniform dimension each of three different brands namely Stellon, Trevalon and Acralyn-H were prepared using circular metal disc. Chemical disinfectants namely 2% alkaline glutaraldehyde, 1% povidone-iodine, 0.5% sodium hypochlorite and water as control group were used. Diameter of each specimen was measured before immersion and after immersion with time interval of 1 hour and 12 hours. The data was evaluated statistically using one way analysis of variance. Results All the specimens in three disinfectants and in water exhibited very small amount of linear expansion. Among three disinfectants, specimens in 2% alkaline glutaraldehyde exhibited least(0.005mm) and water showed highest (0.009mm) amount of dimensional change. Among resins, Trevalon showed least (0.067mm) and Acralyn-H exhibited highest (0.110mm) amount of dimensional change. Conclusion Although, all the specimens of three different brands of heat-cured denture acrylic resins exhibited increase in linear dimensional change in all the disinfectants and water, they were found to be statistically insignificant. PMID:27134996
Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Dengue-Orientia tsutsugamushi co-Infection from a Tertiary Care Center in South India
Basheer, Aneesh; Iqbal, Nayyar; Mookkappan, Sudhagar; Anitha, Patricia; Nair, Shashikala; Kanungo, Reba; Kandasamy, Ravichandran
Background Concurrent infection with multiple pathogens is common in tropics, posing diagnostic and treatment challenges. Although co-infections of dengue, malaria, leptospirosis and typhoid in various combinations have been described, data on dengue and scrub typhus co-infection is distinctly limited. Methodology This study was a retrospective analysis of dengue and scrub typhus co-infection diagnosed between January 2010 and July 2014 at a tertiary care center. Clinical and laboratory features of these cases were compared with age and gender-matched patients with isolated dengue fever and isolated scrub typhus. Positive test for dengue non-structural 1 (NS1) antigen was considered diagnostic of dengue whereas scrub typhus was diagnosed by IgM scrub antibodies demonstrated by ELISA. Results There were 6 cases of dengue-scrub co-infection during the review period which fitted clinical and laboratory profile with a mean age of 42.5 years. Fever, headache, and arthralgia were common. Normal hemoglobin, significant thrombocytopenia, transaminitis, and hypoalbuminemia were identified in these patients. Compared to patients with isolated dengue, those with co-infection had higher pulse rate, lower systolic blood pressure, normal leucocyte counts, higher levels of liver enzymes, greater prolongation of partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and lower serum albumin. Co-infection was characterized by a lower nadir platelet count compared to scrub typhus, and lesser time to nadir platelet count and longer duration of hospital stay compared to either isolated dengue or scrub typhus. Conclusion Dengue-scrub typhus co-infection may be under-diagnosed in tropics, particularly confounded during dengue epidemics. Normal leukocyte counts, early drop in platelets and hypoalbuminemia in dengue patients could be clues to concurrent scrub typhus infection. Prompt recognition and treatment of scrub typhus in such cases may reduce unnecessary hospital stay and cost. PMID:27413521
Evaluation of SD BIOLINE Syphilis 3.0 for Rapid Diagnosis of Syphilis: Report from a Regional Sexually Transmitted Infection Reference Laboratory in North India
Mehra, Bhanu; Bhattar, Sonali; Saxena, Shikhar; Rawat, Deepti; Bhalla, Preena
Background: Serology is considered the mainstay of syphilis diagnosis. The limitations of the traditional serological methods and the advent and availability of novel immunochromatographic assays have led to the widespread application of rapid point-of-care procedures as screening tools for syphilis. However, these tests have not been extensively evaluated. This study was designed to evaluate the performance of a rapid syphilis diagnostic test known as SD BIOLINE Syphilis 3.0 (SD Biostandard Diagnostics Private Limited, Gurgaon, Haryana, India). Materials and Methods: A panel comprising of 50 venereal disease research laboratory reactive and 50 nonreactive sera was tested using SD BIOLINE Syphilis 3.0. The performance of the test was evaluated using IMMUTREP Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay (TPHA) (OMEGA Diagnostics Limited, Scotland, United Kingdom) as the reference standard and sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values were calculated. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of SD BIOLINE Syphilis 3.0 were 92.86% (confidence interval of 95%: 80.52–98.50%), 98.28% (90.76-99.96%), 97.50% (86.84–99.94%), and 95.00% (86.08–98.96%), respectively, compared to TPHA as the gold standard. Conclusion: Keeping in view the high sensitivity and specificity of SD BIOLINE Syphilis 3.0, we conclude that the test can be used as a tool for rapid on-site diagnosis of syphilis and as an alternative to TPHA for detection of antibodies to Treponema pallidum. PMID:27013811
Study of various clinical and laboratory parameters among 178 patients affected by hooch tragedy in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (India): A single center experience
Jarwani, Bhavesh S; Motiani, Puja D; Sachdev, Sachin
Introduction/Purpose: The outbreak of methanol poisoning described in this paper occurred in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India in July 2009. Our intention is to share the experience of clinical features, laboratory investigations and their relation during this tragedy. Materials and Methods: Single center, retrospective study of clinical features and laboratory parameters of 178 cases of methanol toxicity treated at tertiary care hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Results: Maximum patients (39.8%, n = 45) were received in 48 h; Mean age of presentation was 41.9 ± 10.2 years. Most of them were men (175 out of 178). On presentation, 83% patients had gastro-intestinal symptoms, 46% had neurological symptoms, 73% had visual symptoms and 32% had dyspnoea. 62% had blurred vision, 10.5% had blindness. Patients with visual symptoms had high mean level of methanol (120.12 ± 23.12 vs. 55.43 ± 29.24, P = 0.014). On fundus examination 52.8% (n = 62) had bilateral hyperaemia of discs, 8.4% (n = 12) had bilateral disc pallor and 4.5% had papilledema (n = 5). Patients with hyperaemia of discs, discs pallor or papilledema, had higher mean methanol level (121.1 ± 32.2 mg% v/s 70.1 ± 23.2 mg%, P = 0.032). Mean of pH values was 7.17 ± 0.22 and bicarbonate was 12.3 ± 7.3 mmol/L. Both pH and bicarbonate levels correlated well with mortality and serum methanol level. Mean serum methanol level was 87.1 mg/dL, and correlated significantly with the mortality (53.1 ± 41 mg/dL v/s 121 ± 92 mg/dL, P value < 0.05). Conclusion: GI symptoms, neurological symptoms and breathlessness are important clue to ED physician for diagnose methanol poisoning. Visual symptoms and fundus findings correlate well with the methanol level. Arterial Blood Gas derived pH and bicarbonate levels correlate significantly with the methanol level and mortality. PMID:23723613
Atmospheric Science Data Center
... MISR Data Reveal Immense Pollution Pool over Bihar, India View Larger Image ... a tongue of pollution extending across the middle of India. The MISR observations, however, show the pollution lies much farther ...
Expansion of syndromic vaccine preventable disease surveillance to include bacterial meningitis and Japanese encephalitis: Evaluation of adapting polio and measles laboratory networks in Bangladesh, China and India, 2007–2008
Cavallaro, Kathleen F.; Sandhu, Hardeep S.; Hyde, Terri B.; Johnson, Barbara W.; Fischer, Marc; Mayer, Leonard W.; Clark, Thomas A.; Pallansch, Mark A.; Yin, Zundong; Zuo, Shuyan; Hadler, Stephen C.; Diorditsa, Serguey; Hasan, A.S.M. Mainul; Bose, Anindya S.; Dietz, Vance
Background Surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis with laboratory confirmation has been a key strategy in the global polio eradication initiative, and the laboratory platform established for polio testing has been expanded in many countries to include surveillance for cases of febrile rash illness to identify measles and rubella cases. Vaccine-preventable disease surveillance is essential to detect outbreaks, define disease burden, guide vaccination strategies and assess immunization impact. Vaccines now exist to prevent Japanese encephalitis (JE) and some etiologies of bacterial meningitis. Methods We evaluated the feasibility of expanding polio–measles surveillance and laboratory networks to detect bacterial meningitis and JE, using surveillance for acute meningitis-encephalitis syndrome in Bangladesh and China and acute encephalitis syndrome in India. We developed nine syndromic surveillance performance indicators based on international surveillance guidelines and calculated scores using supervisory visit reports, annual reports, and case-based surveillance data. Results Scores, variable by country and targeted disease, were highest for the presence of national guidelines, sustainability, training, availability of JE laboratory resources, and effectiveness of using polio–measles networks for JE surveillance. Scores for effectiveness of building on polio–measles networks for bacterial meningitis surveillance and specimen referral were the lowest, because of differences in specimens and techniques. Conclusions Polio–measles surveillance and laboratory networks provided useful infrastructure for establishing syndromic surveillance and building capacity for JE diagnosis, but were less applicable for bacterial meningitis. Laboratory-supported surveillance for vaccine-preventable bacterial diseases will require substantial technical and financial support to enhance local diagnostic capacity. PMID:25597940
PVWatts (R) Calculator India (Fact Sheet)
Not Available
The PVWatts (R) Calculator for India was released by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in 2013. The online tool estimates electricity production and the monetary value of that production of grid-connected roof- or ground-mounted crystalline silicon photovoltaics systems based on a few simple inputs. This factsheet provides a broad overview of the PVWatts (R) Calculator for India.
Atmospheric Science Data Center
... title: Dewatering Effects from the Gujarat Earthquake View Larger Image ... India's Republic Day is normally celebrated, a devastating earthquake hit the state of Gujarat. About 20,000 people died and millions were ...
Atmospheric Science Data Center
... article title: Liquefaction Effects from the Bhuj Earthquake View Larger Image ... of western India. On January 26, 2001, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake devastated this area, killing 20,000 people and destroying ...
Pediatric melioidosis in Southern India.
Mukhopadhyay, Chiranjay; Eshwara, Vandana K; Kini, Pushpa; Bhat, Vinod
Melioidosis in children is increasingly detected from the coastal region of Southern India during monsoon. We present 11 cases of melioidosis, ranging from localized to disseminated, treated successfully, barring one death. It calls for awareness and upgrading laboratory facilities for better diagnosis and management of pediatric melioidosis. PMID:26388638
Underground laboratories in Asia
Lin, Shin Ted; Yue, Qian
Deep underground laboratories in Asia have been making huge progress recently because underground sites provide unique opportunities to explore the rare-event phenomena for the study of dark matter searches, neutrino physics and nuclear astrophysics as well as the multi-disciplinary researches based on the low radioactive environments. The status and perspectives of Kamioda underground observatories in Japan, the existing Y2L and the planned CUP in Korea, India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) in India and China JinPing Underground Laboratory (CJPL) in China will be surveyed.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Pahl, Ronald H.
Reviews a number of Internet sites containing information on every aspect of life in Modern India. The various sites provide information on such diverse topics as the Indian film industry, politics, the booming Indian computer industry, changing status of women, and financial and political issues. (MJP)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ali, Jason R.; Aitchison, Jonathan C.
"Greater India" is an 80-yr-old concept that has been used by geoscientists in plate tectonic models of the India-Asia collision system. Numerous authors working on the orogen and/or plate models of the broader region have added various sized chunks of continental lithosphere to the now northern edge of their reconstructed Indian plate. Prior to plate tectonic theory, Emile Argand (1924) [Argand, E., 1924. La tectonique de l' Asie. Proc. 13th Int. Geol. Cong. 7 (1924), 171-372.] and Arthur Holmes (1965) [Holmes, A., 1965. Principles of Physical Geology, Second Edition. The Ronald Press Company, New York, 1128.] thought that the Himalayan Mountains and Tibetan Plateau had been raised due to the northern edge of the Indian craton under-thrusting the entire region. Since the advent of plate tectonic theory, Greater India proposals have been based principally on three lines of logic. One group of workers has added various amounts of continental lithosphere to India as part of their Mesozoic Gondwana models. A second form of reconstruction is based on Himalayan crustal-shortening estimates. A third body of researchers has used India continent extensions as means of allowing initial contact between the block and the Eurasian backstop plate in southern Tibet to take place at various times between the Late Cretaceous and late Eocene in what we call "fill-the-gap" solutions. The Indian craton and the southern edge of Eurasia were almost invariably some distance from one another when the collision was supposed to have started; extensions to the sub-continent were used to circumvent the problem. Occasionally, Greater India extensions have been based on a combination of fill-the-gap and shortening estimate arguments. In this paper, we exhume and re-examine the key Greater India proposals. From our analysis, it is clear that many proponents have ignored key information regarding the sub-continent's pre break-up position within Gondwana and the bathymetry of the Indian Ocean
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Formerly known as Bombay, the city of Mumbai is situated on India's west coast, on the Arabian Sea, roughly 500 km (310 miles) south of the Tropic of Cancer. Its large harbor and ideal location facing Africa, Europe, and the Middle East make it an excellent city for trade. Sometimes referred to as the 'Gateway of India,' Mumbai handles more than one third of the country's foreign trade. The city supports a population of more than 12 million people in an area of roughly 619 square km (239 square miles). The port was acquired in 1534 by Portugal, which named it Bom Bahia, meaning 'beautiful bay.' Originally, the city rested upon seven small islands, mostly basaltic bedrock from earlier lava flows. These islands are now connected to one another by reclaimed land, but each island, or neighborhood, still retains a distinct identity within the city. (For more details, visit Welcome to Bombay: The Gateway of India.) The blue-grey pixels in this false-color image are urban areas. The dark green areas are heavily vegetated surfaces while the light brown regions are more sparsely vegetated. This image of Mumbai was acquired by the Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+), flying aboard the Landsat 7 satellite. July 23, 2002, marks the 30th anniversary of the Landsat program. (Click to read the press release-Celebrating 30 Years of Imaging the Earth.) The Landsat program has been particularly instrumental in tracking land use and land cover changes-such as increased urban growth-over the last three decades. Image courtesy Ron Beck, USGS EROS Data Center Satellite Systems Branch
Evaluation on Thermal Behavior of a Green Roof Retrofit System Installed on Experimental Building in Composite Climate of Roorkee, India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kumar, Ashok; Deoliya, Rajesh; Chani, P. S.
Green roofs not only provide cooling by shading, but also by transpiration of water through the stomata. However, the evidence for green roofs providing significant air cooling remains limited. No literature investigates the thermal performance of prefab brick panel roofing technology with green roof. Hence, the aim of this research is to investigate the thermal behavior of an experimental room, built at CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) campus, Roorkee, India using such roofing technology during May 2013. The study also explores the feasibility of green roof with grass carpets that require minimum irrigation, to assess the expected indoor thermal comfort improvements by doing real-time experimental studies. The results show that the proposed green roof system is suitable for reducing the energy demand for space cooling during hot summer, without worsening the winter energy performance. The cost of proposed retrofit system is about Rs. 1075 per m2. Therefore, green roofs can be used efficiently in retrofitting existing buildings in India to improve the micro-climate on building roofs and roof insulation, where the additional load carrying capacity of buildings is about 100-130 kg/m2.
Epidemiology of Bluetongue in India.
Rao, P P; Hegde, N R; Reddy, Y N; Krishnajyothi, Y; Reddy, Y V; Susmitha, B; Gollapalli, S R; Putty, K; Reddy, G H
Bluetongue (BT) is an insectborne endemic disease in India. Although infections are observed in domestic and wild ruminants, the clinical disease and mortality are observed only in sheep, especially in the southern states of the country. The difference in disease patterns in different parts of the country could be due to varied climatic conditions, sheep population density and susceptibility of the sheep breeds to BT. Over the five decades after the first report of BT in 1964, most of the known serotypes of bluetongue virus (BTV) have been reported from India either by virus isolation or by detection of serotype-specific antibodies. There have been no structured longitudinal studies to identify the circulating serotypes throughout the country. At least ten serotypes were isolated between 1967 and 2000 (BTV-1-4, 6, 9, 16-18, 23). Since 2001, the All-India Network Programme on Bluetongue and other laboratories have isolated eight different serotypes (BTV-1-3, 9, 10, 12, 16, 21). Genetic analysis of these viruses has revealed that some of them vary substantially from reference viruses, and some show high sequence identity with modified live virus vaccines used in different parts of the world. These observations have highlighted the need to develop diagnostic capabilities, especially as BT outbreaks are still declared based on clinical signs. Although virus isolation and serotyping are the gold standards, rapid methods based on the detection of viral nucleic acid may be more suitable for India. The epidemiological investigations also have implications for vaccine design. Although only a handful serotypes may be involved in causing outbreaks every year, the combination of serotypes may change from year to year. For effective control of BT in India, it may be pertinent to introduce sentinel and vector traps systems for identification of the circulating serotypes and to evaluate herd immunity against different serotypes, so that relevant strains can be included in vaccine
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Abdul-Alim, Jamaal
Even though lawmakers in India don't seem likely to pass any laws that would enable foreign universities to set up shop in India anytime soon, opportunities still abound for institutions of higher learning in the United States to collaborate with their Indian counterparts and to engage and recruit students in India as well. That's the consensus…
Isolation of colour components from native dye-bearing plants in northeastern India.
Bhuyan, Ranjana; Saikia, C N
Recently dyes derived from natural sources have emerged as important alternatives to synthetic dyes. A study was initiated in the year 2000 at the RRL (CSIR), Jorhat to extract dyes from parts of five different plant species indigenous to northeastern India. The colour components responsible for dyeing were isolated and their chemical constituents were established based on chemical and spectroscopic investigations. The principal colour components from the species Morinda angustifolia Roxb., Rubia cordifolia Linn. and Tectona grandis Linn. were found to contain mainly anthraquinone moieties in their molecules. Those from the species Mimusops elengi Linn. and Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. contained flavonoid moieties in their molecules. The absorption of dye (%) on fibres increased with increasing concentrations of dye in the dye-bath. Maximum absorption of dyes on fibres was obtained at 3% concentration of dyes obtained from R. cordfolia (35.350%), M. angustifolia (31.580%) and T. grandis (25.888%) and at 4% concentration of the dyes from M. elengi (31.917%) and T. arjuna (12.246%). The K/S values were found to increase with the increase in concentration of mordants. The colour co-ordinates of dyed samples were found to lie in the yellow-red quadrant of the colour space diagram. The dyes obtained from the native plants may be alternative sources to synthetic dyes for the dyeing of natural silk and cotton. PMID:15474939
India: Degree Verification Fees
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Gauthier, Grady
According to the USEFI (United States Education Foundation in India) Web site, (www.fulbright-india.org/eas/eas-general.htm), there are currently 74,603 Indian students in the United States. This immense cultural and educational exchange brings with it both rewards and difficulties for the students and the institutions who enroll them. One of the…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sahni, Urvashi
Interviews children and adults living in rural areas in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India regarding education, revealing individuals' hopes and dreams against a backdrop of severe class, caste, and gender stratification. Examines the promise of schooling and literacy in India, the relationship of schooling and literacy to work, and of…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Day, Frederick A.
Stating that superficial stereotypes hinder the understanding of people and places, Day presents several well-known over-generalizations about India. Attempts to update readers about recent changes within the country while dispelling some popular myths. Discusses India's large population, poverty, economic growth, women's roles, and culture, along…
Evaluation of the in vitro activity of six broad-spectrum beta-lactam antimicrobial agents tested against recent clinical isolates from India: a survey of ten medical center laboratories.
Mathai, Dilip; Rhomberg, Paul R; Biedenbach, Douglas J; Jones, Ronald N
The widespread use of beta-lactam antimicrobial agents as first-line therapy for the treatment of serious infections has led to the development of various resistances that have compromised the use of some agents. In certain countries, the lack of local or national surveillance programs limits the ability to detect these resistant strains and prevent their dissemination. A 10 medical center study in India was initiated to benchmark prevailing resistance rates for a range of bacterial pathogens to beta-lactams, and it found high rates of beta-lactamase-mediated resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. These rates included: cephalosporins (55.6-61.3% resistance), with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) phenotypes noted in over 60% of E. coli isolates and in Salmonella spp. (3.2-8.1%). Imipenem, a carbapenem, was the only antimicrobial agent tested with 100% activity against Enterobacteriaceae. Cefpirome was the most active of the tested cephalosporins, and all were fully active against methicillin-susceptible staphylococci with the exception of ceftazidime. Molecular and susceptibility characterization of 52 selected ESBL-producing strains showed a high level of co-resistance with aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones, and clonal dissemination of resistant strains within medical centers. Collaborative studies, such as those presented here, can accurately detect changes in resistance patterns, and their continued use may help limit the further development and spread of bacterial resistances in India. PMID:12543543
New steps in the control of canine rabies in India.
Pradhan, H K; Gurbuxani, J P; Cliquet, F; Pattnaik, B; Patil, S S; Regnault, A; Begouen, H; Guiot, A L; Sood, R; Mahl, P; Singh, R; Picard, E; Aubert, M F A; Barrat, J; Meslin, F X
In India, about 20,000 people die of rabies every year. The dog is the main reservoir and transmitter of the disease. A pilot rabies control programme was launched in five Indian federal states in February, 2007. This initiative is led by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) federating many animal welfare organizations and the Ministry of Agriculture. It aims at creating a "Rabies Free India." The programme combines parenteral vaccination of accessible owned and stray dogs, spaying/neutering followed by parenteral vaccination and oral vaccination of inaccessible dogs. The freeze-dried vaccine SAG2, including the bait casing, was registered in India following successful evaluation of vaccine-bait safety and efficacy (by survival after virulent challenge) in captive Indian stray dogs in the Bhopal High Security Animal Disease Laboratory. Furthermore, bait acceptance was tested under both experimental and field conditions. PMID:18634476
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Malik, Iqbal
A general discussion of training programs which resulted from India's decision to expand television as a nationwide network and a vastly expanded use of educational technology within the educational system. (Author/HB)
Liver transplantation in India.
Narasimhan, Gomathy; Kota, Venugopal; Rela, Mohamed
Liver transplantation as an established form of treatment for end-stage liver disease has gained acceptance in India over the last 10 years. Liver transplantation in India has unique features that have contributed to the growth of both deceased donor and living donor transplantations of which living donor currently dominates the picture. Living donor contributes to 80% and deceased donor to 20% of the liver transplants currently performed in India. The majority of these transplants are performed within the private sector with public sector hospitals lagging behind significantly. This article gives an overview of the evolution of liver transplantation in India and the potential future challenges. Liver Transplantation 22 1019-1024 2016 AASLD. PMID:27082718
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bagla, Pallava
With a population of over 1.1 billion people, of whom 714 million are entitled to vote, elections in India are complex affairs. In the next general election, which begins on 16 April, there will be more than 828 000 polling stations, where some 1.3 million electronic voting machines will be used in what will be the world's largest electronic election. The machines themselves were built and designed in India.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chaturvedi, Ram
India emerged as a free and democratic country in 1947, and entered into the nuclear age in 1948 by establishing the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), with Homi Bhabha as the chairman. Later on the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was created under the Office of the Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru. Initially the AEC and DAE received international cooperation, and by 1963 India had two research reactors and four nuclear power reactors. In spite of the humiliating defeat in the border war by China in 1962 and China's nuclear testing in 1964, India continued to adhere to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. On May 18, 1974 India performed a 15 kt Peaceful Nuclear Explosion (PNE). The western powers considered it nuclear weapons proliferation and cut off all financial and technical help, even for the production of nuclear power. However, India used existing infrastructure to build nuclear power reactors and exploded both fission and fusion devices on May 11 and 13, 1998. The international community viewed the later activity as a serious road block for the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; both deemed essential to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. India considers these treaties favoring nuclear states and is prepared to sign if genuine nuclear disarmament is included as an integral part of these treaties.
Gas Hydrate Deposits in the Cauvery-Mannar Offshore Basin, India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dewangan, P.
The analysis of geophysical and coring data from Mahanadi and Krishna-Godavari offshore basins, eastern continental margin of India, has established the presence of gas hydrate deposits; however, other promising petroliferous basins are relatively unexplored for gas hydrates. A collaborative program between GSI/MoM and CSIR-NIO was formulated to explore the Cauvery-Mannar offshore basin for gas hydrate deposits (Fig. 1a). High quality multi-channel reflection seismics (MCS) data were acquired with 3,000 cu. in airgun source array and 3 km long hydrophone streamer (240 channels) onboard R/V Samudra Ratnakar for gas hydrate studies. Other geophysical data such as gravity, magnetic and multibeam data were also acquired along with seismic data.After routine processing of seismic data, the bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs) are observed in the central and north-eastern part of the survey area. The BSRs are identified based on its characteristic features such as mimicking the seafloor, opposite polarity with respect to the seafloor and crosscutting the existing geological layers (Fig. 1b). At several locations, seismic signatures associated with free gas such as drop in interval velocity, pull-down structures, amplitude variation with offset (AVO) and attenuation are observed below the BSRs which confirm the presence of free gas in the study area. Acoustic chimneys are observed at some locations indicating vertical migration of the free gas. The observed seismic signatures established the presence of gas hydrates/free gas deposits in Cauvery-Mannar basin. Interestingly, BSRs appear to be distributed along the flanks of submarine canyon indicating the influence of geomorphology on the formation and distribution of gas hydrates.
Optical analysis of a photovoltaic V-trough system installed in western India.
Maiti, Subarna; Sarmah, Nabin; Bapat, Pratap; Mallick, Tapas K
The low concentrating photovoltaic (PV) system such as a 2× V-trough system can be a promising choice for enhancing the power output from conventional PV panels with the inclusion of thermal management. This system is more attractive when the reflectors are retrofitted to the stationary PV panels installed in a high aspect ratio in the north-south direction and are tracked 12 times a year manually according to preset angles, thus eliminating the need of diurnal expensive tracking. In the present analysis, a V-trough system facing exactly the south direction is considered, where the tilt angle of the PV panels' row is kept constant at 18.34°. The system is installed on the terrace of CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India (21.47 N, 71.15 E). The dimension of the entire PV system is 9.64 m×0.55 m. The V-troughs made of anodized aluminum reflectors (70% specular reflectivity) had the same dimensions. An in-house developed; experimentally validated Monte Carlo ray-trace model was used to study the effect of the angular variation of the reflectors throughout a year for the present assembly. Results of the ray trace for the optimized angles showed the maximum simulated optical efficiency to be 85.9%. The spatial distribution of solar intensity over the 0.55 m dimension of the PV panel due to the V-trough reflectors was also studied for the optimized days in periods that included solstices and equinoxes. The measured solar intensity profiles with and without the V-trough system were used to calculate the actual optical efficiencies for several sunny days in the year, and results were validated with the simulated efficiencies within an average error limit of 10%. PMID:23262601
India. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar Abroad 1994 (India).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dickler, Paul
This curriculum packet on politics and international relations in India contains an essay, three lessons and a variety of charts, maps, and additional readings to support the unit. The essay is entitled "India 1994: The Peacock and the Vulture." The lessons include: (1) "The Kashmir Dispute"; (2) "India: Domestic Order and International Affairs, A…
Malaria in India: The Center for the Study of Complex Malaria in India
Das, Aparup; Anvikar, Anupkumar R.; Cator, Lauren J.; Dhiman, Ramesh C.; Eapen, Alex; Mishra, Neelima; Nagpal, Bhupinder N.; Nanda, Nutan; Raghavendra, Kamaraju; Read, Andrew F.; Sharma, Surya K.; Singh, Om P.; Singh, Vineeta; Sinnis, Photini; Srivastava, Harish C.; Sullivan, Steven A.; Sutton, Patrick L.; Thomas, Matthew B.; Carlton, Jane M.; Valecha, Neena
Malaria is a major public health problem in India and one which contributes significantly to the overall malaria burden in Southeast Asia. The National Vector Borne Disease Control Program of India reported ~1.6 million cases and ~1100 malaria deaths in 2009. Some experts argue that this is a serious underestimation and that the actual number of malaria cases per year is likely between 9 and 50 times greater, with an approximate 13-fold underestimation of malaria-related mortality. The difficulty in making these estimations is further exacerbated by (i) highly variable malaria eco-epidemiological profiles, (ii) the transmission and overlap of multiple Plasmodium species and Anopheles vectors, (iii) increasing antimalarial drug resistance and insecticide resistance, and (iv) the impact of climate change on each of these variables. Simply stated, the burden of malaria in India is complex. Here we describe plans for a Center for the Study of Complex Malaria in India (CSCMi), one of ten International Centers of Excellence in Malaria Research (ICEMRs) located in malarious regions of the world recently funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health. The CSCMi is a close partnership between Indian and United States scientists, and aims to address major gaps in our understanding of the complexity of malaria in India, including changing patterns of epidemiology, vector biology and control, drug resistance, and parasite genomics. We hope that such a multidisciplinary approach that integrates clinical and field studies with laboratory, molecular, and genomic methods will provide a powerful combination for malaria control and prevention in India. PMID:22142788
Clock synchronisation experiment in India using symphonie satellite
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Somayajulu, Y. V.; Mathur, B. S.; Banerjee, P.; Garg, S. C.; Singh, L.; Sood, P. C.; Tyagi, T. R.; Jain, C. L.; Kumar, K.
A recent clock synchronization experiment between the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), New Delhi and Space Applications Center (SAC), Ahemedabad, in India via geostationary satellite symphonie 2, stationed at 49 E longitude, is reported. A two-way transmission using a microwave transponder considered to provide the greatest precision in synchronization of two remote clocks is described.
Toxicologic pathology in a multicultural world--India.
Schultze, A Eric; Reddy, Vijayapal R; Donnelly, Kevin B; Berridge, Brian R
The global practice of drug development is expanding into many different continents and countries. India, in particular, is rapidly emerging as an economic force in this arena by offering ever-expanding opportunities for pharmaceutical market expansion as well as productive drug development partnerships. The key to the country's current socioeconomic success appears to be education, particularly the development of higher and professional education. Also, recent modifications to India's patent laws offer greater protections and incentives for international investment. Increasing numbers of competent contract research organizations create attractive opportunities for large Western pharmaceutical companies with a desire to gain access to burgeoning markets as well as mitigate the rising cost of drug development with less costly services. Well-trained veterinary pathologists are available, appropriate facilities are being constructed, and laboratory capabilities are expanding. Developing a productive partnership with a credible laboratory service in India, as with any new provider, requires due diligence and knowledgeable scrutiny of key elements of the work stream, such as facilities, education and training of laboratory personnel, Good Laboratory Practices, animal care, timelines, and data management. Ultimately and with appropriate management, mutually beneficial drug development partnerships are available in India. PMID:21859882
Udwadia, F E; Guntupalli, K K; Vidyasagar, D
India is a vast democracy of nearly one billion people. Before the British rule ended in 1947, the life span of an Indian was a mere 21 years. Within a short span of 50 years, it increased to an impressive 63 years, largely due to public health measures initiated by the government. This created a pool of more than 300 million middle class Indians who could afford the benefits of modern and specialized care when needed. Critical care medicine, as practiced in the West, is still confined to large Metropolitan areas. A large pool of expatriate Indian physicians from all over the world are helping bridge the resource gap between the West and India by transfer of technology and providing appropriate training to physicians and paramedical personnel. This article describes the history and current status of development of critical care medicine in India. PMID:9107510
Killinger, M. H.; Griggs, J. R.; Apt, Kenneth E.; Doyle, J. E.
Two US-India documents were signed in 2000 that provided new impetus for scientific and technical cooperation between the two countries. The first document is the US-India Science and Technology Agreement, which is aimed at 'promoting scientific and technological cooperation between the people of their two countries.' The second is the US-India Joint Statement on Energy and Environment, which states 'the United States and India believe that energy and environment could be one of the most important areas of cooperation between the two countries.' In addition to the work already underway as part of these two agreements, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has established a US-India Science and Technology Initiative to utilize the expertise of DOE national laboratories to conduct activities that support US policy objectives in South Asia. PNNL and LANL are working with US government agencies to identify appropriate non-sensitive, non-nuclear areas for US-Indian technical collaboration. The objectives of such collaboration are to address visible national and international problems, build trust between the United States and India, and contribute to regional stability in South Asia. This paper describes the approach for this engagement, the Indian scientific organization and infrastructure, potential areas for collaboration, and current status of the initiative.
India Through Literature: An Annotated Bibliography for Teaching India. Part I: India Through the Ancient Classics.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Johnson, Donald; Johnson, Jean
The past and the present interweave in contemporary India. To understand India, one must know of the traditional stories. Two short pocket books make them accessible and acceptable to students: 1) The Dance of Shiva and Other Tales from India by Oroon Ghosh, published by the New American Library in New York; and, 2) Gods, Demons, and Others by R.…
Das, Sakti
The practice of medical and surgical measures in the management of urological ailments prevailed in ancient India from the Vedic era around 3000 BC. Subsequently in the Samhita period, the two stalwarts - Charaka in medicine and Susruta in surgery elevated the art of medicine in India to unprecedented heights. Their elaboration of the etiopathological hypothesis and the medical and surgical treatments of various urological disorders of unparalleled ingenuity still remain valid to some extent in our contemporary understanding. The new generation of accomplished Indian urologists should humbly venerate the legacy of the illustrious pioneers in urology of our motherland. PMID:19675749
After the CTB... India`s intentions
Bidwai, P.; Vanaik, A.
More than six months after it was adopted in the U.N. General Assembly, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTB) remains a victim of narrowly perceived national security interests. Three sour ironies marked the way agreement was reached. First, India, which pioneered the proposal in 1954, became its bitterest opponent, alone vetoing it at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, thus denying the CTB universality. Second, for all the hard bargaining over 33 months, the CTB may well remain a paper treaty with an entry-into-force clause (Article XIV) that makes it uniquely vulnerable to the specific perceptions of any of the 44 states that must ratify it. Among them is India, which declared last September that it would not sign it then--or later. Third the CTB is no longer comprehensive in the way it would have been in the 1950s and 1960s. It permits non-explosive weapons-related tests. While the value of these tests in weapons development is debatable--indeed, virtually nonexistent according to many scientists--such tests will keep weapons labs running, bomb designers employed, and delusions about weapons efficacy alive. This will surely hamper ratification by many states.
Weir, E
An elective in India, during which she provided palliative care for a young girl, taught medical student Erica Weir several lessons about health care that she would never have learned during an elective in Canada. Images p786-a p787-a PMID:8823226
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bryjak, George J.
Indian cities are growing rapidly due to natural increase and migration from rural areas. This has caused huge pollution problems and has resulted in overcrowded schools and hospitals. Conflict between religious groups has increased; so has crime. India is modernizing, but not fast enough. (CS)
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kothari, Brij; Bandyopadhyay, Tathagata
This paper takes a close look at India's literacy rate by exploring whether the officially "literate" can read and at what level. In a large sample, aged 7+, drawn from four Hindi-speaking states, two methods were used to measure literacy. One was the standard Census Method (CM) which relies on self-reporting and the other was a Reading Method…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Devi, D. Radha; Ravindran, M.
The proportion of women in paid employment in India is very low, and working women tend to be concentrated in low-wage, low-status, unskilled jobs, especially in agriculture. Even for the few women working in the modern sector, discrimination is pervasive, and change seems unlikely to occur soon. (IS)
Vocationalising Education in India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sacheti, A. K.; Ray, S.
Since India gained its independence in 1947, three important commissions have examined the issue of educational reform. The first (in 1948) recommended a vocational emphasis in the intermediate (predegree) courses without sacrificing emphasis on preparation for university education. In 1954, the Secondary Education Commission resulted in the…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Oswald, James M.
Reforestation is desperately needed in India. Three-fourths of the country's ground surface is experiencing desertification, and primitive forests are being destroyed. Reforestation would help moderate temperatures, increase ground water levels, improve soil fertility, and alleviate a wood shortage. In the past, people from the United States, such…
Stone, J.L.; Ullal, H.S.
NREL personnel team with the Indian and US governments and an Indian NGO to bring photovoltaic electricity to rural residents of the Sundarbans in India. India is the world's second most populous country, quickly approaching one billion people. Although it has a well-developed electricity grid, many residents have little or no access to electricity and the benefits associated with it. Many rural areas, for example, are isolated from the grid and will not be connected for many years, if ever. One such area is the Sundarbans located in the delta region of the two great rivers, the Ganges and Brahmaputra. The region lies partially in India and partially in Bangladesh. It is estimated that 1.5 million people live in this area, crisscrossed by many islands and rivers, who have only marginal supplies of electricity generated primarily from diesel generators and batteries. Working with the regional non-governmental organization (NGO), the Ramakrishna Mission and the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency, the governments of India and the US initiated a rural electrification initiative in Sundarbans. The initiative was designed to demonstrate the economic and technical feasibility of photovoltaics (PV) to provide limited supplies of electricity for applications such as solar home lighting systems (SHS), water pumping, vaccine refrigeration, communications and economic development activities.
Laboratory tests check a sample of your blood, urine, or body tissues. A technician or your doctor ... compare your results to results from previous tests. Laboratory tests are often part of a routine checkup ...
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mohanty, A. K.
SURFACE WATER AND GROUND WATER QUALITY MONITORING FOR RESTORATION OF URBAN LAKES IN GREATER HYDERABAD, INDIA A.K. Mohanty, K. Mahesh Kumar, B. A. Prakash and V.V.S. Gurunadha Rao Ecology and Environment Group National Geophysical Research Institute, (CSIR) Hyderabad - 500 606, India E-mail:firstname.lastname@example.com Abstract: Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority has taken up restoration of urban lakes around Hyderabad city under Green Hyderabad Environment Program. Restoration of Mir Alam Tank, Durgamcheruvu, Patel cheruvu, Pedda Cheruvu and Nallacheruvu lakes have been taken up under the second phase. There are of six lakes viz., RKPuramcheruvu, Nadimicheruvu (Safilguda), Bandacheruvu Patelcheruvu, Peddacheruvu, Nallacheruvu, in North East Musi Basin covering 38 sq km. Bimonthly monitoring of lake water quality for BOD, COD, Total Nitrogen, Total phosphorous has been carried out for two hydrological cycles during October 2002- October 2004 in all the five lakes at inlet channels and outlets. The sediments in the lake have been also assessed for nutrient status. The nutrient parameters have been used to assess eutrophic condition through computation of Trophic Status Index, which has indicated that all the above lakes under study are under hyper-eutrophic condition. The hydrogeological, geophysical, water quality and groundwater data base collected in two watersheds covering 4 lakes has been used to construct groundwater flow and mass transport models. The interaction of lake-water with groundwater has been computed for assessing the lake water budget combining with inflow and outflow measurements on streams entering and leaving the lakes. Individual lake water budget has been used for design of appropriate capacity of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) on the inlet channels of the lakes for maintaining Full Tank Level (FTL) in each lake. STPs are designed for tertiary treatment i.e. removal of nutrient load viz., Phosphates and Nitrates. Phosphates are
Clinical trials and contract research organizations in India.
Mukherjee, Shoibal
Economics and demography are driving drug development to the developing world. India needs this opportunity to build research skills required to combat its enormous disease burden. A variety of global and local contract research organizations (CROs) that specialize in the execution of research to develop health care products operate in India today. CROs assure quality and compliance to regulations while coordinating with tertiary providers such as a site management organization and the central laboratory. Back room operations to manage, analyze, and report data form a bulk of the employment generated by clinical research, absorbing programmers, data managers, biostatisticians,and medical writers. Despite rapid growth and strong potential, India remains a minor contributor to global pharmaceutical research because of policy stagnation, regulatory gaps, and misinformed controversies in the media. PMID:22727008
Precipitation Across India's Ghats Mountains (IMERG)
Animation of precipitation rates across India and surrounding countries. Notice the heavy rains throughout the Ghats Mountain range which resulted in devastating landslides along India's west coast...
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Floods devestated parts of eastern India along the Brahmaputra River in June 2000. In some tributaries of the Brahmaputra, the water reached more than 5 meters (16.5 feet) above flood stage. At least 40 residents died, and the flood waters destroyed a bridge linking the region to the rest of India. High water also threatened endangered Rhinos in Kaziranga National Park. Flooded areas are shown in red in the above image. The map was derived from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data taken on June 15, 2000. For more information on observing floods with satellites, see: Using Satellites to Keep our Head above Water and the Dartmouth Flood Observatory Image by the Dartmouth Flood Observatory
India's misconceived family plan.
Jacobson, J L
India's goal of reducing the national birth rate by 50% by the year 2000 is destined to failure in the absence of attention to poverty, social inequality, and women's subordination--the factors that serve to perpetuate high fertility. There is a need to shift the emphasis of the population control effort from the obligation of individual women to curtail childbearing to the provision of the resources required for poor women to meet their basic needs. Female children are less likely to be educated or taken for medical care than their male counterparts and receive a lower proportion of the family's food supply. This discrimination stems, in large part, from parents' view that daughters will not be able to remunerate their families in later life for such investments. The myth of female nonproductivity that leads to the biased allocation of family resources overlooks the contribution of adult women's unpaid domestic labor and household production. Although government statistics state that women comprise 46% of India's agricultural labor force (and up to 90% of rural women participate in this sector on some basis), women have been excluded systematically from agricultural development schemes such as irrigation projects, credit, and mechanization. In the field of family planning, the Government's virtually exclusive focus on sterilization has excluded younger women who are not ready to terminate childbearing but would like methods such as condoms, diaphragms, IUDs, and oral contraceptives to space births. More general maternal-child health services are out of reach of the majority of poor rural women due to long distances that must be travelled to clinics India's birth rate could be reduced by 25% by 2000 just by filling the demand for quality voluntary family planning services. Without a sustained political commitment to improve the status of women in India, however, such gains will not be sustainable. PMID:12284385
Hematological Practice in India.
Das, Reena; Ahluwalia, Jasmina; Sachdeva, Man Updesh Singh
This article provides a short summary of hematological practice in India. It focuses particularly on how the patterns of hematologic practice differ from those of countries in the West with particular respect to genetic hematological diseases and a wide range of malignant disorders of hemopoiesis. It also focuses on the difficulties of control and management of hematological disorders set against a background of a relatively poor country. PMID:27040963
Wen, J
Child marriages have been practiced in India for thousands of years. Even though its popularity has now decreased due to changes in law and society, it is still a major problem, causing a great deal of hardship. Even though laws prohibited child marriage as early as 1860, statistics show that, on the average, Indians marry very young (1972: females at age 17; males at age 22 years of age; 34 females and 13 males under age 15). The following are incentives to marry young and have large families: 1) religion teaches that only those with descendants go to heaven; 2) unmarried women are traditionally scorned; and 3) most importantly, economic reasons encourage people to have large families as soon as possible, e.g., male children are encouraged to marry to obtain the dowry as soon as possible and children are considered a source of income in India. Child marriage in India causes the following problems: 1) a high infant mortality rate, as much as 75% in rural areas; 2) an imbalance in the male to female ratio (1901: 970 females/1000 males; 1971: 930 females/1000 males) because women who marry young tend to lose their health earlier; 3) a population explosion: in 1971, the Indian population was found to be increasing at the rate of 225/1000. PMID:12159404
Fisher-Vanden, K.A.; Pitcher, H.M.; Edmonds, J.A.; Kim, S.H.; Shukla, P.R.
Using the Indian module of the Second Generation Model 9SGM, we explore a reference case and three scenarios in which greenhouse gas emissions were controlled. Two alternative policy instruments (carbon taxes and tradable permits) were analyzed to determine comparative costs of stabilizing emissions at (1) 1990 levels (the 1 X case), (2) two times the 1990 levels (the 2X case), and (3) three times the 1990 levels (the 3X case). The analysis takes into account India`s rapidly growing population and the abundance of coal and biomass relative to other fuels. We also explore the impacts of a global tradable permits market to stabilize global carbon emissions on the Indian economy under the following two emissions allowance allocation methods: (1) {open_quotes}Grandfathered emissions{close_quotes}: emissions allowances are allocated based on 1990 emissions. (2) {open_quotes}Equal per capita emissions{close_quotes}: emissions allowances are allocated based on share of global population. Tradable permits represent a lower cost method to stabilize Indian emissions than carbon taxes, i.e., global action would benefit India more than independent actions.
Shigellosis: Epidemiology in India
Taneja, Neelam; Mewara, Abhishek
Shigellosis is one of the major causes of diarrhoea in India. The accurate estimates of morbidity and mortality due to shigellosis are lacking, though it is endemic in the country and has been reported to cause many outbreaks. The limited information available indicates Shigella to be an important food-borne pathogen in India. S. flexneri is the most common species, S. sonnei and non-agglutinable shigellae seem to be steadily surfacing, while S. dysenteriae has temporarily disappeared from the northern and eastern regions. Antibiotic-resistant strains of different Shigella species and serotypes have emerged all over the world. Especially important is the global emergence of multidrug resistant shigellae, notably the increasing resistance to third generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, and also azithromycin. This calls for a continuous and strong surveillance of antibiotic resistance across the country for periodic updation of the local antibiograms. The prevention of shigellosis is desirable as it will substantially reduce the morbidity associated with diarrhoea in the country. Public health measures like provision of safe water and adequate sanitation are of immense importance to reduce the burden of shigellosis, however, the provision of resources to develop such an infrastructure in India is a complex issue and will take time to resolve. Thus, the scientific thrust should be focused towards development of a safe and affordable multivalent vaccine. This review is focused upon the epidemiology, disease burden and the therapeutic challenges of shigellosis in Indian perspective. PMID:27487999
Shigellosis: Epidemiology in India.
Taneja, Neelam; Mewara, Abhishek
Shigellosis is one of the major causes of diarrhoea in India. The accurate estimates of morbidity and mortality due to shigellosis are lacking, though it is endemic in the country and has been reported to cause many outbreaks. The limited information available indicates Shigella to be an important food- borne pathogen in India. S. flexneri is the most common species, S. sonnei and non-agglutinable Shigellae seem to be steadily surfacing, while S. dysenteriae has temporarily disappeared from the northern and eastern regions. Antibiotic-resistant strains of different Shigella species and serotypes have emerged all over the world. Especially important is the global emergence of multidrug resistant Shigellae, notably the increasing resistance to third generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, and also azithromycin. This calls for a continuous and strong surveillance of antibiotic resistance across the country for periodic updation of the local antibiograms. The prevention of shigellosis is desirable as it will substantially reduce the morbidity associated with diarrhoea in the country. Public health measures like provision of safe water and adequate sanitation are of immense importance to reduce the burden of shigellosis, however, the provision of resources to develop such an infrastructure in India is a complex issue and will take time to resolve. Thus, the scientific thrust should be focused towards development of a safe and affordable multivalent vaccine. this review is focused upon the epidemiology, disease burden and the therapeutic challenges of shigellosis in Indian perspective. PMID:27487999
McHenry, Malcolm M.
A three-month sabbatical allowed a superficial overview of Indian medical history and practice. As in Western nations, cost is a major determinant of health care delivery in India; poverty and fiscal shortages, however, deny care to many. The education of Indian physicians is similar to that in Western nations and a high level of clinical competence is seen. However, physician compensation is woefully low by Western standards. India possesses its own indigenous medical systems, purported to be the oldest in the world and predating Hippocrates by several millenia. Most Indians are cared for by native practitioners whose medical techniques are intricately related to the Hindu and Islamic religions. Many of their herbal medicines have been assimilated into contemporary Western practice. Diseases unknown to us except by textbooks are commonly seen and effectively treated. On the other hand, Western diseases such as coronary arteriosclerosis are not uncommon in a land of massive overpopulation and malnutrition. The humbling aspect of this experience is the realization that medical practice dating back several millenia can be made more modern and carried out competently by contemporary physicians. A Western physician working in India finds an unparalleled variety of disease in a totally different medical-religious environment allowing him to reorganize his priorities and to rediscover himself in the world within which he lives. PMID:716392
Gupta, Nivedita; Srivastava, Sakshi; Jain, Amita; Chaturvedi, Umesh C
Dengue virus belongs to family Flaviviridae, having four serotypes that spread by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. It causes a wide spectrum of illness from mild asymptomatic illness to severe fatal dengue haemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS). Approximately 2.5 billion people live in dengue-risk regions with about 100 million new cases each year worldwide. The cumulative dengue diseases burden has attained an unprecedented proportion in recent times with sharp increase in the size of human population at risk. Dengue disease presents highly complex pathophysiological, economic and ecologic problems. In India, the first epidemic of clinical dengue-like illness was recorded in Madras (now Chennai) in 1780 and the first virologically proved epidemic of dengue fever (DF) occurred in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and Eastern Coast of India in 1963-1964. During the last 50 years a large number of physicians have treated and described dengue disease in India, but the scientific studies addressing various problems of dengue disease have been carried out at limited number of centres. Achievements of Indian scientists are considerable; however, a lot remain to be achieved for creating an impact. This paper briefly reviews the extent of work done by various groups of scientists in this country. PMID:23041731
Krishnamurthy, K; Venugopal, D; Alimchandani, A K
This review traces the history of the mental hospital movement, initially on the world stage, and later in India, in relation to advances in psychiatric care. Mental hospitals have played a significant role in the evolution of psychiatry to its present statusThe earliest hospital in India were established during the British colonial rule. They served as a means to isolate mentally ill persons from the societal mainstream and provide treatments that were in vogue at the time. Following India's independence, there has been a trend towards establishing general hospital psychiatry units and deinstitutionalization, while at the same time improving conditions in the existing mental hospitals.Since 1947, a series of workshops of superintendents was conducted to review the prevailing situations in mental hospitals and to propose recommendations to improve the same. Implementation of the Mental Health Act, 1987, and grovernmental focus upon mental hospital reform have paved way for a more specific and futuristic role for mental hospitals in planning psychiatric services for the new millenium, especially for severe mental illnesses. PMID:21407925
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Twelve long-term (6 to 10 months) and nine short-term (2 to 3 months) research awards are being offered for 1983-84 by the Indo-U.S. Subcommission on Education and Culture. The fellowship program seeks to open new channels of communication between academic and professional groups in the United States and India and to encourage a wider range of research activity between the two countries. Scholars and professionals with limited or no experience in India are encouraged to apply.The fellowship, without restriction to field, is for $1200 to $1500 per month, depending on academic/professional achievement and seniority; $350 per month is payable in dollars, with the balance paid in rupees. There is also an allowance for books and study/travel in India and for international travel. In addition, long-term fellows receive international travel allowances for dependents; a dependent allowance of $100-$250 per month in rupees; and a supplementary research allowance up to 34,000 rupees.
Shimkhada, Riti; Peabody, John W.
Legislation to control tobacco use in developing countries has lagged behind the dramatic rise in tobacco consumption. India, the third largest grower of tobacco in the world, amassed 1.7 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 1990 due to disease and injury attributable to tobacco use in a population where 65% of the men and 38% of the women consume tobacco. India's anti-tobacco legislation, first passed at the national level in 1975, was largely limited to health warnings and proved to be insufficient. In the last decade state legislation has increasingly been used but has lacked uniformity and the multipronged strategies necessary to control demand. A new piece of national legislation, proposed in 2001, represents an advance. It includes the following key demand reduction measures: outlawing smoking in public places; forbidding sale of tobacco to minors; requiring more prominent health warning labels; and banning advertising at sports and cultural events. Despite these measures, the new legislation will not be enough to control the demand for tobacco products in India. The Indian Government must also introduce policies to raise taxes, control smuggling, close advertising loopholes, and create adequate provisions for the enforcement of tobacco control laws. PMID:12640476
Singhi, Pratibha; Saini, Arushi Gahlot; Malhi, Prabhjot
Child maltreatment is a global problem but is more difficult to assess and manage in developing countries such as India where one-fifth of the world's total child population resides. Certain forms of maltreatment such as feticide, infanticide, abandonment, child labour, street-begging, corporal punishment and battered babies are particularly prevalent in India. Most physicians still need to be sensitized in order to suspect child abuse on the basis of unexplained trauma, multiple fractures, parental conflict and other corroborative evidence. This article summarizes the various aspects of this major problem in resource-poor settings in the hope that it will assist in the planning of services addressing child physical and sexual abuse and neglect in India and in other developing countries. A culture of non-violence towards children needs to be built into communities in order to provide an environment conducive to the overall development of the child. Rehabilitation of abused children and their families requires a multi-disciplinary service including paediatricians, child psychologists and social workers, and the training of police forces in how to tackle the problem. PMID:24070123
Opportunities and Challenges for Solar Minigrid Development in Rural India
Thirumurthy, N.; Harrington, L.; Martin, D.; Thomas, L.; Takpa, J.; Gergan, R.
The goal of this report is to inform investors about the potential of solar minigrid technologies to serve India's rural market. Under the US-India Energy Dialogue, the US Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is supporting the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)'s Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) in performing a business-case and policy-oriented analysis on the deployment of solar minigrids in India. The JNNSM scheme targets the development of 2GW of off-grid solar power by 2022 and provides large subsidies to meet this target. NREL worked with electricity capacity and demand data supplied by the Ladakh Renewable Energy Development Agency (LREDA) from Leh District, to develop a technical approach for solar minigrid development. Based on the NREL-developed, simulated solar insolation data for the city of Leh, a 250-kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system can produce 427,737 kWh over a 12-month period. The business case analysis, based on several different scenarios and JNNSM incentives shows the cost of power ranges from Rs. 6.3/kWh (US$0.126) to Rs. 9/kWh (US$0.18). At these rates, solar power is a cheaper alternative to diesel. An assessment of the macro-environment elements--including political, economic, environmental, social, and technological--was also performed to identify factors that may impact India?s energy development initiatives.
India Solar Resource Data: Enhanced Data for Accelerated Deployment (Fact Sheet)
Not Available
Identifying potential locations for solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) projects requires an understanding of the underlying solar resource. Under a bilateral partnership between the United States and India - the U.S.-India Energy Dialogue - the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has updated Indian solar data and maps using data provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the National Institute for Solar Energy (NISE). This fact sheet overviews the updated maps and data, which help identify high-quality solar energy projects. This can help accelerate the deployment of solar energy in India.
York, William B.
Microcomputers will play a major role in the laboratory, not only in the calculation and interpretation of clinical test data, but also will have an increasing place of importance in the management of laboratory resources in the face of the transition from revenue generating to the cost center era. We will give you a glimpse of what can be accomplished with the management data already collected by many laboratories today when the data are processed into meaningful reports.
Herrera, Joshua M.
This report is an analysis of the means of egress and life safety requirements for the laboratory building. The building is located at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) in Albuquerque, NM. The report includes a prescriptive-based analysis as well as a performance-based analysis. Following the analysis are appendices which contain maps of the laboratory building used throughout the analysis. The top of all the maps is assumed to be north.
India`s first solar chicken brooder
Chaturvedi, P.; Naryanaswamy, T.S.; Kumar, A.; Choudhary, U.; Sharma, S.K.
A 1,200 bird solar chicken brooder was indigenously designed and operated by the Indian scientists for the first time in the country as a Project under funding by the Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources to the All India Women`s Conference. This multi disciplinary project was taken up on the International Sun Day, May 3, 1993 and completed on May, 1994. Data has been collected for the first nine months of operation. Its successful operation has justified multi disciplinary approach. The solar chicken brooder incorporates modern poultry concepts of breeding under controlled temperatures. In view of the mixed climate of Delhi, provision was made for heating and cooling both to take care of the 24 hour cycle. Comfort conditions have been identified and maintained (as is done in the their genetic characteristics) at different temperatures for a period of 8--10 weeks to grow them to a uniform weight of 2.0 kg. Growing them under controlled temperature for the first 4 weeks and then at room temperature was another new concept to grow hard stock. This development has opened avenues for new food industry based on processing of chicken utilizing internationally available technologies.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sidhu, Jonathan
The latest battle between India's increasingly successful haves and left-behind have-nots is playing out in the country's educational system. India's Supreme Court recently upheld a stay against a quota system for low-caste and historically oppressed Indians, who are officially called Other Backward Classes. The decision could halt quotas for…
Environment and Culture in India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Leuthold, David
India suffers from severe environmental problems with respect to deforestation, flooding, and pollution. These problems are associated with industrialization, lack of money to enforce anti-pollution practices, climatic and population pressures, and cultural factors. Half of India's forests have been cut in the last 40 years. Deforestation is the…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Geils, Kenneth, Ed.
This is compendium of readings designed for use in the secondary classroom to assist with the study of India. There are seventeen categories of readings: (1) introduction to the subcontinent; (2) description of society; (3) caste and its continuing impact; (4) leadership roles; (5) women in India; (6) role playing in society; (7) marriage; (8)…
Science and Technology in India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rao, J. S.
Assesses the current status of science and technology in India, focusing on developments in agriculture, energy, medicine, space, basic sciences, and engineering. Indicates that although India has benefited in many fields from international collaboration during the last 30 years, the country's leaders have also placed particularly strong emphasis…
India's Trade in Higher Education
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kumar, Shailendra
India has had an extremely adverse balance of trade in education. Though only a minor education exporter through Mode 2, India is the world's second largest student-sending country. Nevertheless, given English as the medium of instruction especially in apex institutions, low tuition and cost of living, quite a few world-class institutions, and a…
Teaching about India. ERIC Digest.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Morrow, S. Rex
Although world history and global studies programs in U.S. public schools have expanded in recent years, teaching about India and South Asia has remained insufficient. As a result, students often develop cultural misunderstandings and false stereotypes. India, as a focus of study, provides students with the opportunity to examine an ancient…
Ancient India: The Asiatic Ethiopians.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Scott, Carolyn McPherson
This curriculum unit was developed by a participant in the 1993 Fulbright-Hays Program "India: Continuity and Change." The unit attempts to place India in the "picture frame" of the ancient world as a part of a whole, not as a separate entity. Reading materials enable students to draw broader general conclusions based on the facts presented. The…
Indigenisation of Psychology in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dalal, Ajit K.
Academic psychology which made a new beginning in India in the early part of 20th century was modelled on the Western scientific tradition. The teaching of psychology was very much on the British pattern since the colonial rule, whereas the research was mostly an extension of the Western work in India. Psychology went through massive expansion…
India and the Green Revolution.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hilden, Clark G.
In the 1960s it was predicted that famine would strike India because the country lacked the necessary resources to feed its rapidly growing population. Yet, in the 1970s and 1980s new agricultural developments occured that have helped abate the crisis. These developments comprise what is now called the Green Revolution. India's food/population…
Adult Education in India & Abroad.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Roy, Nikhil Ranjan
A survey is made of various aspects of adult education in India since 1947, together with comparative accounts of the origin, development, and notable features of adult education in Denmark, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Needs and objectives in India, largely in the eradication of illiteracy, are set forth, and pertinent…
Astronomy and Astrophysics in India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Narlikar, J.; Murdin, P.
The growth in astronomy and astrophysics (A&A) in India has been mostly since the country achieved independence in 1947. The present work is carried out in a few select research institutes and in some university departments. The Astronomical Society of India has around 300 working A&A scientists as members, with another 50-60 graduate students....
The report of a survey organized by the Nutrition Foundation of India indicated that, although breastfeeding is the traditional standard of infant nutrition in India, good infant feeding practices depend on education provided by health services. Interviews with 4926 mothers with infants under 1 year indicated that over 97% motherrs suckle their infants, and 75% or more in most centers are still breastfeeding when the infant is 1 year old. At age 5 months 30-40% of infants are fed entirely from the breast; at age 1, 5-10% were getting no other food. Of the very small number of mothers who never breastfed their infants, most belonged to the highest income group. Causes of lactation failure in India and other countries seem to be social and psychological and not physiological. Most Indian babies grow well at first, but by the age of 6 months are growth retarded. Growth retardation may be caused by insufficient breast milk and repeated gastrointestinal and respiratory infections associated with poor hygiene and abject poverty, both more prevalent in Calcutta than in Bombay and Madras. Because of risk of infection, dietary supplements should be given to the mother (rather than to the infant) during the 1st 6 months of lactation. Traditional cow and buffalo milk was the main supplement given to 1955 of infants surveyed, but 1531 were given commerical milk formulas. Commercial milk was used mainly by the wealthy in big cities but some was used in rural areas, where some of the poorest mothers spend 10% of family income on commerical milk. It is important that fresh animal milk be made available to the poor at reasonable prices. Indian mothers are reluctant to give older infants any normal family foods except cereals. Manuals should be prepared for use by health workers to teach practical nutrition education in different regions. PMID:6147646
The Availability and Use of Science Laboratories at Secondary Education Level
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Raju, T. J. M. S.; Suryanarayana, N. V. S.
This study focuses on the availability and use of Science Laboratories at the secondary education level in Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is commented that most of the schools do not possess well equipped laboratories and even when equipment is available some science teachers are not utilizing the laboratory facilities.…
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
This color image of the Earth was obtained by the Galileo spacecraft on Dec. 11, 1990, when the spacecraft was about 1.5 million miles from the Earth. The color composite used images taken through the red, green and violet filters. India is near the top of the picture, and Australia is to the right of center. The white, sunlit continent of Antarctica is below. Picturesque weather fronts are visible in the South Pacific, lower right. This is a frame of the Galileo Earth spin movie, a 500-frame time-lapse motion picture showing a 25-hour period of Earth's rotation and atmospheric dynamics.
Astronomical Instruments in India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sarma, Sreeramula Rajeswara
The earliest astronomical instruments used in India were the gnomon and the water clock. In the early seventh century, Brahmagupta described ten types of instruments, which were adopted by all subsequent writers with minor modifications. Contact with Islamic astronomy in the second millennium AD led to a radical change. Sanskrit texts began to lay emphasis on the importance of observational instruments. Exclusive texts on instruments were composed. Islamic instruments like the astrolabe were adopted and some new types of instruments were developed. Production and use of these traditional instruments continued, along with the cultivation of traditional astronomy, up to the end of the nineteenth century.
India`s low-tech energy success
Sampat, P.
This article describes a program by the Indian government which develops a inexpensive, readily available resource into electricity. A very simple method for converting cow dung into a flammable gase, biogas, has been used to improve the lives of over 10 million rural inhabitants of India. The dung provides cooking fuel, electric power, and as a by product an even better fertilizer than manure. Topics covered include the following: why biogas works in India; the economics of self-sufficiency in rural India; finding a strategy that works; tapping into the potential in the rural areas.
... Home Medical Devices Products and Medical Procedures In Vitro Diagnostics Lab Tests Laboratory Tests Share Tweet Linkedin ... Approved Home and Lab Tests Find All In Vitro Diagnostic Products and Decision Summaries Since November 2003 ...
Srinivasan, M; Rahmathullah, R.; Blair, C.; Murphy, A.; Beck, R.; Wilkins, J.; Whitcher, J.; Smolin, G.
AIMS—The study was undertaken to test the feasibility of using the LOCS III cataract grading scale in the field and to determine the rate of cataract progression over a 1 year period of time. METHODS—For 150 subjects between the ages of 33 and 55 who attended the refraction clinic at Aravind Eye Hospital in Madurai, India, lens abnormalities were graded at the slit lamp using the LOCS III scale. One year later, 99 of the subjects were re-evaluated by the same methodology to assess the amount of lens change. RESULTS—Interrater reliability was high. A change of 0.5 or more in lens colour, cortical, nuclear, or posterior subcapsular cataract was observed in at least one eye of 54% of the subjects. CONCLUSION—The LOCS III grading scale is a feasible method for measuring lens changes in the field with the slit lamp. Cataract progression in India is rapid enough to permit intervention studies to be performed with relatively small numbers of subjects over a short period of time (that is, 600 subjects for 2 years). PMID:9486033
Holocene aridification of India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ponton, Camilo; Giosan, Liviu; Eglinton, Tim I.; Fuller, Dorian Q.; Johnson, Joel E.; Kumar, Pushpendra; Collett, Tim S.
Spanning a latitudinal range typical for deserts, the Indian peninsula is fertile instead and sustains over a billion people through monsoonal rains. Despite the strong link between climate and society, our knowledge of the long-term monsoon variability is incomplete over the Indian subcontinent. Here we reconstruct the Holocene paleoclimate in the core monsoon zone (CMZ) of the Indian peninsula using a sediment core recovered offshore from the mouth of Godavari River. Carbon isotopes of sedimentary leaf waxes provide an integrated and regionally extensive record of the flora in the CMZ and document a gradual increase in aridity-adapted vegetation from ˜4,000 until 1,700 years ago followed by the persistence of aridity-adapted plants after that. The oxygen isotopic composition of planktonic foraminifer Globigerinoides ruber detects unprecedented high salinity events in the Bay of Bengal over the last 3,000 years, and especially after 1,700 years ago, which suggest that the CMZ aridification intensified in the late Holocene through a series of sub-millennial dry episodes. Cultural changes occurred across the Indian subcontinent as the climate became more arid after ˜4,000 years. Sedentary agriculture took hold in the drying central and south India, while the urban Harappan civilization collapsed in the already arid Indus basin. The establishment of a more variable hydroclimate over the last ca. 1,700 years may have led to the rapid proliferation of water-conservation technology in south India.
Research on antidepressants in India
Avasthi, Ajit; Grover, Sandeep; Aggarwal, Munish
Data suggests that antidepressants are useful in the management of depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, sexual dysfunction, eating disorders, impulse control disorders, enuresis, aggression and some personality disorders. Research focusing on the usefulness of antidepressants in India has more or less followed the trends seen in the West. Most of the studies conducted in India have evaluated various antidepressants in depression. In this article, we review studies conducted in India on various antidepressants. The data suggests that antidepressants have been evaluated mainly in the acute phase treatment and rare studies have evaluated the efficacy in continuation phase treatment. PMID:21836704
The biological sciences in India
Dell, Karen
India is gearing up to become an international player in the life sciences, powered by its recent economic growth and a desire to add biotechnology to its portfolio. In this article, we present the history, current state, and projected future growth of biological research in India. To fulfill its aspirations, India's greatest challenge will be in educating, recruiting, and supporting its next generation of scientists. Such challenges are faced by the US/Europe, but are particularly acute in developing countries that are racing to achieve scientific excellence, perhaps faster than their present educational and faculty support systems will allow. PMID:19204144
Blood bank regulations in India.
Choudhury, Nabajyoti; Desai, Priti
Successful blood services depend on legally empowered regulatory services. Blood transfusion services are important constituents of national health services. Blood transfusion services in India are regulated by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and its subsequent amendments. The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 specifies about accommodation, manpower, equipment, supplies and reagents, good manufacturing practices, and process control to be followed in Indian blood transfusion services.Regulatory affairs in the Indian blood banking system are controlled by central and provincial Drug Control authority under Drug Controller General of India. National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) acts as a facilitator to Indian blood transfusion services on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India,especially to the government sector. The National Blood Policy was published by the Government of India in 2002 and it provides objectives to provide safe, adequate quantity of blood, blood components, and products. PMID:22727006
Biobanking and Privacy in India.
Chaturvedi, Sachin; Srinivas, Krishna Ravi; Muthuswamy, Vasantha
Biobank-based research is not specifically addressed in Indian statutory law and therefore Indian Council for Medical Research guidelines are the primary regulators of biobank research in India. The guidelines allow for broad consent and for any level of identification of specimens. Although privacy is a fundamental right under the Indian Constitution, courts have limited this right when it conflicts with other rights or with the public interest. Furthermore, there is no established privacy test or actionable privacy right in the common law of India. In order to facilitate biobank-based research, both of these lacunae should be addressed by statutory law specifically addressing biobanking and more directly addressing the accompanying privacy concerns. A biobank-specific law should be written with international guidelines in mind, but harmonization with other laws should not be attempted until after India has created a law addressing biobank research within the unique legal and cultural environment of India. PMID:27256123
Can India's ``literate'' read?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kothari, Brij; Bandyopadhyay, Tathagata
This paper takes a close look at India's literacy rate by exploring whether the officially "literate" can read and at what level. In a large sample, aged 7+, drawn from four Hindi-speaking states, two methods were used to measure literacy. One was the standard Census Method (CM) which relies on self-reporting and the other was a Reading Method (RM) which required the same individuals to actually read a simple text at grade 2 level. The findings revealed a substantial difference between the reading literacy rates obtained by CM and RM. CM over-reported RM by 16%. The overestimation was higher for males. Decoding skills were found to erode in most cases after completion of primary schooling, assuming no further education. A minimum grade 8-9 education was required for decoding skills to not deteriorate after schooling.
India's Worsening Uranium Shortage
Curtis, Michael M.
As a result of NSG restrictions, India cannot import the natural uranium required to fuel its Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs); consequently, it is forced to rely on the expediency of domestic uranium production. However, domestic production from mines and byproduct sources has not kept pace with demand from commercial reactors. This shortage has been officially confirmed by the Indian Planning Commission's Mid-Term Appraisal of the country's current Five Year Plan. The report stresses that as a result of the uranium shortage, Indian PHWR load factors have been continually decreasing. The Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) operates a number of underground mines in the Singhbhum Shear Zone of Jharkhand, and it is all processed at a single mill in Jaduguda. UCIL is attempting to aggrandize operations by establishing new mines and mills in other states, but the requisite permit-gathering and development time will defer production until at least 2009. A significant portion of India's uranium comes from byproduct sources, but a number of these are derived from accumulated stores that are nearing exhaustion. A current maximum estimate of indigenous uranium production is 430t/yr (230t from mines and 200t from byproduct sources); whereas, the current uranium requirement for Indian PHWRs is 455t/yr (depending on plant capacity factor). This deficit is exacerbated by the additional requirements of the Indian weapons program. Present power generation capacity of Indian nuclear plants is 4350 MWe. The power generation target set by the Indian Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is 20,000 MWe by the year 2020. It is expected that around half of this total will be provided by PHWRs using indigenously supplied uranium with the bulk of the remainder provided by breeder reactors or pressurized water reactors using imported low-enriched uranium.
Compatible poliomyelitis cases in India during 2000.
Kohler, Kathryn A.; Hlady, W. Gary; Banerjee, Kaushik; Gupta, Dhananjoy; Francis, Paul; Durrani, Sunita; Zuber, Patrick L. F.; Sutter, Roland W.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of compatible poliomyelitis cases and to assess the programmatic implications of clusters of such cases in India. METHODS: We described the characteristics of compatible poliomyelitis cases, identified clusters of compatible cases (two or more in the same district or neighbouring districts within two months), and examined their relationship to wild poliovirus cases. FINDINGS: There were 362 compatible cases in 2000. The incidence of compatible cases was higher in districts with laboratory-confirmed poliomyelitis cases than in districts without laboratory-confirmed cases. Of 580 districts, 96 reported one compatible case and 72 reported two or more compatible cases. Among these 168 districts with at least one compatible case, 123 had internal or cross- border clusters of compatible cases. In 27 districts with clusters of compatible cases, no wild poliovirus was isolated either in the same district or in neighbouring districts. Three of these 27 districts presented laboratory-confirmed poliomyelitis cases during 2001. CONCLUSION: Most clusters of compatible cases occurred in districts identified as areas with continuing wild poliovirus transmission and where mopping-up vaccination campaigns were carried out. As certification nears, areas with compatible poliomyelitis cases should be investigated and deficiencies in surveillance should be corrected in order to ensure that certification is justified. PMID:12640469
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Barnett, Jonathan
The need for flexibility in science research facilities is discussed, with emphasis on the effect of that need on the design of laboratories. The relationship of office space, bench space, and special equipment areas, and the location and distribution of piping and air conditioning, are considered particularly important. This building type study…
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
One of the first major goals of the microbiology laboratory is to isolate or detect clinically significant microorganisms from an affected site and, if more than one type of microorganism is present, to isolate them in approximately the same ratio as occurs in vivo. Whether an isolate is "clinically...
India Culture Trunk. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad, 1997 (India).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Doeksen, Peggy
This unit is intended to provide students with a general knowledge of the history and culture of India. Activities include: (1) "What Do You Know about India?"; (2) "What Is All This Stuff For?"; (3) "Name That Spice and Why It's Nice"; (4) "Where and How Are These Elephants Marching?"; (5) "Why Is India What It Is?"; (6) "Why is India the Cover…
Keaton, P.W.; Duke, M.B.
An international research laboratory can be established on the Moon in the early years of the 21st Century. It can be built using the transportation system now envisioned by NASA, which includes a space station for Earth orbital logistics and orbital transfer vehicles for Earth-Moon transportation. A scientific laboratory on the Moon would permit extended surface and subsurface geological exploration; long-duration experiments defining the lunar environment and its modification by surface activity; new classes of observations in astronomy; space plasma and fundamental physics experiments; and lunar resource development. The discovery of a lunar source for propellants may reduce the cost of constructing large permanent facilities in space and enhance other space programs such as Mars exploration. 29 refs.
Robert A. Millikan Award Lecture (August 2002): Global Study of the Role of the Laboratory in Physics Education.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
George, Simon
Presents the lecture given by the Millikan Award winner on a global study of the role of the laboratory in physics education. Discusses physics education in India, Malaysia, Great Britain, and the United States. (NB)
India`s nuclear weapons posture: The end of ambiguity. Master`s thesis
Davis, S.D.
This thesis examines the future of India`s nuclear weapons posture. Since testing a nuclear device in 1974, India been able to produce weapons material within its civilian nuclear power program. Despite having this nuclear weapons capability, India prefers to maintain an ambiguous nuclear posture. New pressures in the post-cold war era -- the loss of the Soviet Union as a strategic ally, the indefinite extension of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, the rise of Hindu nationalism, and India`s growing participation in the global economy -- have the potential to derail India`s current nuclear policy. This thesis identifies the domestic and international pressures on India, and assesses the prospects for India to retain its ambiguous policy, renounce the nuclear option, or assemble an overt nuclear arsenal.
A new pygmy grasshopper species (Tetrigidae: Tetriginae) from Central India.
Gupta, Sunil Kumar
Ergatettix subtruncatus sp. nov. is described from Durg district of Chhattisgarh, India. The new species is similar to Ergatettix callosus (Hancock, 1915), but differs from the latter by frontal cost bifurcation starts at the level of upper margin of compound eyes; median carina of vertex indistinct; posterior angle of lateral lobes of pronotum not broad, apex subtruncate, narrow; mid femur slender with small white hairs and 3indistinct lobes; dorsal valve of ovipositor less flattened. A distribution map of Ergatettix subtruncatus sp. nov. and a key to known species of the genus Ergatettix Kirby, 1914 from the Indian subcontinent is provided. The type specimens are deposited in the Central Entomological Laboratory (CEL), Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. PMID:27394545
Hematological profile of sickle cell disease from South Gujarat, India.
Rao, Sanjeev Shyam; Goyal, Jagdish Prasad; Raghunath, S V; Shah, Vijay B
The aim of this study was to determine hematological profile of sickle cell disease (SCD) from Surat, South Gujarat, India. This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics and Sickle Cell Anemia Laboratory, Faculty of Pathology, Government Medical College, Surat, India, between July 2009 and December 2010. Patients included in this study were in their steady state for a long period of time without any symptoms related to SCD or other diseases which could affect the hematological parameters. Venous blood of all patients was collected in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and hematological indices were measured. Thirty-three subjects homozygous in all were studied for their hematological parameters for sickle cell anemia. Moderate to severe anemia, low mean cell volume and high foetal hemoglobin dominate the hematological profile of SCD children. PMID:22826798
Hematological profile of sickle cell disease from South Gujarat, India
Rao, Sanjeev Shyam; Goyal, Jagdish Prasad; Raghunath, S.V.; Shah, Vijay B.
The aim of this study was to determine hematological profile of sickle cell disease (SCD) from Surat, South Gujarat, India. This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics and Sickle Cell Anemia Laboratory, Faculty of Pathology, Government Medical College, Surat, India, between July 2009 and December 2010. Patients included in this study were in their steady state for a long period of time without any symptoms related to SCD or other diseases which could affect the hematological parameters. Venous blood of all patients was collected in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and hematological indices were measured. Thirty-three subjects homozygous in all were studied for their hematological parameters for sickle cell anemia. Moderate to severe anemia, low mean cell volume and high foetal hemoglobin dominate the hematological profile of SCD children. PMID:22826798
Nonclinical reproductive toxicity testing requirements for drugs, pesticides, and industrial chemicals in India and China.
Rao, K S; Dong, Jing
India and China have booming chemical, agrochemical, and pharmaceutical industries. Both countries also represent expanding markets for foreign chemical and healthcare companies. All such products require reproductive toxicity testing before marketing. The ICH testing guidelines for medicinal products are not applicable in China and India. Nonetheless, reproductive toxicity studies designed and run to ICH principles are generally acceptable for submission. The Chinese guidelines take into consideration traditional Chinese medicines, which are usually mixtures. Likewise, the specific recommendations of India and China for the reproductive toxicity testing of chemicals and pesticides differ from those of the OECD and the USEPA. Again, studies performed in accordance with internationally recognized principles are usually acceptable for submission in both countries. The Chinese guideline for the reproductive toxicity testing of agrochemicals is currently under revision; the new version is expected to resemble more closely the requirements of the OECD and the USEPA. As a member of the OECD, India has conducted Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) inspection, accreditation, and monitoring activities since 2004. China has made several attempts to join the Council Decisions on Mutual Acceptance of Data in the Assessment of Chemicals since 2005. Currently 47 laboratories in China have been certified by the national GLP authorities. Several laboratories in China have also been recently been certified by OECD member countries as GLP compliant. In India, there are currently 23 GLP-Certified laboratories; about six of these are also AALAC accredited. The specific study designs specified in the guidelines of China and India for reproductive toxicity studies are described in detail in this chapter. PMID:23138892
Caprellids (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Guerra-García, J. M.; Ganesh, T.; Jaikumar, M.; Raman, A. V.
The caprellid fauna of India is investigated. A total of 538 samples (including algae, seagrasses, sponges, hydroids, ascidians, bryozoans, encrusted dead corals, coral rubble, fine and coarse sediments) were collected from 39 stations along the coast of India, covering a wide diversity of habitats from intertidal to 12 m water depth. A new species ( Jigurru longimanus n.sp.) is described, and figures of the 11 valid species reported so far from India are given together with a key for their identification. No caprellids were found in sediments from the northeast (16-20ºN) coast of India while they were abundant in the southeast and west coast. Decreases in salinity due to river discharges associated with lower values of oxygen, higher water temperatures and lower nutrient inputs along the east coast could explain these differences in caprellid composition between the two coastlines. Significantly, lower abundance of caprellids in India, as in other tropical ecosystems, is probably related to the lack of species belonging to the genus Caprella, which reach very high abundances in temperate waters.
Decriminalising homosexuality in India.
Misra, Geetanjali
This paper examines the successful fight against the provision in Section 377 of the Penal Code of India that criminalised private consensual sex between adults of the same sex. This law had led to serious discrimination against people engaging in homosexual acts, who were subjected to frequent beatings and blackmail attempts by police, who used the threat of prosecution against them. NGOs working with sexual minorities have also been harassed and sometimes charged under Section 377. By stigmatising homosexuality and threatening gay men with prison, the law is also likely to have impeded the battle against HIV. The provision was read down in July 2009 after an innovative, sustained, mass media campaign by activists. The Voices Against 377 coalition brought together sexuality and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organisations, who were previously marginalised, with groups working in areas such as children's rights and feminist groups, showing that support for non-discrimination towards sexual minorities was broad-based. Further legal and social changes are needed for LGBT individuals to gain full acceptance and equality within Indian society. However, the judgement transcended the LGBT issue with the implication of protection for all minorities and introduced for the first time in South Asia the idea of sexual citizenship. PMID:19962634
Prevalence of arthritis in India and Pakistan: a review.
Akhter, Ehtisham; Bilal, Saira; Kiani, Adnan; Haque, Uzma
Recent studies of rheumatoid arthritis worldwide suggest that prevalence of arthritis is higher in Europe and North America than in developing countries. Prevalence data for major arthritis disorders have been compiled in West for several decades, but figures from the third world are just emerging. A coordinated effort by WHO and ILAR (International League Against Rheumatism) has resulted in collecting data for countries like Philippines, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and rural South Africa but the information about prevalence of arthritis in India and Pakistan is scarce. Since both countries, i.e., India and Pakistan, share some ethnic identity, we reviewed published literature to examine the prevalence of arthritis in these countries. Medline and Pubmed were searched for suitable articles about arthritis from 1980 and onwards. Findings from these articles were reviewed and summarized. The prevalence, clinical features, and laboratory findings of rheumatoid arthritis are compiled for both India and Pakistan. Data collected from these two countries were compared with each other, and some of the characteristics of the disease were compared with Europe and North America. It is found to be quite similar to developed countries. Additionally, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is of different variety than reported in West. It is more of polyarticular onset type while in West pauciarticular predominates. Additionally, in systemic onset, JRA uveitis and ANA are common finding in developed countries; on the other hand, they are hardly seen in this region. Although the prevalence of arthritis in Pakistan and India is similar to Western countries, there are inherent differences (clinical features, laboratory findings) in the presentation of disease. The major strength of the study is that it is the first to pool reports to provide an estimate of the disease in the Indian subcontinent. Scarcity of data is one of the major limitations. This study helps to understand the pattern of
Incredible India: the inconvenient truth.
Mundkur, Bal
The author's objective is to correct many of the misconceptions about India and to combat mistaken analysis. He highlights the hundreds of millions who live in poverty, the rampant corruption and the incompetence of the administration. He asserts that comparisons with China are always to the disadvantage of India, except in the field of democracy, and suggests that the Indian Space Programme is symptomatic of a wide-spread misallocation of resources. And to suggest that the traffic problems in Delhi and Mumbai are being caused by more motor vehicles is a misdiagnosis. The real cause is an increase in the number of bullock carts. PMID:21305798
Human Milk Fortification in India.
Kler, Neelam; Thakur, Anup; Modi, Manoj; Kaur, Avneet; Garg, Pankaj; Soni, Arun; Saluja, Satish
Human milk fortification in preterm babies has become a standard of care in developed countries. Use of human milk fortifier (HMF) in very-low-birthweight infants is not a routine practice in India. There are concerns about high osmolality, feed intolerance, necrotizing enterocolitis, risk of contamination and added cost associated with use of HMF. There are limited data from India which address the issue of safety and short-term benefits of human milk fortification. This chapter highlights the issues related to human milk fortification in our country. PMID:26111571
HIV in India: the Jogini culture
Borick, Joseph
Jogini is the name for a female sexually exploited temple attendant and is used interchangeably with Devadasi in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Jogini are twice more likely than other women who are used for sexual intercourse in India to be HIV positive, and their rate of mortality from HIV is 10 times the total mortality rate for all women in India. The four states in India with the most Jogini also have the highest prevalence of HIV. The following case is unfortunately typical of the Jogini and sheds light on a potentially disastrous public health problem in rural South India. PMID:25015167
Mukhopadhyay, A; Sehgal, P N
Linking more than 3000 health and development organizations, the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) is one of the largest networks in the country. In 1990 VHAI began incorporating HIV/STD-related activities into its broader programs. An existing infrastructure for intersectoral collaboration in the areas of community health promotion, public policy, information and documentation, and communications facilitated inclusion of the new activities. Several VHAI departments collaborate in offering training courses, workshops, and seminars at the state and community levels to involve nongovernmental organizations and professional groups in HIV/STD prevention and counseling. More than 950 persons have been trained so far, including trainers of primary health care workers, family physicians, medical practitioners, social scientists, teachers, community volunteer workers, and youth leaders. Local experts act as training resource persons; materials produced locally, abroad, and by VHAI itself are used. Training facilities are offered free of charge to member organizations; VHAI also awards fellowships for field training and financial support for approved projects. VHAI suggests intervention measures to governmental and nongovernmental organizations related to drug users, youth, truck drivers, blood donors, and people living with HIV/AIDS. The information, documentation, and communications departments provide members with a wide variety of information, education, and communication (IEC) materials that can be translated into local languages: posters, folders, flip charts, stickers, and folk songs. VHAI advocacy issues that have been highlighted through the press include: confidentiality, protection against discrimination, the right of all persons to health care, and the need to make properly-equipped STD clinics available. VHAI has established sub-networks in Tamil Nadu (155 organizations) and Manipur (55 organizations) states. VHAI has found that incorporating HIV
Mukhopadhyay, K K
This article discusses the nature, magnitude, causes, and consequences of female child prostitution in India and offers measures for control and prevention of girl prostitution. Data are obtained from the 6-city study of prostitution and the author's own research. An estimated 85% of all prostitutes in Calcutta and Delhi entered the work at an early age. The numbers are rising. The promotion of tourism is linked with prostitution. Girl prostitutes are primarily located in low-middle income areas and business districts and are known by officials. Brothel keepers regularly recruit young girls. An estimated 33% of prostitutes are young girls. In Bangalore, Calcutta, Delhi, and Hyderabad, there are an estimated 10,000 girl prostitutes. UNICEF estimates about 300,000 child prostitutes. Girl prostitutes are grouped as common prostitutes, singers and dancers, call girls, religious prostitutes or devdasi, and caged brothel prostitutes. Religious prostitutes are mainly found in the South. Caged ones are found in Bombay. A little over 50% of prostitutes come from other countries, such as Nepal and Bangladesh. The girls tend to come from urban slums and poor rural areas. High prostitute supply regions include Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengel states. About 85% are Hindus, and about 66% are from scheduled castes and tribes. Bangalore and Bombay have a higher proportion of girl prostitutes. The causes of prostitution include ill treatment by parents, bad company, family prostitutes, social customs, inability to arrange marriage, lack of sex education, media, prior incest and rape, early marriage and desertion, lack of recreational facilities, ignorance, and acceptance of prostitution. Economic causes include poverty and economic distress. Psychological causes include desire for physical pleasure, greed, and dejection. Most enter involuntarily. A brief profile is given of the life of a prostitute. PMID:12158002
India - Mahabharata. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar Abroad 1994 (India).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
DeVito, Carole; DeVito, Pasquale
This lecture is accompanied by slides of India. The lecture is used an introduction to the first of the three videotapes of Peter Brook's "Mahabharata," providing students with preliminary background on Hinduism and on the Hindu epic. The objective is also to have students think about the basic values of ancient and modern Hindus. (EH)
Curriculum Project: India. Fulbright Hays Summer Seminar Abroad 1995 (India).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Johnson, Norma L.
This elementary-level thematic unit on India was designed to serve as a stepping stone toward the goal of mutual respect among children of different backgrounds. This unit may take one to four weeks depending on the class time. To expand children's awareness of the Indian culture, many hands-on activities are included. This unit was developed with…
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Russell, Ray W.
Laboratory studies related to cometary grains and the nuclei of comets can be broken down into three areas which relate to understanding the spectral properties, the formation mechanisms, and the evolution of grains and nuclei: (1) Spectral studies to be used in the interpretation of cometary spectra; (2) Sample preparation experiments which may shed light on the physical nature and history of cometary grains and nuclei by exploring the effects on grain emissivities resulting from the ways in which the samples are created; and (3) Grain processing experiments which should provide insight on the interaction of cometary grains with the environment in the immediate vicinity of the cometary nucleus as the comet travels from the Oort cloud through perihelion, and perhaps even suggestions regarding the relationship between interstellar grains and cometary matter. A summary is presented with a different view of lab experiments than is found in the literature, concentrating on measurement techniques and sample preparations especially relevant to cometary dust.
Brown, Christopher F.; Serne, R. Jeffrey
This chapter summarizes the laboratory activities performed by PNNL's Vadose Zone Characterization Project in support of the Tank Farm Vadose Zone Program, led by CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc. The results of these studies are contained in numerous reports (Lindenmeier et al. 2002; Serne et al. 2002a, 2002b, 2002c, 2002d, 2002e; Lindenmeier et al. 2003; Serne et al. 2004a, 2004b; Brown et al. 2005, 2006a, 2007; Serne et al. 2007) and have generated much of the data reported in Chapter 22 (Geochemistry-Contaminant Movement), Appendix G (Geochemistry-Contaminant Movement), and Cantrell et al. (2007, SST WMA Geochemistry Data Package – in preparation). Sediment samples and characterization results from PNNL's Vadose Zone Characterization Project are also shared with other science and technology (S&T) research projects, such as those summarized in Chapter 12 (Associated Science Activities).
History of Cardiology in India
Das, Mrinal Kanti; Kumar, Soumitra; Deb, Pradip Kumar; Mishra, Sundeep
History as a science revolves around memories, travellers' tales, fables and chroniclers' stories, gossip and trans-telephonic conversations. Medicine itself as per the puritan's definition is a non-exact science because of the probability-predictability-sensitivity-specificity factors. Howsoever, the chronicles of Cardiology in India is quite interesting and intriguing. Heart and circulation was known to humankind from pre-Vedic era. Various therapeutics measures including the role of Yoga and transcendental meditation in curing cardiovascular diseases were known in India. Only recently there has been resurgence of the same globally. There have been very few innovations in Cardiology in India. The cause of this paucity possibly lie in the limited resources. This has a vicious effect on the research mentality of the population who are busy in meeting their daily requirements. This socio-scientific aspect needs a thorough study and is beyond the scope of the present documentation. Present is the future of past and so one must not forget the history which is essentially past that give the present generation the necessary fulcrum to stand in good stead. The present article essentially aims to pay tribute to all the workers and pioneers in the field of Cardiology in India, who in spite of limited resources ventured in an unchartered arena. PMID:26071301
International Nurse Recruitment in India
Khadria, Binod
Objective This paper describes the practice of international recruitment of Indian nurses in the model of a "business process outsourcing" of comprehensive training-cum-recruitment-cum-placement for popular destinations like the United Kingdom and United States through an agency system that has acquired growing intensity in India. Findings Despite the extremely low nurse to population ratio in India, hospital managers in India are not concerned about the growing exodus of nurses to other countries. In fact, they are actively joining forces with profitable commercial ventures that operate as both training and recruiting agencies. Most of this activity is concentrated in Delhi, Bangalore, and Kochi. Conclusions Gaps in data on nursing education, employment, and migration, as well as nonstandardization of definitions of "registered nurse," impair the analysis of international migration of nurses from India, making it difficult to assess the impact of migration on vacancy rates. One thing is clear, however, the chain of commercial interests that facilitate nurse migration is increasingly well organized and profitable, making the future growth of this business a certainty. PMID:17489924
Poverty among Elderly in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Srivastava, Akanksha; Mohanty, Sanjay K.
Using consumption expenditure data of the National Sample Survey 2004-2005, this paper estimates the size of elderly poor and tests the hypotheses that elderly households are not economically better-off compared to non-elderly households in India. Poverty estimates are derived under three scenarios--by applying the official cut-off point of the…
Drinking habits in ancient India
Somasundaram, Ottilingam; Raghavan, D. Vijaya; Murthy, A. G. Tejus
Consumption of one or other form of intoxicating substances has been present throughout the history of the world. This article traces such use in the Indian subcontinent, both in North and South India. References to the use of intoxicants are to be found in the Vedas, the Great Epics, and the ancient Tamil literature. PMID:26985113
Schools and Languages in India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Harrison, Brian
A brief review of Indian education focuses on special problems caused by overcrowded schools, insufficient funding, and the status of education itself in the Indian social structure. Language instruction in India, a complex issue due largely to the numerous official languages currently spoken, is commented on with special reference to the problem…
Designing Citizens in Transnational India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Irani, Lilly Christine
This dissertation examines the politics of design practice in urban India through an ethnography of a Delhi-based design and innovation studio. The dissertation focuses on the ideological continuities between the profession of design and middle class Indian citizenship post-liberalization, twinning arts of governance through the shaping of the…
Tanjore: Mystical Painting of India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Henn, Cynthia A.
Tanjore (or Thanjavur or Thanlavoor) paintings are one of the most popular traditional art forms in Southern India. These ornate religious paintings involve Hindu mythology. The paintings are noted for their adornment of gold and semiprecious stones such as rubies, emeralds, and pearls. Currently, the semiprecious stones are often substituted…
Understanding Child Rights in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Grewal, Imandeep Kaur; Singh, Nandita Shukla
Research Findings: This article traces the status of child rights in India, with special attention to traditional beliefs that have shaped and sustain gender discrimination. The article examines the possibilities and limitations of the newly implemented Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2009 for operating as an equalizing…
Drinking habits in ancient India.
Somasundaram, Ottilingam; Raghavan, D Vijaya; Murthy, A G Tejus
Consumption of one or other form of intoxicating substances has been present throughout the history of the world. This article traces such use in the Indian subcontinent, both in North and South India. References to the use of intoxicants are to be found in the Vedas, the Great Epics, and the ancient Tamil literature. PMID:26985113
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chaudhri, M. M.
Identifies core of India's illiteracy problem and describes use of educational technology to educate rural children. Highlights include descriptions of the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) project; motivation behind low-cost educational aids development in rural areas; an educational radio pilot project; and development and…
Preparing for Travel in India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Oswald, James M.
The complexity of the Indian society can be overwhelming, and preparation for travel in India requires careful and detailed advance planning. Practical suggestions are provided for travelers to help them understand cultural differences, avoid illnesses, and select appropriate clothing for the intense heat. Explanations are given about the monetary…
Language Planning in Modern India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Khubchandani, Lachman M.
In India today, the traditional tolerant attitude toward linguistic and ethnic heterogeneity has given way to a drive for language autonomy. The national language policy appears susceptible to the sensitivities of different pressure groups, while the state policies have been slow to respond to the sensitivities of language minorities. Today,…
Epidemiology of filariasis in India
Raghavan, N. G. S.
The author reviews the history of filarial infections in India and discusses factors affecting the filariae, their vectors, and the human reservoir of infection. A detailed description is given of techniques for determining the degree of infection, disease and endemicity of filariasis in a community, and aspects which require further study are indicated. PMID:13472411
Christian Educational Effort in India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mathias, T. A.
This examination of Christian education in India traces its history and development with focus on traditional goals and present objectives, including teaching rather than indoctrination, service to the nation, and the promotion of social justice. Also explored are some common criticisms. They are westernization, proselytism, and elitism. (JMD)
[Women's organizations in India].
Patel, V
Community development projects in India during the 1950s and 60s viewed women as beneficiaries, but in fact few women benefitted measurably. The realization among field motivators of the necessity of improving the status of women prompted formation of women's organizations based on the participation of women in development. Non-government organizations and militant organizations have had greater success than government sponsored organizations in creation of employment for women. Some employment-generating organizations directed by high caste women or by men merely continue the oppression of poor women, providing abysmal pay for long hours, but a women's cooperative serving textile workers in Bombay has been successful because of the large number of unaccompanied males migrating to the city who desire reasonably priced home-cooked food. Other organizations have attempted to mobilize women to allow them to benefit from development. Struggles of women in the electronics, pharmaceutical, textile, mining, clothing, and other small scale industries have been supported by women's organizatinns. Rural women's organizations have forced village authorities to provide drinkig water and have demanded creation of employment for unemployed rural workers. The "Self-Employed Women's Association" supports negotiations of such women in their respective professions, and others struggling for women's rights have also undertaken development projects in health, education, and employment with a view to increasing women's independence. Some organizations provide child care services and others assist women in obtaining credit. Numerous cooperatives for food and housework have been formed but their ultimate effect on the distribution of power between castes and classes remains uncertain. Government sponsored cooperatives and women's organizations have benefitted mainly the intermediaries and have tended to use women as a source of cheap labor. A strategic plan for the emancipation of women
India creates social marketing organization.
India, in a major policy shift toward reversible birth controls methods, will form a new organization to promote private sector contraceptive sales. The government, through a recently signed agreement with the Agency for International Development (AID), plans to establish a private nonprofit Contraceptive Marketing Organization (CMO) in fiscal year 1984. This momentous move marks a full circle return to a 1969 proposal by AID and Ford Foundation consultants. Funded at about $500 million over a 7 year period, the CMO will function as a semi-autonomous entity run by a board of governors representing government and such public and public sectors as health, communications, management, manufacturing, marketing, advertising, and market research. According to the agreement called the India Family Planning Communications and Marketing Plan, the CMO's activities will cover procurement and distribution of condoms, oral contraceptives (OCs), and other yet to be determined contraceptive methods. Of the $500 million in funds, the government of India has pledged 2/3, AID roughly $50 million in grants and loans, with the balance expected from such sources as the UN Fund for Population Activities. The CMO's goal is a marked increase in contraceptive use by married couples of reproductive age from the current 6% rate to 20% by 1990. As of 1982, India has 122 million such couples, with 1% purchasing commercial products, 2% buying Nirodh Marketing Program condoms and 3% relying on free government contraceptives. Besides creating the CMO, the India/AID pact outlines intensified public sector family planning promotions and activities. Some Indian health experts believe the government's decision to expand social marketing's role rests with a significant decade long decline in the popularity of such permanent birth control measures as vasectomy and tubal ligation. PMID:12313308
Understanding epidemiological transition in India
Yadav, Suryakant; Arokiasamy, Perianayagam
Background Omran's theory explains changing disease patterns over time predominantly from infectious to chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). India's epidemiological transition is characterized by dual burden of diseases. Kumar addressed low mortality and high morbidity in Kerala, which seems also to be true for India as a country in the current demographic scenario. Methods NSS data (1986–1987, 1995–1996, 2004) and aggregated data on causes of death provided by Registrar General India (RGI) were used to examine the structural changes in morbidity and causes of death. A zero-inflated poisson (ZIP) regression model and a beta-binomial model were used to corroborate the mounting age pattern of morbidity. Measures, namely the 25th and 75th percentiles of age-at-death and modal age-at-death, were used to examine the advances in mortality transition. Objective This study addressed the advances in epidemiological transition via exploring the structural changes in pattern of diseases and progress in mortality transition. Results The burden of NCDs has been increasing in old age without replacing the burden of communicable diseases. The manifold rise of chronic diseases in recent decades justifies the death toll and is responsible for transformation in the age pattern of morbidity. Over time, deaths have been concentrated near the modal age-at-death. Modal age-at-death increased linearly by 5 years for females (r2=0.9515) and males (r2=0.9020). Significant increase in modal age-at-death ascertained the dominance of old age mortality over the childhood/adult age mortality. Conclusions India experiences a dual burden of diseases associated with a remarkable transformation in the age pattern of morbidity and mortality, contemporaneous with structural changes in disease patterns. Continued progress in the pattern of diseases and mortality transition, accompanied by a linear rise in ex, unravels a compelling variation in advances found so far in epidemiological
A brief history of vaccines & vaccination in India
Lahariya, Chandrakant
The challenges faced in delivering lifesaving vaccines to the targeted beneficiaries need to be addressed from the existing knowledge and learning from the past. This review documents the history of vaccines and vaccination in India with an objective to derive lessons for policy direction to expand the benefits of vaccination in the country. A brief historical perspective on smallpox disease and preventive efforts since antiquity is followed by an overview of 19th century efforts to replace variolation by vaccination, setting up of a few vaccine institutes, cholera vaccine trial and the discovery of plague vaccine. The early twentieth century witnessed the challenges in expansion of smallpox vaccination, typhoid vaccine trial in Indian army personnel, and setting up of vaccine institutes in almost each of the then Indian States. In the post-independence period, the BCG vaccine laboratory and other national institutes were established; a number of private vaccine manufacturers came up, besides the continuation of smallpox eradication effort till the country became smallpox free in 1977. The Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) (1978) and then Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) (1985) were launched in India. The intervening events since UIP till India being declared non-endemic for poliomyelitis in 2012 have been described. Though the preventive efforts from diseases were practiced in India, the reluctance, opposition and a slow acceptance of vaccination have been the characteristic of vaccination history in the country. The operational challenges keep the coverage inequitable in the country. The lessons from the past events have been analysed and interpreted to guide immunization efforts. PMID:24927336
Nucleic acid testing: Is it the only answer for safe Blood in India?
Naidu, N. K.; Bharucha, Z. S.; Sonawane, Vandana; Ahmed, Imran
Background: With the implementation of NAT in countries around the world, there is a growing pressure on the transfusion services in India to adopt NAT testing. India has about 2545 licensed Blood Centres. The Transfusion Services in India are fragmented, poorly regulated and the quality standards are poorly implemented. Blood Centres are still dependent on replacement/family donors and in most places laboratory testing for Transfusion transmitted infections is not quality assured, laboratory equipment are not calibrated and maintained, and validation of results is not carried out. Against the current scenario introducing NAT for screening of blood donors in India would pose a challenge. Aim: To study the prudence of universal NAT testing in India. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of 5 years from 2008-2012 was undertaken to study the true reactivity of donors using WHO strategy II and III and therefore the true seroprevalence of TTI infections in the donor populations. Results: The true reactivity of the donors was much less as compared to the initially reactive donors due to the use of a well designed testing algorithm. In addition having a total voluntary blood collection along with good pre-donation counseling program also reduces the transmission of infections. Conclusions: What India essentially needs to do is religiously implement the strategies outlined in the WHO Aide-memoire. The blood should be collected only from voluntary non remunerative and repeat donors, there should be stringent donor selection with pre-donation counseling instituted. Strict implementation of quality management system, development of well defined testing startegies and strong haemovigilance system could take us a step in the right direction. PMID:27011677
Nehruvian science and postcolonial India.
Arnold, David
This essay uses the seminal figure of Jawaharlal Nehru to interrogate the nature and representation of science in modern India. The problem posed by Nehruvian science--the conflict between (yet simultaneity of) science as both universal phenomenon and local effect--lies at the heart of current debates about what science means for the non-West. The problematic of Nehruvian science can be accessed through Nehru's own speeches and writings, but also through the wider project of science with which he identified--critiquing colonialism, forging India's place in the modern world, marrying intellectual endeavor with practical nation building. The essay makes a case for looking at Nehruvian science as a way of structuring the problem of postcolonial science, particularly in relation to understanding the authority of science and its evaluation in terms of its capacity to deliver socioeconomic change. PMID:23961694
The practice of telepathology in India.
Baruah, M K
Telepathology in India is still in the evolving stages. Although, much progress has been made around the world specially in the field of digital imaging and virtual slides, the practice of telepathology in India still revolves around static telepathology, be it in telelearning or distance learning, or in remote diagnosis. Websites such as telepathology.org.in have been very successful in popularizing telepathology through quizzes of interesting and rare cases. The only study of teleconsultation from India, has shown that a good concordance with glass slide and static telepathology images. The reasons for the relative delay in acceptance of telepathology in India are manifold. PMID:16388176
Psychiatric Thoughts in Ancient India*
Abhyankar, Ravi
A review of the literature regarding psychiatric thoughts in ancient India is attempted. Besides interesting reading, many of the concepts are still relevant and can be used in day-to-day practice especially towards healthy and happy living. Certain concepts are surprisingly contemporary and valid today. They can be used in psychotherapy and counselling and for promoting mental health. However, the description and classification of mental illness is not in tune with modern psychiatry. PMID:25838724
Climate change, zoonoses and India.
Singh, B B; Sharma, R; Gill, J P S; Aulakh, R S; Banga, H S
Economic trends have shaped our growth and the growth of the livestock sector, but atthe expense of altering natural resources and systems in ways that are not always obvious. Now, however, the reverse is beginning to happen, i.e. environmental trends are beginning to shape our economy and health status. In addition to water, air and food, animals and birds play a pivotal role in the maintenance and transmission of important zoonotic diseases in nature. It is generally considered that the prevalence of vector-borne and waterborne zoonoses is likely to increase in the coming years due to the effects of global warming in India. In recent years, vector-borne diseases have emerged as a serious public health problem in countries of the South-East Asia region, including India. Vector-borne zoonoses now occur in epidemic form almost on an annual basis, causing considerable morbidity and mortality. New reservoir areas of cutaneous leishmaniosis in South India have been recognised, and the role of climate change in its re-emergence warrants further research, as does the role of climate change in the ascendancy of waterborne and foodborne illness. Similarly, climate change that leads to warmer and more humid conditions may increase the risk of transmission of airborne zoonoses, and hot and drier conditions may lead to a decline in the incidence of disease(s). The prevalence of these zoonotic diseases and their vectors and the effect of climate change on important zoonoses in India are discussed in this review. PMID:22435190
AIDS in India: constructive chaos?
Chatterjee, A
Until recently, the only sustained AIDS activity in India has been alarmist media attention complemented by occasional messages calling for comfort and dignity. Public perception of the AIDS epidemic in India has been effectively shaped by mass media. Press reports have, however, bolstered awareness of the problem among literate elements of urban populations. In the absence of sustained guidance in the campaign against AIDS, responsibility has fallen to voluntary health activists who have become catalysts for community awareness and participation. This voluntary initiative, in effect, seems to be the only immediate avenue for constructive public action, and signals the gradual development of an AIDS network in India. Proceedings from a seminar in Ahmedabad are discussed, and include plans for an information and education program targeting sex workers, health and communication programs for 150 commercial blood donors and their agents, surveillance and awareness programs for safer blood and blood products, and dialogue with the business community and trade unions. Despite the lack of coordination among volunteers and activists, every major city in India now has an AIDS group. A controversial bill on AIDS has ben circulating through government ministries and committees since mid-1989, a national AIDS committee exists with the Secretary of Health as its director, and a 3-year medium-term national plan exists for the reduction of AIDS and HIV infection and morbidity. UNICEF programs target mothers and children for AIDS awareness, and blood testing facilities are expected to be expanded. The article considers the present chaos effectively productive in forcing the Indian population to face up to previously taboo issued of sexuality, sex education, and sexually transmitted disease. PMID:12284225
Rapid DOTS expansion in India.
Khatri, G. R.; Frieden, Thomas R.
Since late 1998 the coverage of the DOTS strategy in India has been expanded rapidly. In both 2000 and 2001 the country probably accounted for more than half the global increase in the number of patients treated under DOTS and by early 2002 more than a million patients were being treated in this way in India. As a result, nearly 200 000 lives were saved. The lessons learnt relate to the importance of the following elements of the programme: (1) getting the science right and ensuring technical excellence; (2) building commitment and ensuring the provision of funds and flexibility in their utilization; (3) maintaining focus and priorities; (4) systematically appraising each area before starting service delivery; (5) ensuring an uninterrupted drug supply; (6) strengthening the established infrastructure and providing support for staff; (7) supporting the infrastructure required in urban areas; (8) ensuring full-time independent technical support and supervision, particularly during the initial phases of implementation; (9) monitoring intensively and giving timely feedback; and (10) continuous supervision. Tuberculosis (TB) control still faces major challenges in India. To reach its potential, the control programme needs to: continue to expand so as to cover the remaining half of the country, much of which has a weaker health infrastructure than the areas already covered; increase its reach in the areas already covered so that a greater proportion of patients is treated; ensure sustainability; improve the patient-friendliness of services; confront TB associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It is expected that HIV will increase the number of TB cases by at least 10% and by a considerably higher percentage if HIV becomes much more widespread. India's experience shows that DOTS can achieve high case-detection and cure rates even with imperfect technology and often with an inadequate public health infrastructure. However, this can only happen if the
[Gastroenteritis with fever, headache and rash after travelling in India].
Hecht, A; Seilmaier, M; Guggemos, W; Löscher, T
A 63-year-old patient presented to our emergency unit two days after returning from India suffering from watery diarrhea, nausea, fever and headache. On admission we found a maculopapular rash on his trunk and forehead. Laboratory findings revealed a leuko-thrombopenia and elevated levels of CRP and procalcitonin. We started treatment with ciprofloxacin. After 48 hours of treatment the diarrhea subsided, whereas the rush on his trunk increased. Under the suspicion of rickettsial fever we started doxycycline 200 mg/d. Because of an incipient pneumonia we added ceftriaxon. The patient improved rapidly and the laboratory abnormalities resolved. Serological investigations revealed a significant increase of specific antibodies against Rickettsia typhi. In conclusion, headache with fever and maculopapular rash after traveling to endemic countries should rise suspicion for murine typhus. PMID:20945058
Wasson, D.A.; Garg, D.D.
Open pit blasting in India uses two types of explosives. First there are bulk explosives for wet and dry holes, and there are packaged explosives. The Indian open pit coal mining is projected to use 190 thousand metric tons of explosives in 1995. This volume is projected to grow for the next ten years, whereas the underground coal mining will hold fairly constant. Bulk explosives started in about 1977 with watergels. In the late 1980s, bulk emulsions and heavy ANFOs were introduced. This system is still being expanded and is replacing packaged products in the larger mines. Packaged products are still popular where the annual consumption is less than 2,000 metric tons per year. Also, packaged products are used in small wet shots. Porous ammonium nitrate prill have recently become available but ANFO is not very common because of the high cost of the prill and the wet blasting conditions. As the market expands there will be a continuing demand for packaged products but an increasing demand for bulk waterproof products, particularly in the larger operations. Dynamites are produced at four plants in India. The annual production of about 45,000 metric tons per year is holding fairly constant, but is likely to decrease in the future. The future blasting in India will primarily use pumped emulsions and heavy ANFO on an increasing basis, but the packaged products will maintain their position.
India's petroleum privatization gathering speed
Not Available
Privatization of India's petroleum industry is seen as inevitable, even by the staunchest supporters of the state owned sector there. What has become clear is that the huge investments required for Indian exploration, refining, and marketing are beyond the scope of even the biggest state owned firms, such as Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) and Indian Oil Corp. (IOC). A proposal was put forth last fall to offer Bombay High offshore oil fields to leading multinationals for redevelopment to stem the production slide in India's mainstay producing area. Some of those projects could entail capital outlays of as much as $1 billion. In another step to attract foreign investment to the petroleum sector, India last month decided to take steps for phased decontrol of domestic crude oil prices to bring them in line with world market levels and help set the stage for privatization of ONGC. The paper describes major projects, the slide in oil production, price changes, the need for privatization, and the lukewarm interest in exploration.
Why India should become a global leader in high-quality, affordable TB diagnostics.
Small, Peter
The scale up of DOTS in India is one of the greatest public health accomplishments, and yet undiagnosed and poorly managed TB continues to fuel the epidemic such that India continues to have the highest number of TB cases in the world. Recognizing these challenges, the Government of India has set an ambitious goal of providing universal access to quality diagnosis and treatment for all TB patients in the country. Innovative tools and delivery systems in both the public and private sectors are essential for reaching this goal. Fortunately, India has the potential to solve its TB problem with "home-grown" solutions. Just as Indian pharmaceutical companies revolutionized access to high-quality, affordable AIDS drugs through generic production, Indian diagnostic companies could also become the world's hub for high-quality generic diagnostics. In the long term, India has the potential to lead the world in developing innovative TB diagnostics. For this to happen, Indian industry must move from the import and imitation approach to genuine innovation in both product development as well as delivery. This must be supported by permissive policies and enhanced funding by the Indian government and the private sector. Strict regulation of diagnostics, increased attention to quality assurance in laboratories, and greater engagement of the private health care providers are also needed to effectively deliver innovative products and approaches. PMID:22771602
Blastocystis sp. from food animals in India.
Sreekumar, C; Selvaraj, J; Gomathinayagam, S; Thangapandiyan, M; Ravikumar, G; Roy, Parimal; Balachandran, C
Blastocystis, a zoonotic protozoan found in the intestinal tracts of a wide range of animals, has not been reported from non-human hosts from India so far. Organisms indistinguishable from Blastocystis sp. were identified in the Giemsa stained intestinal scrapings collected from carcasses of piglet and poultry that were brought for necropsy to the Central University Laboratory, Chennai. The 'central vacuole forms' of the parasite, with number of nuclei ranging from 1 to 12 were identified. The intensity of infection was low, with less than one organism per oil immersion field, indicating that their presence was unconnected to the cause of death. Caecal scraping was found to be more ideal than duodenal scraping for the diagnosis of Blastocystis, and can be a potential specimen for definitive diagnosis. Identical organisms were also detected in the dung samples of a buffalo calf which showed clinical signs of diarrhoea The presence of Blastocystis in food animals acquires public health significance, as many subtypes of the parasite from poultry and pigs are transmissible to humans. PMID:25320500
Antimicrobial stewardship programme (AMSP) practices in India
Walia, Kamini; Ohri, V.C.; Mathai, Dilip
A survey was conducted to ascertain practice of antimicrobial stewardship programme (AMSP) in India for 2013. A total of 20 health care institutions (HCI) responded to a detailed questionnaire. All the institutions contacted were tertiary care HCI, of which 12 were funded by government (GHCI) and 8 were corporate/private HCI (PHCI). Further, all catered to both rural and urban populations and were spread across the country. Written documents were available with 40 per cent for AMSP, 75 per cent for hospital infection control (HIC) and HIC guidelines and 65 per cent for antimicrobial agents (AMA) prescription guidelines. Records were maintained for health care associated infections (HCAI) by 60 per cent HCI. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data were being analysed by 80 per cent HCI. AMA usage data were analysed by only 25 per cent HCI and AMA prescription audit and feedback by 30 per cent. PHCI performed better than GHCI across all fields of AMSP. The main contributory factor was possibly the much higher level of accreditation of PHCI hospitals and their diagnostic laboratories. The absence of infectious diseases physicians and clinical pharmacists is worrying and demands careful attention. PMID:26354210
Clinicomycological Study of Dermatophytosis in South India
Poluri, Lakshmi Vasantha; Indugula, Jyothi P; Kondapaneni, Sai L
Introduction: Dermatophytic infections are commonly encountered a problem and constitute more than 50% of cases in dermatology outpatient departments. Diagnosis of these infections requires the proper use of laboratory methods. Objectives: This study was conducted to know the etiology of dermatophytosis in patients attending Tertiary Care Level Hospital in South India and to compare the efficacy of Sabouraud's dextrose agar (SDA) with actidione and dermatophyte test medium (DTM) in isolating and identifying dermatophytes. Materials and Methods: A total of 110 samples which included 101 skin samples and 9 hair samples from clinically suspected dermatophytosis were collected. Direct microscopy by KOH and culture on SDA with actidione and DTM were done. Results: Of 110 samples collected, 58.18% were KOH positive for fungal filaments and 56.36% were culture positive for dermatophytes. More number of cases were observed between age groups of 21–40 years. Males were more affected compared to females. Tinea corporis was the common clinical presentation observed (40%). Trichophyton rubrum (58.06%) was the predominant isolate recovered in all clinical presentations but Trichophyton violaceum was the most common isolate in tinea capitis. All culture positives were grown on both SDA with actidione and DTM. Appearance of growth was earlier on DTM that is, within 10 days compared to SDA with actidione where growth started appearing only after 10 days. This is statistically significant P < 0.0001 (χ2 = 71.6). Species level identification on primary isolation was possible when grown on SDA with actidione and it was not possible with the growth on DTM on primary isolation. Conclusion: DTM is a good screening medium in laboratory diagnosis of dermatophytosis when compared to SDA with actidione. But DTM is inferior to SDA with actidione in identification of dermatophyte species. PMID:26417157
Is the increase in oil pollution a possibility of the presence of diverse microorganisms? An experimental dataset on oil prevalent areas of Goa, India.
Rekadwad, Bhagwan N; Khobragade, Chandrahaysa N
Survey data and wet lab reports presented in this paper were collected from Western coastlines of India from Goan beaches. Oil polluted areas were captured on camera as evidence for oil and tar pollution. Several microorganisms showing diverse characteristics such as pigment producers, salt tolerant and hydrocarbon resistance were isolated and cultured in the laboratory. The dataset presented in this paper supports "A case study on effects of oil spills and tar-ball pollution on beaches of Goa (India)" (Rekadwad and Khobragade, 2015) [1] and "Microbial diversity of oil spills and tar resistant bacteria isolated from beaches of Goa (India)" (Rekadwad and Khobragade, 2016) [2]. PMID:27622205
India's population: second and growing.
Visaria, P; Visaria, L
Attention in this discussion of the population of India is directed to the following: international comparisons, population pressures, trends in population growth (interstate variations), sex ratio and literacy, urban-rural distribution, migration (interstate migration, international migration), fertility and mortality levels, fertility trends (birth rate decline, interstate fertility differentials, rural-urban fertility decline, fertility differentials by education and religion, marriage and fertility), mortality trends (mortality differentials, health care services), population pressures on socioeconomic development (per capita income and poverty, unemployment and employment, increasing foodgrain production, school enrollment shortfalls), the family planning program, implementing population policy statements, what actions would be effective, and goals and prospects for the future. India's population, a total of 684 million persons as of March 1, 1981, is 2nd only to the population of China. The 1981 population was up by 136 million persons, or 24.75%, over the 548 million enumerated in the 1971 census. For 1978, India's birth and death rates were estimated at 33.3 and 14.2/1000 population, down from about 41.1 and 18.9 during the mid-1960s. India's current 5-year plan has set a goal of a birth rate of 30/1000 population by 1985 and "replacement-level" fertility--about 2.3 births per woman--by 1996. The acceleration in India's population growth has come mainly in the past 3 decades and is due primarily to a decline in mortality that has markedly outstripped the fertility decline. The Janata Party which assumed government leadership in March 1977 did not dismantle the family planning program, but emphasis was shifted to promote family planning "without any compulsion, coercion or pressures of any sort." The policy statement stressed that efforts were to be directed towards those currently underserved, mainly in rural areas. Hard targets were rejected. Over the 1978
Prevalence of peste des petits ruminants among sheep and goats in India
Balamurugan, Vinayagamurthy; Saravanan, Paramasivam; Sen, Arnab; Rajak, Kaushal Kishor; Venkatesan, Gnanavel; Krishnamoorthy, Paramanandham; Bhanuprakash, Veerakyathappa
This study measured the clinical prevalence of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) among sheep and goats in India between 2003 and 2009 by analyzing clinical samples from suspected cases of PPR that were submitted to the Rinderpest and Allied Disease Laboratory, Division of Virology, IVRI, Mukteswar for PPR diagnosis. PPR outbreaks were confirmed by detecting PPR virus (PPRV)-specific antigen in the clinical samples. Clinical samples (blood, nasal swabs, spleen, lymph node, kidney, liver, intestine, and pooled tissue materials) were taken from a total of 592 sheep and 912 goats in different states of India and screened for the presence of PPRV antigen using a monoclonal antibody-based sandwich ELISA kit. A total of 20, 38, and 11 laboratory-confirmed PPR outbreaks occurred among sheep, goat, and combined sheep and goat populations, respectively. Our findings provide evidence of widespread PPR endemicity in India. The underlying reasons could be variations in husbandry practices in different geographical regions, agro-climatic conditions, and livestock migration. Furthermore, decrease in the number of PPR outbreaks over time might be due to the effectiveness of current live PPR vaccines and timely vaccination of target species. Vaccination against PPR has been practiced in India since 2002 to control this disease. PMID:23000584
Improving the Effectiveness of Physiology Record Books as a Learning Tool for First-Year Medical Students in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Vyas, Rashmi; Tharion, Elizabeth; Sathishkumar, Solomon
In compliance with the Medical Council of India, preclinical medical students maintain a record of their laboratory work in physiology. The physiology record books also contain a set of questions to be answered by the students. Faculty members and students had indicated that responding to these questions did not serve the intended purpose of being…
Laboratory confirmation of rubella infection in suspected measles cases.
Vaidya, Sunil R; Raut, Chandrashekhar G; Jadhav, Santoshkumar M
As a part of measles outbreak based surveillance undertaken by the World Health Organization India, suspected measles cases were referred for the laboratory diagnosis at National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune and NIV Unit Bengaluru. Altogether, 4,592 serum samples were referred during 2010-2015 from the States of Karnataka (n = 1,173), Kerala (n = 559), and Maharashtra (n = 2,860). Initially, serum samples were tested in measles IgM antibody EIA and samples with measles negative and equivocal results (n = 1,954) were subjected to rubella IgM antibody detection. Overall, 62.9% (2,889/4,592) samples were laboratory confirmed measles, 27.7% (542/1,954) were laboratory confirmed rubella and remaining 25.2% (1,161/4,592) were negative for measles and rubella. The measles vaccination status was available for 1,206 cases. Among the vaccinated individuals, 50.7% (612/1,206) were laboratory confirmed measles. The contribution of laboratory confirmed measles was 493 (40.8%) from Maharashtra, 90 (7.5%) from Karnataka, and 29 (2.4%) from Kerala. Since, 1/3rd of suspected measles cases were laboratory confirmed rubella, an urgent attention needed to build rubella surveillance in India. Additional efforts are required to rule out other exanthematous disease including Dengue and Chikungunya in measles and rubella negatives. J. Med. Virol. 88:1685-1689, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:27018071
India's "nowhere" girls. Voices of girls 1: India.
Joshi, S
In India, a 12-year-old girl rises before dawn to complete household chores before heading off to work in the fields herding animals or plucking weeds. When this work is unavailable, she migrates to quarries or brick kilns with her landless parents. This scenario is not unusual, as millions of Indian girls are denied schooling so they can contribute to their family's income. Child agricultural laborers are invisible in official statistics, and girls have a harder life than their brothers who have no household duties and are given more to eat. A large number of girls work in factories or homes producing matches, incense, cigarettes, locks, or brassware or polishing gems. There are no statistics describing how many girls are domestic servants in Bombay or rag-pickers, fish-cleaners, or beggars, but an estimated 500,000 girls under age 15 work as prostitutes. Child labor is defined as work that is detrimental to a child's growth and development, and there are 20-100 million child laborers in India. In Bombay, most girl laborers live and work in conditions that threaten their health, and they experience malnutrition and its attendant diseases as well as occupational hazards. Girls also suffer from the son preference that reduces the amount of time girls are breast fed, the amount of health care they receive, their access to education, and their marriage age. Legislation against child labor has proved ineffectual and will continue to be useless until poverty is reduced in India, educational statutes are enforced, and other policy issues are addressed. PMID:12321765
India's Higher Education Challenges
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Altbach, Philip G.
India, with the world's second largest higher education system and a rapidly growing economy as one of the BRIC nations, faces significant challenges in building both capacity and excellence in higher education. India's higher education system is characterized by "islands of excellence in a sea of mediocrity." The mainstream…
Teaching India. Footnotes. Volume 11, Number 2
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kuehner, Trudy
On March 11-12, 2006 the FPRI's Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education hosted 44 teachers from 16 states across the country for a weekend of discussion on teaching about India. Sessions included: (1) Why It's Important to Know about India (Ainslie T. Embree); (2) Early Indian History (Richard H. Davis); (3) Modern Indian History (Marc…
Powering the people: India's capacity expansion plans
Patel, S.
India has become a global business power even though hundreds of millions of its citizens still live in poverty. To sustain economic growth and lift its people out of poverty, India needs more and more reliable power. Details of government plans for achieving those goals demonstrate that pragmatism may be in shorter supply than ambition and political will. 1 ref., 12 figs., 1 tab.
Higher Education in India: A Comprehensive Bibliography.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Raza, Moonis; Malhotra, Nirmal
This book provides a comprehensive bibliography of higher education in India. It constitutes a resource for scholars, policymakers, planners, and administrators concerned with higher education in India. The book contains 2,485 entries arranged under 50 themes. Each theme is classified into four types of material: books; articles; annotated…
Reimbursement for critical care services in India
Jayaram, Raja; Ramakrishnan, Nagarajan
There are significant variations in critical care practices, costs, and reimbursements in various countries. Of note, there is a paucity of reliable information on remuneration and reimbursement models for intensivists in India. This review article aims to analyze the existing reimbursement models in United States and United Kingdom and propose a frame-work model that may be applicable in India. PMID:23833469
Mathematics Curriculum in India and Singapore.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Seng, Seok Hoon; Thirumurthy, Vidya
This paper compares and analyzes preschool mathematics education in Singapore and India in terms of strategies, learning activities, teacher expectations, and parental involvement. The paper describes the mathematics curriculum of one school in Erode, India, including teaching methods, and in Singapore. The results of a parent survey in each…
Coalbed methane could cut India`s energy deficit
Kelafant, J.; Stern, M.
Foreign interest in upcoming Indian coalbed methane (CBM) concession rounds will depend on prospect quality, fiscal regime attractiveness, and perceptions interested parties will have concerning the government`s willingness to promote development. The more liberal tax and royalty provisions for foreign producers announced by the ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas indicate that India is interested in attracting international CBM investments. This article examines the potential for developing the country`s large CBM resource base, estimated between 30 tcf (250 billion cu m) and 144 tcf (4 trillion cu m) of gas. It also provides an overview of the current contractual and regulatory framework governing CBM development.
Adolescent health in Asia: insights from India.
Basker, Mona M
Adolescents living in the Indian subcontinent form a significant proportion of the general population. India is home to 236 million adolescents, who make up one-fifth of the total population of India. Adolescent health is gradually considered an important issue by the government of India. Awareness is increasing about adolescent needs. Health care professionals in particular are becoming more interested in the specific needs of adolescent age. Adolescent medicine as a subspecialty of pediatrics has also gained importance gradually over the last decade. In a hospital setting, adolescent-specific needs are met, albeit not in a uniform manner in all the health centers. After having been trained in adolescent medicine in India and abroad, I present this paper as a bird's eye view of the practice of adolescent health and medicine in India. PMID:27447203
Present and Future Energy Scenario in India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kumar, S.; Bhattacharyya, B.; Gupta, V. K.
India's energy sector is one of the most critical components of an infrastructure that affects India's economic growth and therefore is also one of the largest industries in India. India has the 5th largest electricity generating capacity and is the 6th largest energy consumer amounting for around 3.4 % of global energy consumption. India's energy demand has grown at 3.6 % pa over the past 30 years. The consumption of the energy is directly proportional to the progress of manpower with ever growing population, improvement in the living standard of the humanity and industrialization of the developing countries. Very recently smart grid technology can attribute important role in energy scenario. Smart grid refers to electric power system that enhances grid reliability and efficiency by automatically responding to system disturbances. This paper discusses the new communication infrastructure and scheme designed to integrate data.
Worksite health and wellness programs in India.
Babu, Abraham Samuel; Madan, Kushal; Veluswamy, Sundar Kumar; Mehra, Rahul; Maiya, Arun G
Worksite health and wellness (WH&W) are gaining popularity in targeting cardiovascular (CV) risk factors among various industries. India is a large country with a larger workforce in the unorganized sector than the organized sector. This imbalance creates numerous challenges and barriers to implementation of WH&W programs in India. Large scale surveys have identified various CV risk factors across various industries. However, there is scarcity of published studies focusing on the effects of WH&W programs in India. This paper will highlight: 1) the current trend of CV risk factors across the industrial community, 2) the existing models of delivery for WH&W in India and their barriers, and 3) a concise evidence based review of various WH&W interventions in India. PMID:24607014
Rheumatology in India--quo vadis?
Handa, Rohini
Rheumatology has been a neglected subspecialty in India. A staggering patient load, a severely inadequate number of trained rheumatology specialists, therapeutic nihilism and limited advocacy are some of the critical challenges that confront rheumatology care, and possibly explain the high rates of reliance on complementary and alternative medicines in India. Disease spectrum and treatment patterns are not remarkably different from those in other countries, but biologic agents have limited use and are administered for short periods only. Consequently, outcomes in India do not yet match those reported in developed countries. Furthermore, the high prevalence of infectious diseases continues to be a major contributor to mortality in patients with rheumatic disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus. Several tropical diseases with rheumatic manifestations are relevant in India, including chikungunya, brucellosis, leptospirosis, dengue and melioidosis. To address the many problems with rheumatology care in India, curricular reforms, capacity building, patient education and political support are sorely needed. PMID:25366186
Living donor liver transplantation in India
Liver transplantation is currently in its golden period in India. The number of transplants being performed and the steady increase in the new programs that have emerged over the last decade is a testimony to it. The growth was not smooth, especially in the early years. But a multipronged approach in developing infrastructure and the involvement of multidisciplinary teams in the management of transplant patients has had a major positive impact on the outcome and as a result a positive impetus to the growth of this specialty in India. To date, the majority of transplants performed in India are live donor liver transplants. Deceased donation is more sporadic and concentrated in a couple of regions. With phenomenal increase in transplant activity in India, there is huge potential for streamlining data sharing among programs in India and with the rest of the world to ultimately benefit the transplant community. PMID:27115006
Chemistry Laboratory Safety Check
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Patnoe, Richard L.
An accident prevention/safety check list for chemistry laboratories is printed. Included are checks of equipment, facilities, storage and handling of chemicals, laboratory procedures, instruction procedures, and items to be excluded from chemical laboratories. (SL)
76 FR 18248 - Sulfanilic Acid From China and India
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... countervailing duty orders on imports of sulfanilic acid from India (57 FR 12025 ] and 12026). Following five... sulfanilic acid from China and India (65 FR 36404). Following second five-year reviews by Commerce and the... sulfanilic acid from India and the antidumping duty orders on sulfanilic acid from China and India (71...
7 CFR 319.56-46 - Mangoes from India.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 7 Agriculture 5 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Mangoes from India. 319.56-46 Section 319.56-46... from India. Mangoes (Mangifera indica) may be imported into the continental United States from India... the mutual agreement between APHIS and the national plant protection organization (NPPO) of India...
7 CFR 319.56-46 - Mangoes from India.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Mangoes from India. 319.56-46 Section 319.56-46... from India. Mangoes (Mangifera indica) may be imported into the continental United States from India only under the following conditions: (a) The mangoes must be treated in India with irradiation...
7 CFR 319.56-46 - Mangoes from India.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 7 Agriculture 5 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Mangoes from India. 319.56-46 Section 319.56-46... from India. Mangoes (Mangifera indica) may be imported into the continental United States from India only under the following conditions: (a) The mangoes must be treated in India with irradiation...
7 CFR 319.56-46 - Mangoes from India.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 7 Agriculture 5 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Mangoes from India. 319.56-46 Section 319.56-46... from India. Mangoes (Mangifera indica) may be imported into the continental United States from India... the mutual agreement between APHIS and the national plant protection organization (NPPO) of India...
7 CFR 319.56-46 - Mangoes from India.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 7 Agriculture 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Mangoes from India. 319.56-46 Section 319.56-46... from India. Mangoes (Mangifera indica) may be imported into the continental United States from India only under the following conditions: (a) The mangoes must be treated in India with irradiation...
Devendra, K
This article discusses the status of the girl child in rural India. Rural children lack the advantages of modern amenities and facilities, such as transportation, electricity, media, hygiene, health care, and access to education. A young girl's status is related to her mother's status. Women are valued the most when a son is born. Girl children are considered an economic liability in child care costs, dowry costs, and marriage support. Since the 1970s, dowry demands have increased. Daughters must meet the demands of prospective in-law for education and dowry even after marriage. The attitudes of parents, families, and society encourage sex-selective abortion, infanticide, abuse in childhood, and domestic violence in adulthood. It was reported in 1994 that a woman is molested every 26 minutes and raped every 52 minutes. The government of India developed an action plan in 1992 for developing the girl child. Rural girl children spend their time cooking, cleaning, fetching wood and water, caring for children, and working in the fields sowing, transplanting, and weeding. Girl children contribute over 20% of total work at home. The only advantage a girl child has in rural areas is visibility. The greatest disadvantage is that her mother, who faced neglect herself, discriminates against her. Increasingly girl children contribute income to their household from Beedi making, gem polishing, embroidering, or paper bag making. Sometimes girls and boys work in hazardous occupations. Gender disparity is evident in school enrollment, drop out rates, literacy, and employment. In 1994, India passed a universal female education bill that offers parents incentives for access and punishment for keeping a girl out of school. Communities need to create a demand for rural girl children's education. PMID:12158006
Complementary feeding patterns in India.
Kuriyan, R; Kurpad, A V
There are far too many children in the world who suffer from under-nutrition and growth faltering, with life time consequences such as reduced work capacity, increased infections, impaired intellectual performance and an increased risk of non communicable diseases later in life. These changes occur early in life, and consequently, complementary feeding has been receiving increased attention in the international nutrition community. In India, common problems relate not only to insufficient breastfeeding, but also to detrimental feeding practices. Only about 20% of children aged 6-23 months were fed according to the three recommended Infant and Child Feeding practices. The most common types of solid or semi-solid foods fed to both breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding children under 3 years of age were foods made from grains and roots. These complementary feeding practices were found to be significantly associated with poor socioeconomic status, undesirable socio-cultural beliefs, maternal illiteracy, and ignorance. Although many initiatives have been carried out in India to promote Infant and Young Child Feeding, the progress in reducing the number of undernourished children in India over the last decade has been slow and modest. Equally, with the growing evidence and interest in the role of infant nutrition in the development of over nutrition and non-communicable disease, it is important to plan appropriate complementary feeding interventions that result in optimal growth. Contact opportunities with parents, specifically mothers, must be used for counseling through multiple communication channels such as local media, in order to constantly educate the population with consistent and simple messages on child feeding. PMID:22748607
India Energy Outlook: End Use Demand in India to 2020
de la Rue du Can, Stephane; McNeil, Michael; Sathaye, Jayant
Integrated economic models have been used to project both baseline and mitigation greenhouse gas emissions scenarios at the country and the global level. Results of these scenarios are typically presented at the sectoral level such as industry, transport, and buildings without further disaggregation. Recently, a keen interest has emerged on constructing bottom up scenarios where technical energy saving potentials can be displayed in detail (IEA, 2006b; IPCC, 2007; McKinsey, 2007). Analysts interested in particular technologies and policies, require detailed information to understand specific mitigation options in relation to business-as-usual trends. However, the limit of information available for developing countries often poses a problem. In this report, we have focus on analyzing energy use in India in greater detail. Results shown for the residential and transport sectors are taken from a previous report (de la Rue du Can, 2008). A complete picture of energy use with disaggregated levels is drawn to understand how energy is used in India and to offer the possibility to put in perspective the different sources of end use energy consumption. For each sector, drivers of energy and technology are indentified. Trends are then analyzed and used to project future growth. Results of this report provide valuable inputs to the elaboration of realistic energy efficiency scenarios.
Maternal mortality in southern India.
Rao, P S; Amalraj, A
In a 4 year prospective community survey of 20,000 women randomly selected in North Arcot District of Tamil Nadu State in South India, the maternal mortality rates per 1,000 liveborn were estimated to be 17.4 and 16.6 for rural and semi-urban areas, respectively. The rates based only on direct causes were 11.9 in rural and 14.4 in semi-urban areas. As expected, these figures are considerably higher than those based on official or hospital statistics. Factors associated with such high mortality and the implications for programme planning and implementation are discussed. PMID:7855917
History of psychiatry in India
Nizamie, S. Haque; Goyal, Nishant
History is a screen through which the past lightens the present and the present brightens the future. Psychiatry by virtue of its ability to deal with human thoughts and emotions and provide a pathway for healthy minds provides an important platform towards being a mentally sound human being and largely the society. This review takes a sneak peek into the foundations of modern psychiatry in India. The description is largely based on the time frame, which provides a better understanding of the factual information in each period starting from the Vedic era and culminating in the post independence period. PMID:21836719
Research on antipsychotics in India
Avasthi, Ajit; Aggarwal, Munish; Grover, Sandeep; Khan, Mohd Khalid Rasheed
Antipsychotic as a class of medications became available for treatment of various psychiatric disorders in the early 1950's. Over the last 60 years many antipsychotics have become available. In line with the west, Indian researchers have evaluated the efficacy of antipsychotics in various conditions. Additionally, researchers have also evaluated the important safety and tolerability issues. Here, we review data originating from India in the form of drug trials, effectiveness, usefulness, safety and tolerability of antipsychotics. Additionally, data with respect to other important treatment related issues is discussed. PMID:21836703
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Pritchard, Jack; Braker, Clifton
Pritchard discusses the opportunities for applied learning afforded by laboratories. Braker describes the evaluation of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills in the agricultural mechanics laboratory. (SK)
An overview of meningococcal disease in India: knowledge gaps and potential solutions.
John, T Jacob; Gupta, Sunil; Chitkara, A J; Dutta, Ashok Kumar; Borrow, Ray
The Global Meningococcal Initiative (GMI) consists of an international group of scientists and clinicians, with expertise in meningococcal immunology, epidemiology, public health and vaccinology that aims to prevent meningococcal disease worldwide through education, research, cooperation and vaccination. In India, there is no national policy on routine meningococcal vaccination to control the disease. The GMI convened a meeting in India, with local medical leaders and public policy personnel, to gain insight into meningococcal disease burden and current surveillance and vaccination practices in the country. Neisseria meningitidis is the third most common cause of sporadic bacterial meningitis in children <5 years, with higher incidence in temperate northern versus tropical southern India. Incidence is not reliably known due to suboptimal surveillance and insufficient microbiological support for diagnosis. Since 2005, there have been a number of outbreaks, all attributable to serogroup A. Outbreak responses were ad hoc and included mandatory case reporting by hospitals in Delhi, temporary strengthening of laboratory diagnostics, chemoprophylaxis of close contacts/high-risk groups and limited reactive use of polysaccharide vaccine. Although a conjugate serogroup A vaccine (MenAfriVac™) is manufactured in India, it is not presently used in India. Epidemiological data on meningococcal disease in India are sparse. Meningococcal disease control efforts should focus on establishing systematic surveillance and educating physicians and officers of the Immunization Division of the Ministry of Health on the importance of N. meningitidis as a cause of morbidity and mortality. Conjugate vaccine should be used for outbreak control and the immunization of high-risk persons. PMID:23588082
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Vasant, Gowarikar; Suresh, B. N.
The Indian Space programme took birth on November 21, 1963, with the launch of Nike-Apache, an American sounding rocket from the shores of Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram on the west coast of India. From a family of operational sounding rockets known as the Rohini Sounding Rockets, India's launch vehicles have now grown up through SLV-3 and Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) to the current gigantic satellite launchers, PSLV and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). Though we had failures in the initial launches of SLV-3, ASLV and PSLV, these failures gave Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) a thorough and in depth understanding of the nuances of launch vehicle technology that later led to successful missions. An entirely new dimension was added to the Indian space programme when a space capsule was recovered very precisely after it had orbited the Earth for 12 days. The future for launch vehicles in ISRO looks bright with the GSLV MKIII, which is currently under development and the pursuit of cutting edge technologies such as reusable launch vehicles and air-breathing propulsion.
Globalisation and women in India.
Krishnaraj, M
Globalization arrived in India through an external and internal alignment of political and economic forces that led to the opening of the country to the outside world. The five processes under globalization are: 1) commercialism wherein more services become monetized and incomes are received in money rather than in kind; 2) more capitalization; 3) foreign trade becomes important for the production and distribution process; 4) greater financialization develops; and 5) international capital moves freely. These changes affect women more than men in different ways. Capitalization results in more self-employed marginal farmers becoming wage workers, making it less possible for women to manage domestic duties alongside their productive work. In general, macro-economic policies affect women through the household, market, and gender relations. In countries like India where women suffer from serious discrimination, whatever affects the household will worsen women's position. Thus, the process of liberalization, privatization, and globalization will put the clock back for women and for the poor in general. PMID:12349429
Veterinary herbal medicines in India
Rastogi, Shruti; Pandey, Manoj Kumar; Prakash, Jai; Sharma, Alok; Singh, Gyanendra Nath
India has a rich and diversified flora. It is seen that synthetic drugs could pose serious problems, are toxic and costly. In contrast to this, herbal medicines are relatively nontoxic, cheaper and are eco-friendly. Moreover, the people have used them for generations. They have also been used in day-to-day problems of healthcare in animals. 25% of the drugs prescribed worldwide come from plants. Almost 75% of the medicinal plants grow naturally in different states of India. These plants are known to cure many ailments in animals like poisoning, cough, constipation, foot and mouth disease, dermatitis, cataract, burning, pneumonia, bone fractures, snake bites, abdominal pains, skin diseases etc. There is scarce review of such information (veterinary herbals) in the literature. The electronic and manual search was made using various key words such as veterinary herbal, ethno-veterinary medicines etc. and the content systematically arranged. This article deals with the comprehensive review of 45 medicinal plant species that are official in Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) 2014. The botanical names, family, habitat, plant part used and pharmacological actions, status in British Pharmacopoeia 2014, USP 36 are mentioned. Also, a relationship between animal and human dose, standardization and regulatory aspects of these selected veterinary herbals are provided. PMID:26392714
Health care utilisation in India.
Duggal, R
India has a plurality of health care systems as well as different systems of medicine. The government and local administrations provide public health care in hospitals and clinics. Public health care in rural areas is concentrated on prevention and promotion services to the detriment of curative services. The rural primary health centers are woefully underutilized because they fail to provide their clients with the desired amount of attention and medication and because they have inconvenient locations and long waiting times. Public hospitals provide 60% of all hospitalizations, while the private sector provides 75% of all routine care. The private sector is composed of an equal number of qualified doctors and unqualified practitioners, with a greater ratio of unqualified to qualified existing in less developed states. In rural areas, qualified doctors are clustered in areas where government services are available. With a population barely able to meet its nutritional needs, India needs universalization of health care provision to assure equity in health care access and availability instead of a large number of doctors who are profiting from the sicknesses of the poor. PMID:12288588
Rubella outbreak in the union territory of Chandigarh, North India.
Singh, Mini P; Kumar, Archit; Gautam, Neha; Khurana, Jasmine; Gupta, Madhu; Ratho, Radha Kanta
Rubella virus outbreaks usually occur when a large numbers of susceptible individuals accumulate. The disease presents clinically with fever and maculopapular rash. The present study reports the investigation of rubella outbreak in a modern and well-planned village near Chandigarh, North India. The blood samples were collected from 39 cases with febrile rash and from 15 age and sex matched healthy controls residing in the same locality and subjected for the detection of Rubella IgM and IgG antibodies by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The throat swabs, urine and blood samples from acute cases were also collected and subjected to RT-PCR using the primers targeting the E1 region. The genetic characterization of the rubella virus was carried out to identify the circulating genotypes. In the present outbreak, 13 laboratory confirmed cases were reported. Rubella IgM antibodies were detected in 12/39 (30.7%) patients. Rubella RNA could be detected in 83.3% (5/6) of urine, 22.2% (2/9) of throat swabs, and 8.3% (1/12) of blood samples. The rubella genotype responsible for the present outbreak was identified as genotype 1a. This outbreak highlights the need for the introduction of rubella vaccine in the National Immunization Programme of India to prevent outbreaks and to aim towards the eradication of this disease. This study reports the presence of genotype 1a in North India for the first time and stresses the need for further molecular work to identify the circulating strains of the virus. PMID:25156964
Isolation of fourth-instars larva of Aedes (Finlaya) harveyi (Diptera: Culicidae) from the Nilgiri hills, Southern India.
Bhuyan, Pranab Jyoti; Hiriyan, J; Nath, Anjan Jyoti
During the post monsoon season of 2012, the ovitraps were employed for dengue vector surveillance nearer to human habitations in the Nilgiri hills of Southern India. All the eggs obtained were brought to laboratory, and reared individually to adult stage for identification. A total of 30 exuviae of fourth-instars larva specimen were identified as Aedes (Finlaya) harveyi which were compared to other closely related species. Though the adult male and female of Aedes (Finlaya) harveyi were recorded from some parts of India but so far the larval stage has not been recorded. PMID:27065629
Laboratory Information Systems.
Henricks, Walter H
Laboratory information systems (LISs) supply mission-critical capabilities for the vast array of information-processing needs of modern laboratories. LIS architectures include mainframe, client-server, and thin client configurations. The LIS database software manages a laboratory's data. LIS dictionaries are database tables that a laboratory uses to tailor an LIS to the unique needs of that laboratory. Anatomic pathology LIS (APLIS) functions play key roles throughout the pathology workflow, and laboratories rely on LIS management reports to monitor operations. This article describes the structure and functions of APLISs, with emphasis on their roles in laboratory operations and their relevance to pathologists. PMID:26065785
Laboratory Information Systems.
Henricks, Walter H
Laboratory information systems (LISs) supply mission-critical capabilities for the vast array of information-processing needs of modern laboratories. LIS architectures include mainframe, client-server, and thin client configurations. The LIS database software manages a laboratory's data. LIS dictionaries are database tables that a laboratory uses to tailor an LIS to the unique needs of that laboratory. Anatomic pathology LIS (APLIS) functions play key roles throughout the pathology workflow, and laboratories rely on LIS management reports to monitor operations. This article describes the structure and functions of APLISs, with emphasis on their roles in laboratory operations and their relevance to pathologists. PMID:26851660
TB control: challenges and opportunities for India.
Pai, Madhukar; Daftary, Amrita; Satyanarayana, Srinath
India's TB control programme has treated over 19 million patients, but the incidence of TB continues to be high. TB is a major killer and drug-resistant TB is a growing threat. There are several likely reasons, including social conditions and co-morbidities that fuel the TB epidemic: under-investment by the government, weak programme implementation and management, suboptimal quality of care in the private sector, and insufficient advocacy around TB. Fortunately, India possesses the technical know-how, competence and resources to address these challenges. The End TB Strategy by WHO offers India an excellent blueprint to advance the agenda of TB control. PMID:26884494
A Cretaceous Hoofed Mammal from India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Prasad, G. V. R.; Verma, O.; Sahni, A.; Parmar, V.; Khosla, A.
The sedimentary record documenting the northward drift of India (Late Cretaceous to late Early Eocene) has recently provided important clues to the evolution, radiation, and dispersal of mammals. Here, we report a definitive Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) archaic ungulate (Kharmerungulatum vanvaleni genus et species nova) from the Deccan volcano-sedimentary sequences exposed near Kisalpuri village in Central India. This find has important implications for the origin and diversification of early ungulates and raises three possible paleobiogeographic scenarios: (i) Were archaic ungulates cosmopolitan in distribution? (ii) Was Kharmerungulatum an immigrant from Western Asia? (iii) Did archaic ungulates originate in India?
Cracker planned in India`s Karnataka State
The Indian government has issued a letter of intent to Karnataka State Industrial Investment & Development Corp. for the manufacture of 300,000 m.t./year of ethylene, 150,000 m.t./year of propylene, 50,000 m.t./year of butadiene, and 65,000 m.t./year of benzene. The project is likely to cost $1 billion and to be built on the western coast of Karnataka. Engineers India Ltd. has been appointed consultant and will carry out the feasibility study. KSIIDC is inviting offers from Western companies to help with the cracker and downstream projects, which are also likely to include facilities to produce linear low- and high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride.
Report on activities of TIFR Balloon Facility , Hyderabad, India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Vasudevan, Rajagopalan; Reddy Vizapur, Anmi; Rao Tanneeru, Venkateswara; Shankarnarayan, Sreenivasan; Buduru, Suneel Kumar; Devarajan, Anand; Ojha, Devendra
The Balloon Facility of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) located at Hyderabad in the southern part of peninsular India has been conducting stratospheric balloon flights for research in Astronomy and Atmospheric Science for more than four decades. The Balloon Facility has been catering not only from the scientists from the National Laboratories of India but also from abroad. For keeping pace with the ever changing and growing need of the user scientists, continuous R & D activity is maintained for developing newer materials , building balloons with heavy payload capability and upgrading of Telemetry and Telecommand systems. So far, a total of 483 balloon flights have been carried out from the facility. During the past two years , significant strides have been made in building light weight balloons using ultra thin polyethylene film and successfully flying them to penetrate the mesosphere three times and developing a IRIG 106 Format compliant Encoder with added new facilities in putting various serial and parallel data streams in the Encoder Format with increased bit rates upto 500 kbps. This encoder will be tested during the summer flight programme of 2014. This paper describes the balloon flights and developmental work carried out during the past two years.
Laboratory Animal Facilities. Laboratory Design Notes.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jonas, Albert M.
Design of laboratory animal facilities must be functional. Accordingly, the designer should be aware of the complex nature of animal research and specifically the type of animal research which will be conducted in a new facility. The building of animal-care facilities in research institutions requires special knowledge in laboratory animal…
Infection control in the pulmonary function test laboratory
Rasam, Shweta Amol; Apte, Komalkirti Keshavkiran; Salvi, Sundeep Santosh
Pulmonary function testing plays a crucial role in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with lung diseases. Cases of cross infection acquired from the pulmonary function laboratory, although rare, have been reported from various countries. It is therefore imperative to identify the risks and potential organisms implicated in cross infections in a pulmonary function test (PFT) laboratory and implement better and more effective infection control procedures, which will help in preventing cross infections. The infrastructure, the daily patient flow, and the prevalent disinfection techniques used in a PFT laboratory, all play a significant role in transmission of infections. Simple measures to tackle the cross infection potential in a PFT laboratory can help reduce this risk to a bare minimum. Use of specialized techniques and equipment can also be of much use in a set up that has a high turnover of patients. This review aims at creating awareness about the possible pathogens and situations commonly encountered in a PFT laboratory. We have attempted to suggest some relevant and useful infection control measures with regard to disinfection, sterilization, and patient planning and segregation to help minimize the risk of cross infections in a PFT laboratory. The review also highlights the lacuna in the current scenario of PFT laboratories in India and the need to develop newer and better methods of infection control, which will be more user-friendly and cost effective. Further studies to study the possible pathogens in a PFT laboratory and evaluate the prevalent infection control strategies will be needed to enable us to draw more precious conclusions, which can lead to more relevant, contextual recommendations for cross infections control in PFT lab in India. PMID:26180386
Aspects of prehistoric astronomy in India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rao, N. Kameswara
Some archeoastronomical aspects regarding the development of observational astronomy in India during prehistoric times are described. A plea is made for the preservation of megalithic monuments of possible astronomical significance.
Rotavirus in India: Forty Years of Research.
Kang, Gagandeep
Rotavirus was first identified as a human pathogen just over 40 years ago, and work on this pathogen in India started shortly thereafter. Subsequent studies have confirmed its pre-eminent role in gastroenteritis in children in India. Standardized surveillance has enabled the documentation of the high burden of disease, and has demonstrated that there is considerable geographic and temporal variation in strain circulation. Internationally licensed vaccines, vaccine candidates based on indigenous strains and out-licensed strains have been tested for safety, immunogenicity and efficacy; three vaccines are now licensed in India and are used in the private sector. Public sector vaccination has begun, and it will be path-breaking for Indian vaccinologists to measure impact of vaccine introduction in terms of safety and effectiveness. So far, India has kept pace with international epidemiologic and vaccine research on rotavirus, and these efforts should continue. PMID:27508532
Women's Education in India: Problems and Prospects.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Reddy, M. C. Reddeppa
Problems in educating women in India include social taboos, dependency, parents' discriminatory attitudes, low social status, early marriage, heavy work load, lack of motivation, and family poverty. Changes in attitudes, laws, and funding are needed to expand opportunities. (SK)
Groundwater Depletion in India Revealed by GRACE
Scientists using data from NASAs Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) have found that the groundwater beneath Northern India has been receding by as much as one foot per year over the p...
Why are clinical trials necessary in India?
Poongothai, Subramani; Unnikrishnan, Ranjit; Balasubramanian, Jeyakumar; Nair, Mohan Damodaran; Mohan, Viswanathan
Clinical trials are emerging as an important activity in India as it is an essential component of the drug discovery and development program to which India is committed. The only robust way to evaluate a new medicine is by doing properly designed clinical trials. In addition to advancing science, clinical trials offer myriad benefits to the participants. The recent hue that created in India about clinical trials is probably an exaggeration of facts. However, these points to the need for ensuring proper compliance with the regulatory norms and proper training of concerned personnel in good clinical practice (GCP). This will ensure that India continues to reap the benefits of clinical trials and also become a world leader in this field. PMID:24741480
An alternative to India ink stain.
Ibembe, Isaac Nicholas; Wiggin, Timothy Roger
Accessing India ink in rural Uganda is difficult and costly. An alternative stain was sought to assist in microbiological diagnoses of cryptococcal infections in immunosuppressed patients with meningitis. Mascara proved to be an excellent and cheap alternative. PMID:25999353
Diabetes mellitus: Trends in northern India.
Gutch, Manish; Razi, Syed Mohd; Kumar, Sukriti; Gupta, Keshav Kumar
Diabetes mellitus is becoming a global health issue with more than 80% diabetics living in developing countries. India accounts for 62.4 million diabetics (2011). Indian Council of Medical Research India Diabetes Study (ICMR-INDIAB) study showed highest weighted prevalence rate in the north India among all studied regions. Diabetes in north India has many peculiarities in all aspects from risk factors to control programmers. North Indians are becoming more prone for diabetes and dyslipidemia because rapid westernization of living style and diet due rapid migration to metropolitan cities for employment. North Indian diabetes is plagued with gender bias against females, poor quality of health services, myths, and lack of disease awareness compounded with small number of prevention and awareness programmers that too are immature to counteract the growing pandemic. PMID:25285295
India takes steps to curb air pollution.
India's air pollution problem needs to be tackled systematically, taking an all-of-government approach, to reduce the huge burden of associated ill-health. Patralekha Chatterjee reports. PMID:27429486
Cataloging Practices in India: Efforts for Standardization.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tikku, Upinder Kumar
Surveys current cataloging practices in Indian libraries and discusses standardization in cataloging, types of catalogs, cataloging codes (Anglo-American and Ranganathan), subject headings, descriptive cataloging, and standardization efforts (international, United States, USSR, Great Britain, India). Footnotes are included. (EJS)
Cosmic ray research in India: 1912-2012
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tonwar, Suresh C.
The progress of research in cosmic rays in India over the last 100 years is reviewed, starting with the pioneering work of Debendra Mohan Bose and Homi Bhabha. Experimental research in cosmic rays in India received a big push with the establishment of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research by Homi Bhabha in Bombay in 1945, the Physical Research Laboratory by Vikram Sarabhai in Ahemedabad in 1947 and the setting up of a cosmic ray research group by Piara Singh Gill at the Aligarh Muslim University in Aligarh in 1949. Studies on high energy interactions by B.V. Sreekantan and colleagues and on muons and neutrinos deep underground in KGF mines by M.G.K. Menon and coworkers were the highlights of the research work in India in 1950's and 60's. In 1970's and 80's, important advances were made in India in several areas, for example, search for proton decay in KGF mines by M.G.K. Menon et al, search for TeV cosmic gamma-ray sources at Ooty and Pachmari by P.V. Ramanamurthy and colleagues, search for PeV cosmic gamma ray sources by S.C. Tonwar et al at Ooty and by M.V.S. Rao and coworkers at KGF. In 1990's, Sreekantan and Tonwar initiated the GRAPES-3 project at Ooty to determine the composition of cosmic ray flux around the 'knee' in the primary energy spectrum at PeV energies using a large muon detector and a compact air shower array. Another major effort to search for TeV gamma-ray sources was initiated by H. Razdan and C.L. Bhat, initially at Gulmarg in Kashmir in the 1980's, leading to successful observations with a stereoscopic imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope at Mount Abu in early 2000. In recent years the Pachmari group and the Mount Abu group have joined together to install a sophisticated system of atmospheric Cherenkov detectors at Hanle in the Ladakh region at an altitude of 4200 m to continue studies on VHE sources of cosmic gammarays.
The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is India. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit.
Appropriation and dementia in India.
Brijnath, Bianca; Manderson, Lenore
Biomedical technologies like MRI scans offer a way for carers and people with dementia to 'see' pathology, as a means to reorient their perceptions of the body and functionality. Through interpretive and syncretic processes, the MRI and the diagnosis of dementia facilitate the incorporation of the clinical category 'dementia' into social understandings of illness and care in India. Complex shifts occur as families and providers move from socio-cultural explanations of disruption to bio-social etiologies of the disease 'dementia' and then to socio-ecological frameworks of causality. Both the biomedicalisation of illness and the localisation of illness occur as the clinical category 'dementia' is folded into local understandings of illness and care. Through elucidating how the dialectic between biomedical and local knowledge is operationalized, we offer insights into how dementia is absorbed and appropriated into Indian cultural contexts. PMID:21837538
AIDS activists arrested in India.
Sharma, R
Health activists in India are outraged over the arrests of 11 AIDS activists belonging to the nongovernmental organization (NGO) Sahyog. These AIDS activists were charged with obscenity and rioting. Rioting broke out when the local print media published details of a report entitled ¿AIDS and Us¿ that was produced by Sahyog in Hindi. The report tackled prevalent sexual practices, very low level of awareness, and other risk factors related to contracting HIV infection or developing AIDS in the rural areas of the Almora district. Critics charged the activists with destroying the image of the people of the region, portraying them as promiscuous and practicing high-risk sexual behavior. Consequently, Sahyog issued a statement of apology and promised to withdraw the report, but the district administration still banned their work in the area. Several NGOs also feel that the presentation of the report should have been more cautious. PMID:10827034
Prehistoric human colonization of India.
Misra, V N
Human colonization in India encompasses a span of at least half-a-million years and is divided into two broad periods, namely the prehistoric (before the emergence of writing) and the historic (after writing). The prehistoric period is divided into stone, bronze and iron ages. The stone age is further divided into palaeolithic, mesolithic and neolithic periods. As the name suggests, the technology in these periods was primarily based on stone. Economically, the palaeolithic and mesolithic periods represented a nomadic, hunting-gathering way of life, while the neolithic period represented a settled, food-producing way of life. Subsequently copper was introduced as a new material and this period was designated as the chalcolithic period. The invention of agriculture, which took place about 8000 years ago, brought about dramatic changes in the economy, technology and demography of human societies. Human habitat in the hunting-gathering stage was essentially on hilly, rocky and forested regions, which had ample wild plant and animal food resources. The introduction of agriculture saw it shifting to the alluvial plains which had fertile soil and perennial availability of water. Hills and forests, which had so far been areas of attraction, now turned into areas of isolation. Agriculture led to the emergence of villages and towns and brought with it the division of society into occupational groups. The first urbanization took place during the bronze age in the arid and semi-arid region of northwest India in the valleys of the Indus and the Saraswati rivers, the latter represented by the now dry Ghaggar-Hakra bed. This urbanization is known as the Indus or Harappan civilization which flourished during 3500-1500 B.C. The rest of India during this period was inhabited by neolithic and chalcolithic farmers and mesolithic hunter-gatherers. With the introduction of iron technology about 3000 years ago, the focus of development shifted eastward into the Indo-Gangetic divide and
Lesbian studies and activism in India.
Vanita, Ruth
This essay surveys public debates and writings about lesbianism and the history of activism around lesbian issues in twentieth-century India. Weddings between women and joint suicides by female couples over the last twenty-five years are among the under-researched, but increasingly reported, phenomena that suggest future directions that activism and the study of lesbianism in India may take. PMID:17954460
Improved Gridded Aerosol Data for India
Gueymard, C.; Sengupta, M.
Using point data from ground sites in and around India equipped with multiwavelength sunphotometers, as well as gridded data from space measurements or from existing aerosol climatologies, an improved gridded database providing the monthly aerosol optical depth at 550 nm (AOD550) and Angstrom exponent (AE) over India is produced. Data from 83 sunphotometer sites are used here as ground truth tocalibrate, optimally combine, and validate monthly gridded data during the period from 2000 to 2012.
(Collaborative coal project between the USA and India)
Krishnan, R.P.
Under the Phase II, Alternative Energy Resources Development (AERD) project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of India (GOI), five collaborative coal projects have been initiated in the areas of: (1) NO{sub x}/SO{sub x} control from coal-fired power plants, (2) slagging combustor development for high-ash Indian coals, (3) characterization of Indian coals for combustion and gasification. (4) diagnostic studies for prediction of power plant life expectancy, and (5) environmental and natural resource analysis of coal cycle. The Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC) has the implementation responsibility for these projects. The Indian collaborative institutions identified for these projects are the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL), Trichy, (projects 1--4), and the Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) for project 5. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is providing cross-cut technical coordination and support for these five projects.
First Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever outbreak in India.
Patel, Atul K; Patel, Ketan K; Mehta, Minesh; Parikh, Tejas M; Toshniwal, Harsh; Patel, Kamlesh
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) has not been reportedly previously from India. Initial clinical features of dengue fever and CCHF are similar and it is very difficult to differentiate and diagnose CCHF. Common clinical features of CCHF include; high grade fever with chills, headache, body ache, myalgia, vomiting, abdominal pain, weakness and bleeding from multiple sites. Laboratory investigations showed cytopenia, raised prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), raised creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) as well as altered liver and renal functions. Patients with above symptoms can rapidly progress to bleeding from multiple sites and death compared to dengue fever. It is crucial to recognize CCHF at early stage to institute ribavirin treatment and also to prevent nosocomial spread of disease to health care workers. We are describing first four cases of recent CCHF outbreak in Ahmedabad. PMID:22334974
Partnership challenges fund in India.
The Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) Small Family by Choice project is the first large program to be funded by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Partnership Challenges Fund. This project endorses FPAI's integrated approach to family planning to address the family planning and reproductive health needs of the population in Northern India. The project will accelerate family planning acceptance in 3 districts in Madhya Pradesh State covering a population of some 3.6 million people. These strategies will include community participation, women's empowerment, literacy programs, male involvement, and youth mobilization. The project is the core of FPAI's Strategic Plan for 1992-2000, which strives to reach areas of greatest need, improve quality of care in family planning services, promote appropriate contraceptive choice, and provide supplies. Women will be helped through literacy, education, skills development and income generation. Particular emphasis will be placed on involving men in family planning and reproductive health choices within the family. The Small Families project will concentrate on the individual needs of people within the local community. The project will accelerate family planning acceptance through people's participation while improving their health and socioeconomic conditions. Service will be delivered through local NGOs and women's groups. Initially, this project will be carried out as operations research to identify the most effective combination of interventions. The project may be expanded to other states, incorporating findings from the initial project. The Partnership Challenges Fund has been established to support innovative projects that satisfy the expectations of the IPPF Vision 2000 Strategic Plan, and address priority reproductive health issues within FPAs strategic planning. The Fund intends to support projects that address the reproductive health needs of people within the community, and affect changes
Nuclear programs in India and Pakistan
Mian, Zia
India and Pakistan launched their respective nuclear programs in the 1940s and 1950s with considerable foreign technical support, especially from the United States Atoms for Peace Program. The technology and training that was acquired served as the platform for later nuclear weapon development efforts that included nuclear weapon testing in 1974 and in 1998 by India, and also in 1998 by Pakistan - which had illicitly acquired uranium enrichment technology especially from Europe and received assistance from China. As of 2013, both India and Pakistan were continuing to produce fissile material for weapons, in the case of India also for nuclear naval fuel, and were developing a diverse array of ballistic and cruise missiles. International efforts to restrain the South Asian nuclear build-up have been largely set aside over the past decade as Pakistani support became central for the U.S. war in Afghanistan and as U.S. geopolitical and economic interests in supporting the rise of India, in part as a counter to China, led to India being exempted both from U.S non-proliferation laws and international nuclear trade guidelines. In the absence of determined international action and with Pakistan blocking the start of talks on a fissile material cutoff treaty, nuclear weapon programs in South Asia are likely to keep growing for the foreseeable future.
Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) control in India
Pandav, Chandrakant S.; Yadav, Kapil; Srivastava, Rahul; Pandav, Rijuta; Karmarkar, M.G.
Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) constitute the single largest cause of preventable brain damage worldwide. Majority of consequences of IDD are invisible and irreversible but at the same time these are preventable. In India, the entire population is prone to IDD due to deficiency of iodine in the soil of the subcontinent and consequently the food derived from it. To combat the risk of IDD, salt is fortified with iodine. However, an estimated 350 million people do not consume adequately iodized salt and, therefore, are at risk for IDD. Of the 325 districts surveyed in India so far, 263 are IDD-endemic. The current household level iodized salt coverage in India is 91 per cent with 71 per cent households consuming adequately iodized salt. The IDD control goal in India was to reduce the prevalence of IDD below 10 per cent in the entire country by 2012. What is required is a "mission approach" with greater coordination amongst all stakeholders of IDD control efforts in India. Mainstreaming of IDD control in policy making, devising State specific action plans to control IDD, strict implementation of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, addressing inequities in iodized salt coverage (rural-urban, socio-economic), providing iodized salt in Public Distribution System, strengthening monitoring and evaluation of IDD programme and ensuring sustainability of IDD control activities are essential to achieve sustainable elimination of IDD in India. PMID:24135192
Economic burden of dengue infections in India.
Garg, Pankaj; Nagpal, Jitender; Khairnar, Prakash; Seneviratne, Suranjith L
Dengue infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality and lead to adverse economic effects in many developing tropical countries. In this study, we estimated the economic burden faced by India during the 2006 dengue epidemic. Costs incurred in managing a cohort of serologically confirmed dengue patients at a tertiary-level private hospital in north India were calculated. The median cost of treatment per hospitalised dengue patient was US$432.2 (95% CI US$343.6-625). A sensitivity analysis was performed to estimate the costs to the health system in India using a regression model. Variables with potentially large variations, including the ratio of unreported to reported cases and of hospitalised to ambulatory cases, the proportion requiring transfusions, loss of economic activities due to loss of workdays and deaths, were used. The average total economic burden was estimated to be US$27.4 million (95% CI US$25.7-29.1 million). Costs in the private heath sector were estimated to be almost four times public sector expenditures. Considerable economic losses (at a macro level) are incurred by developing countries like India during each dengue epidemic. Accurate estimates of the proportions of reported to unreported and of hospitalised to ambulatory dengue cases in India are needed to refine further the estimates of financial burden due to dengue in India. PMID:18402995
AIDS in India: emerging from initial chaos.
Chatterjee, A
India's response to AIDS has ranged from a 3-phase official surveillance program begun by the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in 1985, to legislation criticized as "bigoted and superficial", to conflicting messages, panic and confusion. The ICMR has determined that HIV is transmitted mainly by heterosexual contacts in India. In the media the Director-General of the ICMR was cited as recommending that sex with foreign visitors be banned, as a way to contain the HIV epidemic. Media also reported that defective ELISA screening kits were imported into India that infection control in some hospitals is sub-optimal, that the blood and blood products supply is grossly contaminated with HIV and that certain commercial blood donors were infected from giving blood. All foreign students currently must be HIV-negative to get a visa. It is a major problem to plan an AIDS education campaign with India's large illiterate population and dozens of languages. An AIDS network is emerging incorporating ICMR, the All India Institute of Medical Science, the Central Health Education Bureau, Mother Teresa's order, and a newly formed gay awareness group with the newsletter "Bombay Dost." PMID:12343054
Diabetes mellitus and its complications in India.
Unnikrishnan, Ranjit; Anjana, Ranjit Mohan; Mohan, Viswanathan
India is one of the epicentres of the global diabetes mellitus pandemic. Rapid socioeconomic development and demographic changes, along with increased susceptibility for Indian individuals, have led to the explosive increase in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in India over the past four decades. Type 2 diabetes mellitus in Asian Indian people is characterized by a young age of onset and occurrence at low levels of BMI. Available data also suggest that the susceptibility of Asian Indian people to the complications of diabetes mellitus differs from that of white populations. Management of this disease in India faces multiple challenges, such as low levels of awareness, paucity of trained medical and paramedical staff and unaffordability of medications and services. Novel interventions using readily available resources and technology promise to revolutionise the care of patients with diabetes mellitus in India. As many of these challenges are common to most developing countries of the world, the lessons learnt from India's experience with diabetes mellitus are likely to be of immense global relevance. In this Review, we discuss the epidemiology of diabetes mellitus and its complications in India and outline the advances made in the country to ensure adequate care. We make specific references to novel, cost-effective interventions, which might be of relevance to other low-income and middle-income countries of the world. PMID:27080137
Nuclear programs in India and Pakistan
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mian, Zia
India and Pakistan launched their respective nuclear programs in the 1940s and 1950s with considerable foreign technical support, especially from the United States Atoms for Peace Program. The technology and training that was acquired served as the platform for later nuclear weapon development efforts that included nuclear weapon testing in 1974 and in 1998 by India, and also in 1998 by Pakistan - which had illicitly acquired uranium enrichment technology especially from Europe and received assistance from China. As of 2013, both India and Pakistan were continuing to produce fissile material for weapons, in the case of India also for nuclear naval fuel, and were developing a diverse array of ballistic and cruise missiles. International efforts to restrain the South Asian nuclear build-up have been largely set aside over the past decade as Pakistani support became central for the U.S. war in Afghanistan and as U.S. geopolitical and economic interests in supporting the rise of India, in part as a counter to China, led to India being exempted both from U.S non-proliferation laws and international nuclear trade guidelines. In the absence of determined international action and with Pakistan blocking the start of talks on a fissile material cutoff treaty, nuclear weapon programs in South Asia are likely to keep growing for the foreseeable future.
Adult immunization in India: Importance and recommendations
Verma, Ramesh; Khanna, Pardeep; Chawla, Suraj
Vaccination is recommended throughout life to prevent infectious diseases and their sequelae. Vaccines are crucial to prevent mortality in that >25% of deaths are due to infections. Vaccines are recommended for adults on the basis of a range of factors. Substantial improvement and increases in adult vaccination are needed to reduce the health consequences of vaccine-preventable diseases among adults. Incomplete and inadequate immunization in India against these communicable diseases results in substantial and unnecessary costs both in terms of hospitalization and treatment. The government of India as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) consider childhood vaccination as the first priority, but there is not yet focus on adult immunization. Adult immunization in India is the most ignored part of heath care services. The Expert Group recommended that data on infectious diseases in India should be updated, refined, and reviewed periodically and published regularly. This group suggested that the consensus guidelines about adult immunization should be reviewed every 3 years to incorporate new strategies from any emerging research from India. There is an immediate need to address the problem of adult immunization in India. Although many issues revolving around efficacy, safety, and cost of introducing vaccines for adults at the national level are yet to be resolved, there is an urgent need to sensitize the health planners as well as health care providers regarding this pertinent issue. PMID:25483654
Antimalarial plants of northeast India: An overview
Shankar, Rama; Deb, Sourabh; Sharma, B K
The need for an alternative drug for malaria initiated intensive efforts for developing new antimalarials from indigenous plants. The information from different tribal communities of northeast India along with research papers, including books, journals and documents of different universities and institutes of northeast India was collected for information on botanical therapies and plant species used for malaria. Sixty-eight plant species belonging to 33 families are used by the people of northeast India for the treatment of malaria. Six plant species, namely, Alstonia scholaris, Coptis teeta, Crotolaria occulta, Ocimum sanctum, Polygala persicariaefolia, Vitex peduncularis, have been reported by more than one worker from different parts of northeast India. The species reported to be used for the treatment of malaria were either found around the vicinity of their habitation or in the forest area of northeast India. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (33%), roots (31%), and bark and whole plant (12%). The present study has compiled and enlisted the antimalarial plants of northeast India, which would help future workers to find out the suitable antimalarial plants by thorough study. PMID:22529674
Sero-Prevalence of Rodent Pathogens in India.
Manjunath, Shrruthi; Kulkarni, Prachet G; Nagavelu, Krishnaveni; Samuel, Rosa J; Srinivasan, Sandhya; Ramasamy, Nandhini; Hegde, Nagendra R; Gudde, Ramachandra S
Health monitoring is an integral part of laboratory animal quality standards. However, current or past prevalence data as well as regulatory requirements dictate the frequency, type and the expanse of health monitoring. In an effort to understand the prevalence of rodent pathogens in India, a preliminary study was carried out by sero-epidemiology. Sera samples obtained from 26 public and private animal facilities were analyzed for the presence of antibodies against minute virus of mice (MVM), ectromelia virus (ECTV), lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), Sendai virus (SeV), and Mycoplasma pulmonis in mice, and SeV, rat parvo virus (RPV), Kilham's rat virus (KRV) and sialodacryoadenitis virus (SDAV) in rats, by sandwich ELISA. It was observed that MHV was the most prevalent agent followed by Mycoplasma pulmonis and MVM in mice, and SDAV followed by RPV were prevalent in rats. On the other hand, none of the samples were positive for ECTV in mice, or SeV or KRV in rats. Multiple infections were common in both mice and rats. The incidence of MHV and Mycoplasma pulmonis was higher in facilities maintained by public organizations than in vivaria of private organizations, although the difference was not statistically different. On the other hand the prevalence of rodent pathogens was significantly higher in the northern part of India than in the South. These studies form the groundwork for detailed sero-prevalence studies which should further lay the foundations for country-specific guidelines for health monitoring of laboratory animals. PMID:26158453
Sero-Prevalence of Rodent Pathogens in India
Manjunath, Shrruthi; Kulkarni, Prachet G.; Nagavelu, Krishnaveni; Samuel, Rosa J.; Srinivasan, Sandhya; Ramasamy, Nandhini; Hegde, Nagendra R.; Gudde, Ramachandra S.
Health monitoring is an integral part of laboratory animal quality standards. However, current or past prevalence data as well as regulatory requirements dictate the frequency, type and the expanse of health monitoring. In an effort to understand the prevalence of rodent pathogens in India, a preliminary study was carried out by sero-epidemiology. Sera samples obtained from 26 public and private animal facilities were analyzed for the presence of antibodies against minute virus of mice (MVM), ectromelia virus (ECTV), lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), Sendai virus (SeV), and Mycoplasma pulmonis in mice, and SeV, rat parvo virus (RPV), Kilham's rat virus (KRV) and sialodacryoadenitis virus (SDAV) in rats, by sandwich ELISA. It was observed that MHV was the most prevalent agent followed by Mycoplasma pulmonis and MVM in mice, and SDAV followed by RPV were prevalent in rats. On the other hand, none of the samples were positive for ECTV in mice, or SeV or KRV in rats. Multiple infections were common in both mice and rats. The incidence of MHV and Mycoplasma pulmonis was higher in facilities maintained by public organizations than in vivaria of private organizations, although the difference was not statistically different. On the other hand the prevalence of rodent pathogens was significantly higher in the northern part of India than in the South. These studies form the groundwork for detailed sero-prevalence studies which should further lay the foundations for country-specific guidelines for health monitoring of laboratory animals. PMID:26158453
Liberalization of India`s electric power sector: Evolution or anarchy?
Lock, R.
The past two years have seen the bloom off the rose of India`s highly promising electricity sector restructuring. But take heart: Dabhol and other disappointments that may have seemed like a nightmare through much of 1995 may be only a mid-course correction in a robust restructuring that has still a long and promising distance to travel.
Women's Life Experiences in Contemporary India. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar Abroad 1994 (India).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Pipkin, Ruthanne
This unit, intended for high school use, examines the role of women in India as portrayed in selected literature. The books used include: (1) "Women in India: Two Perspectives" (Doranne Jacobson; Susan S. Wadley); (2) "Through Indian Eyes, Volume l. The Wheel of Life" (Donald J. Johnson, Ed.; Jean E. Johnson, Ed.); (3) "Nectar in a Sieve" (Kamala…
Textile Arts of India, Curriculum Project. Fulbright Hays Summer Seminar Abroad 1995 (India).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Myers, Barbara
This interdisciplinary unit focuses on five techniques found in the textile arts of India: tie-dye, embroidery, applique, block printing, and weaving. The unit is designed for students in third through sixth grades but could be adapted to other levels. This unit could be incorporated with a study of India's land, history, and geography. The…
Curriculum Project on India. Fulbright Hays Summer Seminar Abroad 1995 (India).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Curnow, Richard T.
The two lesson plans presented here are designed to be used as teaching resources in presenting India to high school students. Lesson one focuses on "India and Cartoons" and uses contemporary Indian political and social cartoons for student analyses of social commentary. Lesson two examines "British Architecture during the Raj" with readings,…
Hinduism and the Culture of India. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar Abroad 1994 (India).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Winikur, Ilene
This packet contains sixth and seventh grade level interdisciplinary lesson outlines about India. Concepts to be developed include: (1) "Geography and Its Impact upon the Development of India's Different Cultures"; (2) "Religion and Philosophy Focusing on Hinduism and Festivals"; (3) "Literature using the Ramayana and Mahabarata"; (4) "Art and…
Selections from a Humanities Unit on India. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad 1998 (India).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Makin, Marion A.
Intended for high school students, two humanities lessons on India approach India from a "world cultures" perspective. In the first lesson, "Story Scrolls," pairs of students create and present stories from Hindu mythology using traditional methods. The lesson gives content objectives, skills objectives, and evaluation/assessment criteria, as well…
Elementary Education in Rural India: A Grassroots View. Strategies for Human Development in India, Volume 2.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Vaidyanathan, A., Ed.; Nair, P. R. Gopinathan, Ed.
There are wide variations in educational attainment and literacy rates across the regions and social classes of India. A national project examined participation in and the quality of elementary education in nine states of India, focusing on rural areas and the situation of disadvantaged persons, especially girls and the scheduled castes and…
Tethered gravity laboratories study
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lucchetti, F.
Tethered gravity laboratories study is presented. The following subject areas are covered: variable gravity laboratory; attitude tether stabilizer; configuration analysis (AIT); dynamic analysis (SAO); and work planned for the next reporting period.
An Electronics "Unit Laboratory"
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Davies, E. R.; Penton, S. J.
Describes a laboratory teaching technique in which a single topic (in this case, bipolar junction transistors) is studied over a period of weeks under the supervision of one staff member, who also designs the laboratory work. (MLH)
Employment at National Laboratories
E. S. Peterson; C. A. Allen
Scientists enter the National Laboratory System for many different reasons. For some, faculty positions are scarce, so they take staff-scientist position at national laboratories (i.e. Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Los Alamos, and Brookhaven). Many plan to work at the National Laboratory for 5 to 7 years and then seek an academic post. For many (these authors included), before they know it it's 15 or 20 years later and they never seriously considered leaving the laboratory system.
EPA Environmental Chemistry Laboratory
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Chemistry Laboratory (ECL) is a national program laboratory specializing in residue chemistry analysis under the jurisdiction of the EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs in Washington, D.C. At Stennis Space Center, the laboratory's work supports many federal anti-pollution laws. The laboratory analyzes environmental and human samples to determine the presence and amount of agricultural chemicals and related substances. Pictured, ECL chemists analyze environmental and human samples for the presence of pesticides and other pollutants.
SRTM Stereo Pair: Northwest of Bhuj, India
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
2001-01-01On January 26, 2001, the Kachchh region in western India suffered the most deadly earthquake in India's history. Shortly thereafter, geologists traversed the region looking for ground surface disruptions, such as fault breaks, that could provide clues to the tectonic processes here. Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) scientists provided stereoscopic images to the geologists, similar to this 3-D view of the terrain northwest of the city of Bhuj. The geologists reported back that the images were essential in optimizing their field activities. Tectonic landforms are created by ground displacements that are repetitious over geologic time, so these landforms are good places to look for co-seismic faulting and warping. The stereoscopic images showed the geologists where the structures are located and their overall pattern, which could not be seen while standing on anyone hill or in any one gully. In general, the field studies found that surface disruptions by the recent earthquake were minimal and that the major landforms are quite old and probably not directly related to ongoing tectonic processes.Features of interest in the view shown here include the largest hill (upper left-center), which is a dome or anticline, upwardly convex layered rocks. Also visible are a possible volcanic plug (lower left-center) and an incised meandering stream (center). Agriculture in this arid region is concentrated on the alluvial fan of the major stream (green pattern, upper right).This stereoscopic image was generated by draping a Landsat satellite image (taken just two weeks after the earthquake) over a preliminary SRTM elevation model. Two differing perspectives were then calculated, one for each eye. They can be seen in 3-D by viewing the left image with the right eye and the right image with the left eye (cross-eyed viewing or by downloading and printing the image pair and viewing them with a stereoscope. When stereoscopically merged, the result is a vertically
SRTM Anaglyph: Northwest of Bhuj, India
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
2001-01-01On January 26, 2001, the Kachchh region in western India suffered the most deadly earthquake in India's history. Shortly thereafter, geologists traversed the region looking for ground surface disruptions, such as fault breaks, that could provide clues to the tectonic processes here. Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) scientists provided stereoscopic images to the geologists, similar to this anaglyph view of the terrain northwest of the city of Bhuj. The geologists reported back that the images were essential in optimizing their field activities. Tectonic landforms are created by ground displacements that are repetitious over geologic time, so these landforms are good places to look for co-seismic faulting and warping. The stereoscopic images showed the geologists where the structures are located and their overall pattern, which could not be seen while standing on any one hill or in any one gully. In general, the field studies found that surface disruptions by the recent earthquake were minimal and that the major landforms are quite old and probably not directly related to ongoing tectonic processes.Features of interest in the view shown here include the largest hill (upper left-center), which is a dome or anticline, upwardly convex layered rocks. Also visible are a possible volcanic plug (lower left-center) and an incised meandering stream (center). Agriculture in this arid region is concentrated on the alluvial fan of the major stream (dark pattern, upper right).The stereoscopic effect of this anaglyph was created by first draping a Landsat satellite image (taken just two weeks after the earthquake) over preliminary digital elevation data from the SRTM and then generating two differing perspectives, one for each eye. When viewed through special glasses, the result is a vertically exaggerated view of Earth's surface in its full three dimensions. Anaglyph glasses cover the left eye with a red filter and cover the right eye with a blue filter
Regulation of nuclear radiation exposures in India.
Mishra, U C
India has a long-term program of wide spread applications of nuclear radiations and radioactive sources for peaceful applications in medicine, industry, agriculture and research and is already having several thousand places in the country where such sources are being routinely used. These places are mostly outside the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) installations. DAE supplies such sources. The most important application of nuclear energy in DAE is in electricity generation through nuclear power plants. Fourteen such plants are operating and many new plants are at various stages of construction. In view of the above mentioned wide spread applications, Indian parliament through an Act, called Atomic Energy Act, 1964 created an autonomous body called Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) with comprehensive authority and powers. This Board issues codes, guides, manuals, etc., to regulate such installations so as to ensure safe use of such sources and personnel engaged in such installations and environment receives radiation exposures within the upper bounds prescribed by them. Periodic reports are submitted to AERB to demonstrate compliance of its directives. Health, Safety and Environment Group of Bhabha Atomic Research Centres, Mumbai carries out necessary surveillance and monitoring of all installations of the DAE on a routine basis and also periodic inspections of other installations using radiation sources. Some of the nuclear fuel cycle plants like nuclear power plants and fuel reprocessing involve large radioactive source inventories and have potential of accidental release of radioactivity into the environment, an Environmental Surveillance Laboratory (ESL) is set up at each such site much before the facility goes into operation. These ESL's collect baseline data and monitor the environment throughout the life of the facilities including the decommissioning stage. The data is provided to AERB and is available to members of the public. In addition, a multi
Determination of reference values for optical properties of liquid phantoms based on Intralipid and India ink
Spinelli, L.; Botwicz, M.; Zolek, N.; Kacprzak, M.; Milej, D.; Sawosz, P.; Liebert, A.; Weigel, U.; Durduran, T.; Foschum, F.; Kienle, A.; Baribeau, F.; Leclair, S.; Bouchard, J.-P.; Noiseux, I.; Gallant, P.; Mermut, O.; Farina, A.; Pifferi, A.; Torricelli, A.; Cubeddu, R.; Ho, H.-C.; Mazurenka, M.; Wabnitz, H.; Klauenberg, K.; Bodnar, O.; Elster, C.; Bénazech-Lavoué, M.; Bérubé-Lauzière, Y.; Lesage, F.; Khoptyar, D.; Subash, A. A.; Andersson-Engels, S.; Di Ninni, P.; Martelli, F.; Zaccanti, G.
A multi-center study has been set up to accurately characterize the optical properties of diffusive liquid phantoms based on Intralipid and India ink at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. Nine research laboratories from six countries adopting different measurement techniques, instrumental set-ups, and data analysis methods determined at their best the optical properties and relative uncertainties of diffusive dilutions prepared with common samples of the two compounds. By exploiting a suitable statistical model, comprehensive reference values at three NIR wavelengths for the intrinsic absorption coefficient of India ink and the intrinsic reduced scattering coefficient of Intralipid-20% were determined with an uncertainty of about 2% or better, depending on the wavelength considered, and 1%, respectively. Even if in this study we focused on particular batches of India ink and Intralipid, the reference values determined here represent a solid and useful starting point for preparing diffusive liquid phantoms with accurately defined optical properties. Furthermore, due to the ready availability, low cost, long-term stability and batch-to-batch reproducibility of these compounds, they provide a unique fundamental tool for the calibration and performance assessment of diffuse optical spectroscopy instrumentation intended to be used in laboratory or clinical environment. Finally, the collaborative work presented here demonstrates that the accuracy level attained in this work for optical properties of diffusive phantoms is reliable. PMID:25071947
Laboratory Ventilation and Safety.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Steere, Norman V.
In order to meet the needs of both safety and economy, laboratory ventilation systems must effectively remove air-borne toxic and flammable materials and at the same time exhaust a minimum volume of air. Laboratory hoods are the most commonly used means of removing gases, dusts, mists, vapors, and fumed from laboratory operations. To be effective,…
Theme: Laboratory Instruction.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bruening, Thomas H.; And Others
A series of theme articles discuss setting up laboratory hydroponics units, the school farm at the Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico, laboratory experiences in natural resources management and urban horticulture, the development of teaching labs at Derry (PA) High School, management of instructional laboratories, and industry involvement in agricultural…
Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bretz, Stacey Lowery; Fay, Michael; Bruck, Laura B.; Towns, Marcy H.
Forty chemistry faculty from American Chemical Society-approved departments were interviewed to determine their goals for undergraduate chemistry laboratory. Faculty were stratified by type of institution, departmental success with regard to National Science Foundation funding for laboratory reform, and level of laboratory course. Interview…
Laboratory Activities in Israel
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mamlok-Naaman, Rachel; Barnea, Nitza
Laboratory activities have long had a distinctive and central role in the science curriculum, and science educators have suggested that many benefits accrue from engaging students in science laboratory activities. Many research studies have been conducted to investigate the educational effectiveness of laboratory work in science education in…
C.R. Clark; G.C. Knighton; R.S. Fielding; N.P. Hallinan
A laboratory scale atomizer has been built at the Idaho National Laboratory. This has proven useful for laboratory scale tests and has been used to fabricate fuel used in the RERTR miniplate experiments. This instrument evolved over time with various improvements being made 'on the fly' in a trial and error process.
Laboratory Equipment Criteria.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
State Univ. Construction Fund, Albany, NY.
Requirements for planning, designing, constructing and installing laboratory furniture are given in conjunction with establishing facility criteria for housing laboratory equipment. Furniture and equipment described include--(1) center tables, (2) reagent racks, (3) laboratory benches and their mechanical fixtures, (4) sink and work counters, (5)…
Los Alamos National Laboratory.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hammel, Edward F., Jr.
Current and post World War II scientific research at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (New Mexico) is discussed. The operation of the laboratory, the Los Alamos consultant program, and continuation education, and continuing education activities at the laboratory are also discussed. (JN)
Ahimsa and alternatives -- the concept of the 4th R. The CPCSEA in India.
Pereira, Shiranee; Tettamanti, Massimo
The Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) in India is one of a kind in the world. It is a statutory body of the government of India formed by an act of the Indian parliament. This body consists of nominated members and representatives from national regulatory agencies, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Environment and Forests, national academic and research councils, premier research institutes, eminent scientists and animal welfare organisations. The CPCSEA draws its powers from the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act of 1960 which states that the duty of the committee is "to take all such measures as may be necessary to ensure that animals are not subject to unnecessary pain or suffering before, during or after the performance of experiments on them". With the power to promulgate its own laws to ensure the humane and ethical use of animals in research and education, the CPCSEA in 1998 notified in the gazette of India the "Breeding of and Experiments on Animals (Control and Supervision) Rules 1998". The CPCSEA is unique in that the law in itself has enabled the creation of a common platform of discussion for scientists and animal activists for humane and progressive solutions for the use of animals in experimentation. In a country that is caught in a paradox of violence and rich cultural and religious traditions, India still draws a lot of its power from the concept of "Ahimsa" (the philosophy of non-violence). This concept is also pertinent to the use of animals in laboratories. Unethical, inhumane and unscientific practices, and ignorance of the use of alternatives were the way of science until 1999 when CPCSEA became functional. For four years CPCSEA has waged a battle, rescued thousands of animals from laboratories, fought legal battles to victory, enforced for the first time in the country good laboratory practice, designed guidelines for the use of animals in the production of
Assuring health coverage for all in India.
Patel, Vikram; Parikh, Rachana; Nandraj, Sunil; Balasubramaniam, Priya; Narayan, Kavita; Paul, Vinod K; Kumar, A K Shiva; Chatterjee, Mirai; Reddy, K Srinath
Successive Governments of India have promised to transform India's unsatisfactory health-care system, culminating in the present government's promise to expand health assurance for all. Despite substantial improvements in some health indicators in the past decade, India contributes disproportionately to the global burden of disease, with health indicators that compare unfavourably with other middle-income countries and India's regional neighbours. Large health disparities between states, between rural and urban populations, and across social classes persist. A large proportion of the population is impoverished because of high out-of-pocket health-care expenditures and suffers the adverse consequences of poor quality of care. Here we make the case not only for more resources but for a radically new architecture for India's health-care system. India needs to adopt an integrated national health-care system built around a strong public primary care system with a clearly articulated supportive role for the private and indigenous sectors. This system must address acute as well as chronic health-care needs, offer choice of care that is rational, accessible, and of good quality, support cashless service at point of delivery, and ensure accountability through governance by a robust regulatory framework. In the process, several major challenges will need to be confronted, most notably the very low levels of public expenditure; the poor regulation, rapid commercialisation of and corruption in health care; and the fragmentation of governance of health care. Most importantly, assuring universal health coverage will require the explicit acknowledgment, by government and civil society, of health care as a public good on par with education. Only a radical restructuring of the health-care system that promotes health equity and eliminates impoverishment due to out-of-pocket expenditures will assure health for all Indians by 2022--a fitting way to mark the 75th year of India
Epidemiology of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in India
Acharya, Subrat K.
Indian data on epidemiology of HCC is not available. Cancer is not a reportable disease in India and the cancer registries in India are mostly urban. National cancer registry program of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been recently expanded to include 21 population based and 6 hospital based cancer registries. The last published registry data by ICMR available in the cancer registry website (www.ncrpindia.org) was in 2008 which provides information on various cancers from 2006 to 2008. The other source of information was the report published by International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO). According to these available data the age adjusted incidence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in India for men ranges from 0.7 to 7.5 and for women 0.2 to 2.2 per 100,000 population per year. The male:female ratio for HCC in India is 4:1. The age of presentation varies from 40 to 70 years. According to a study conducted by verbal autopsy in 1.1 million homes representing the whole country, the age standardized mortality rate for HCC in India for men is 6.8/100,000 and for women is 5.1/100,000. According to another study the incidence of HCC in cirrhotics in India is 1.6% per year. The unpublished data from various tertiary care centers suggest that the incidence of HCC is increasing in India. There is a need for a multi-centric HCC registry under the aegis of INASL. PMID:25755607
Epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma in India.
Acharya, Subrat K
Indian data on epidemiology of HCC is not available. Cancer is not a reportable disease in India and the cancer registries in India are mostly urban. National cancer registry program of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been recently expanded to include 21 population based and 6 hospital based cancer registries. The last published registry data by ICMR available in the cancer registry website (www.ncrpindia.org) was in 2008 which provides information on various cancers from 2006 to 2008. The other source of information was the report published by International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO). According to these available data the age adjusted incidence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in India for men ranges from 0.7 to 7.5 and for women 0.2 to 2.2 per 100,000 population per year. The male:female ratio for HCC in India is 4:1. The age of presentation varies from 40 to 70 years. According to a study conducted by verbal autopsy in 1.1 million homes representing the whole country, the age standardized mortality rate for HCC in India for men is 6.8/100,000 and for women is 5.1/100,000. According to another study the incidence of HCC in cirrhotics in India is 1.6% per year. The unpublished data from various tertiary care centers suggest that the incidence of HCC is increasing in India. There is a need for a multi-centric HCC registry under the aegis of INASL. PMID:25755607
Hawkins, Robert C
Turnaround time (TAT) is one of the most noticeable signs of laboratory service and is often used as a key performance indicator of laboratory performance. This review summarises the literature regarding laboratory TAT, focusing on the different definitions, measures, expectations, published data, associations with clinical outcomes and approaches to improve TAT. It aims to provide a consolidated source of benchmarking data useful to the laboratory in setting TAT goals and to encourage introduction of TAT monitoring for continuous quality improvement. A 90% completion time (sample registration to result reporting) of <60 minutes for common laboratory tests is suggested as an initial goal for acceptable TAT. PMID:18392122
India gears up to host aLIGO lab
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Padma, T. V.
India is on track to build an Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (aLIGO), with discussions under way to select a site from a shortlist of two options in western and north-western India.
Geochemical Characterization and Geothermometry of the Geothermal Springs of Northwest India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zamudio, K. D.; Klemperer, S. L.; Sastry, S. R.; Harinarayana, T.
The Himalayan collision zone between India and Asia hosts an active geothermal province that spans the border from India into Tibet. Despite significant exploration, commercial development thus far in India is limited to modest use of hot water for heating greenhouses. We sampled nine hot springs in Northwest India, from the Karakoram Fault, across the Indus-Yarlung Suture Zone, to the Main Central Thrust. We analyzed major cation and anion chemistry using ICP-OES. Calcium ranges from 1-220 ppm, potassium from 4-110 ppm, magnesium from 0-60 ppm and sodium from 70-440 ppm. These values are similar to samples analyzed by the Geological Survey of India in previous decades. Preliminary reservoir temperatures calculated using the Fournier & Potter Na-K-Ca-Mg geothermometer range from 100-260°C. No correlations with geologic structure or location across the Himalayan orogen are apparent, and springs located within a few tens of km of each other have apparent temperatures differing by a factor of two. However, these classical geothermometers are subject to large uncertainty in cases where gas has been lost or where there has been dilution of the waters from depth with surface waters. We will use Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's multicomponent geothermometry code, GeoT, to improve the temperature estimation for each geothermal site. Even if reservoir temperatures are not high enough for electricity generation, these springs have the potential to provide cheap heating and cooling for the local communities. We plan to collect additional water samples in neighboring Tibet in the future.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Primeaux, G. R.; Larue, M. A.
The Skylab mobile laboratory was designed to provide the capability to obtain necessary data on the Skylab crewmen 30 days before lift-off, within 1 hour after recovery, and until preflight physiological baselines were reattained. The mobile laboratory complex consisted of six laboratories that supported cardiovascular, metabolic, nutrition and endocrinology, operational medicine, blood, and microbiology experiments; a utility package; and two shipping containers. The objectives and equipment requirements of the Skylab mobile laboratory and the data acquisition systems are discussed along with processes such as permanently mounting equipment in the individual laboratories and methods of testing and transporting the units. The operational performance, in terms of amounts of data collected, and the concept of mobile laboratories for medical and scientific experiments are evaluated. The Skylab mobile laboratory succeeded in facilitating the data collection and sample preservation associated with the three Skylab manned flights.
Simulation for Iron Calorimeter prototype detector of India-based Neutrino Observatory
Ghosh, Tapasi; Chattopadhyay, Subhasis
The India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) collaboration is proposing to build a 50 kton magnetized iron calorimeter (ICAL) detector in an underground laboratory to be located in South India. As a first step towards building the ICAL detector, a 35 ton prototype of the same design has been set up on the surface to track cosmic ray muons. This paper discusses the prototype detector geometry simulation by GEANT4, and the detector response to the cosmic muons. We have developed a track fitting procedure based on the Kalman Filter technique for the prototype detector when the detector is exposed to single muon tracks. The relevant track parameters i.e., momentum, direction and charge are reconstructed and analyzed. Finally we show the resolution of reconstructed momenta.
Traditional zootherapeutic studies in India: a review
Mahawar, Madan Mohan; Jaroli, DP
The present study aims to review the zootherapeutic practices of the different ethnic communities of India. This work is also an attempt to present a list of animals' use for medicinal purposes by different communities of India. Data were gathered from 15 published research papers of various authors on zootherapeutic studies in India from 2000 to 2007. Approximately 109 animals and their 270 uses are reported in traditional medicine in different parts of India. Of these, the highest numbers of animal species (42, 38.5%) with 50 (18.5%) uses have been reported for the treatment of Respiratory system related problems. Rheumatic and other pains are treated with 32 species (29.4%) in 34 (12.9%) uses. Gastric problems are reported to be treated with 22 (20.2%) species in 26 (9.9%) uses. The mammals constitute the highest number of animals used for medicinal purposes. 44 (40%) mammals, 24 (22%) invertebrates, 18 (17%) birds, 12 (11%) reptiles, nine (8%) fishes and two (2%) amphibians have been reported for medicinal purposes. Of the total 109 animal species reported, 76(70%) are included in IUCN red data list and 36 (33%) animal species are listed in CITES appendix I, II, and III. This work will be helpful in biodiversity conservation in India and also give a clue to investigate bio-active compound in these animal raw materials. PMID:18634551
AIDS in position to ravage India.
Jayaraman, K S
The Joint UN Program on AIDS reports that India has more than 3 million adults infected with HIV, more HIV-infected adults than any other country in the world. By the year 2005, India will have more people infected with HIV than does Africa. Having sex with a Bombay housewife today is at least twice as risky as it was to have sex with a prostitute in the city's red light district in 1988. 2-3% of all women in the city are infected with HIV. There is ignorance, apathy, corruption, and lack of commitment at all levels with regard to HIV/AIDS. Accordingly, India's lackluster campaign against AIDS launched 10 years ago has lost momentum just as the epidemic is exploding and at a time when traditional beliefs about cultural barriers and the sexual behavior of Indian males are being called into question. Considerable homosexual behavior occurs in India. However, the most important factor contributing to the spread of HIV throughout India is the virus' spread from urban areas into small villages, often through migrant laborers. Ignorance, illiteracy, and poverty in villages will make AIDS prevention especially difficult. Indian government policy forbidding the distribution of condoms in prisons, needles to injectable-drug users, and free drugs to AIDS patients further contributes to the spread of HIV. PMID:8782442
Epilepsy surgery: recommendations for India.
Chandra, P Sarat; Tripathi, Manjari
The following article recommends guidelines for epilepsy surgery for India. This article reviews the indications, the various surgical options available and the outcome of surgery for drug resistant epilepsy based on current evidence. Epilepsy surgery is a well-established option for patients who have been diagnosed to have drug resistant epilepsy (DRE) (on at least two appropriate, adequate anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) (either in monotherapy or in combination) with continuing seizures), where the presurgical work-up has shown concordance of structural imaging (magnetic resonance imaging) and electrical mapping data (electroencephalography (EEG), video EEG). There may be a requirement of functional imaging techniques in a certain number of DRE like positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission tomography, (SPECT)). Invasive monitoring should be restricted to a few when all noninvasive investigations are inconclusive, there is a dual pathology or there is a discordance of noninvasive data. The types of surgery could be curative (resective surgeries: amygdalo hippocampectomy, lesionectomy and multilobar resections; functional surgeries: hemispherotomy) and palliative (multiple subpial transaction, corpus callosotomy, vagal nerve stimulation). Epilepsy surgery in indicated cases has a success range from 50 to 86% in achieving seizure freedom as compared with <5% success rate with AEDs only in persons with DRE. Centers performing surgery should be categorized into Level I and Level II. PMID:20814490
Health services in urban India.
Mittal, S K; Ramji, S
At the time of independence 340 million lived in urban areas in India, and currently 200 million of an estimated population of 800 million live in 3000 cities and towns with inhabitants over 10.000. There are 90.000 government-employed doctors in urban areas: 1 doctor per 2200 residents. Another 180.000 are practicing in such areas providing a ratio of 1 doctor for every 800 urban people. In Delhi in 1986 there were 63 allopathic hospitals with 15.000 beds and 561 dispensaries. Government employees receive preferential treatment, while the public waits long hours. In frustration the poor often turn to private practitioners even if their qualifications are dubious. Despite 35 years of socialistic planning, only 10-15% of children living in a Delhi colony received adequate vaccination. To rectify this inequality a system is recommended guaranteeing public access to dispensaries on the same fee-basis as that accorded to government employees. A health card could prevent misuse, and it would ensure optimal utilization of existing health facilities. Future development of 50-100 bed hospitals within 2-3 km of clients' homes and the attachment of 5-10 of them to a large hospital or medical school is proposed. A central health board could oversee and coordinate area-based health services. PMID:2638675
Second trimester abortions in India.
Dalvie, Suchitra S
This article gives an overview of what is known about second trimester abortions in India, including the reasons why women seek abortions in the second trimester, the influence of abortion law and policy, surgical and medical methods used, both safe and unsafe, availability of services, requirements for second trimester service delivery, and barriers women experience in accessing second trimester services. Based on personal experiences and personal communications from other doctors since 1993, when I began working as an abortion provider, the practical realities of second trimester abortion and case histories of women seeking second trimester abortion are also described. Recommendations include expanding the cadre of service providers to non-allopathic clinicians and trained nurses, introducing second trimester medical abortion into the public health system, replacing ethacridine lactate with mifepristone-misoprostol, values clarification among providers to challenge stigma and poor treatment of women seeking second trimester abortion, and raising awareness that abortion is legal in the second trimester and is mostly not requested for reasons of sex selection. PMID:18772082
Polyester projects for India, Pakistan
Siddiqi, R.
India's Indo Rama Synthetics (Bombay) is planning a $186-million integrated polyester fiber and filament complex at Nagpur, Maharashtra. The complex will have annual capacities for 38,000 m.t. of polyester chips by polycondensation, 25,000 m.t. of polyester staple fiber, and 12,000 m.t. of polyester blended yarn. The company is negotiating with the main world suppliers of polycondensation technology. The first stage of the project is slated to begin production by the end of this year and be fully completed by 1994. In Pakistan, National Fibers Ltd. (PNF; Karachi) has signed a deal with Zimmer (Frankfurt) for technology, procurement, construction, and support work to expand polyester staple fiber capacity from 14,000 m.t./year to 52,000 m.t./year. The technology involves a continuous polymerization process. The project also calls for improvements to PNF's existing batch plant. It is scheduled for completion by the end of 1994. Total cost of the project is estimated at Rs1.745 billion ($70 million), out of which the foreign exchange component is Rs1.05 billion. The Islamic Development Bank (Jeddah; Saudi Arabia) has already approved a $27-million slice of the financing, while the balance of the foreign exchange loan is being arranged through suppliers credit. Local currency loans will be provided by other financial institutions in Pakistan.
Pediatric parenteral nutrition in India.
Bhave, S; Bavdekar, A
Nutritional support to patients in neonatal and pediatric intensive care units is critical not only to minimize negative nitrogen balance but also to promote growth and development. Continuous technological and logistical advances in the Western countries have improved the efficacy and reduced the complications of parenteral nutrition (PN) to the extent that despite the constraints of cost and infrastructure, PN is now fast growing in India. Although widespread availability is very much desired, it is important that the technique is developed with considerable expertise and used judiciously with full knowledge of its indications, limitations, dangers and benefits. Indications for PN include surgical conditions (short gut syndrome), very low birth weight infants (particularly with necrotizing enterocolitis and surgical anomalies), malabsorption syndromes, conditions requiring bowel rest (acute pancreatitis, severe ulcerative colitis and necrotizing enterocolitis) and several non-gastrointestinal indications (end stage liver disease, renal failure, multiple trauma and extensive burns). Provision of PN is associated with significant and sometimes life threatening complications. The possible complications are technical (thrombosis, perforation of vein, thrombophlebitis), infections, metabolic disturbances, hepatobiliary stenosis, cholestasis, fibrosis, cirrhosis or cholelithiasis and bone related complications like osteopenia and fractures. Meticulous monitoring is necessary not only to detect complications but also to document clinical benefit. PMID:11132460
Human Capital, HRD and VET: The Case of India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tomé, Eduardo; Goyal, Apoorva
Purpose: This paper aims to analyze the role of human capital (HC), human resource development (HRD) and vocational educational and training (VET) in the emerging Indian economy. How may we define the HC, HRD and VET in India? To what extent and how as HRD investments in India contributed to India's recent economic development? What were the…
75 FR 21595 - Beauty and Cosmetics Trade Mission to India
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... International Trade Administration Beauty and Cosmetics Trade Mission to India AGENCY: International Trade... Beauty and Cosmetics Trade Mission to India (New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore), November 15-19, 2010. Led... Indian market. The cosmetics/ beauty industry is one of the booming retail sectors in India with...
75 FR 33763 - Beauty and Cosmetics Trade Mission to India
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... International Trade Administration Beauty and Cosmetics Trade Mission to India AGENCY: International Trade... Beauty and Cosmetics Trade Mission to India (New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore), November 15-19, 2010. Led.... The cosmetics/beauty industry is one of the booming retail sectors in India with very strong...
The Impact of Aid on Education Policy in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Colclough, Christopher; De, Anuradha
In the early 1990s, large numbers of children in India remained out of school. International commitments to achieve education for all (EFA) globally meant that India was an important case for donors. India was pressed to accept aid for primary education, and agreed with some reluctance. Although subsequent donor involvement was substantial and…
76 FR 11203 - Water Technology Trade Mission to India
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... International Trade Administration Water Technology Trade Mission to India AGENCY: International Trade... Water Technology Trade Mission to India from February 28 to March 4, 2011. The purpose of the mission is to expose U.S. firms to India's rapidly expanding water and waste water market and to assist...
Canada-India Institutional Cooperation Project: International Partnerships in Education.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Yule, Alix
The Canada-India Institutional Cooperation Project (CIICP) is a joint venture by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges and the governments of India and Canada designed to contribute to human resource development in India's polytechnic system. Specifically, the project seeks to develop replicable models of institutional development in 13…
Standards Laboratory environments
Braudaway, D.W.
Standards Laboratory environments need to be carefully selected to meet the specific mission of each laboratory. The mission of the laboratory depends on the specific work supported, the measurement disciplines required and the level of uncertainty required in the measurements. This document reproduces the contents of the Sandia National Laboratories Primary Standards Laboratory Memorandum Number 3B (PSLM-3B) which was issued on May 16, 1988, under the auspices of the Department of Energy, Albuquerque Operations Office, to guide the laboratories of the Nuclear Weapons Complex in selecting suitable environments. Because of both general interest and specific interest in Standards Laboratory environments this document is being issued in a more available form. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance in selection of laboratory environments suitable for standards maintenance and calibration operations. It is not intended to mandate a specific environment for a specific calibration but to direct selection of the environment and to offer suggestions on how to extend precision in an existing and/or achievable (practical) environment. Although this documents pertains specifically to standards laboratories, it can be applied to any laboratory requiring environmental control.
Adaptation and Evaluation of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale in India (NEWS-India)
Adlakha, Deepti; Hipp, J. Aaron; Brownson, Ross C.
Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, with most of these deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) like India. Research from developed countries has consistently demonstrated associations between built environment features and physical activity levels of populations. The development of culturally sensitive and reliable measures of the built environment is a necessary first step for accurate analysis of environmental correlates of physical activity in LMICs. This study systematically adapted the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) for India and evaluated aspects of test-retest reliability of the adapted version among Indian adults. Cultural adaptation of the NEWS was conducted by Indian and international experts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with local residents and key informants in the city of Chennai, India. At baseline, participants (N = 370; female = 47.2%) from Chennai completed the adapted NEWS-India surveys on perceived residential density, land use mix-diversity, land use mix-access, street connectivity, infrastructure and safety for walking and cycling, aesthetics, traffic safety, and safety from crime. NEWS-India was administered for a second time to consenting participants (N = 62; female = 53.2%) with a gap of 2–3 weeks between successive administrations. Qualitative findings demonstrated that built environment barriers and constraints to active commuting and physical activity behaviors intersected with social ecological systems. The adapted NEWS subscales had moderate to high test-retest reliability (ICC range 0.48–0.99). The NEWS-India demonstrated acceptable measurement properties among Indian adults and may be a useful tool for evaluation of built environment attributes in India. Further adaptation and evaluation in rural and suburban settings in India is essential to create a version that could be used throughout India. PMID:27049394
Adaptation and Evaluation of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale in India (NEWS-India).
Adlakha, Deepti; Hipp, J Aaron; Brownson, Ross C
Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, with most of these deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) like India. Research from developed countries has consistently demonstrated associations between built environment features and physical activity levels of populations. The development of culturally sensitive and reliable measures of the built environment is a necessary first step for accurate analysis of environmental correlates of physical activity in LMICs. This study systematically adapted the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) for India and evaluated aspects of test-retest reliability of the adapted version among Indian adults. Cultural adaptation of the NEWS was conducted by Indian and international experts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with local residents and key informants in the city of Chennai, India. At baseline, participants (N = 370; female = 47.2%) from Chennai completed the adapted NEWS-India surveys on perceived residential density, land use mix-diversity, land use mix-access, street connectivity, infrastructure and safety for walking and cycling, aesthetics, traffic safety, and safety from crime. NEWS-India was administered for a second time to consenting participants (N = 62; female = 53.2%) with a gap of 2-3 weeks between successive administrations. Qualitative findings demonstrated that built environment barriers and constraints to active commuting and physical activity behaviors intersected with social ecological systems. The adapted NEWS subscales had moderate to high test-retest reliability (ICC range 0.48-0.99). The NEWS-India demonstrated acceptable measurement properties among Indian adults and may be a useful tool for evaluation of built environment attributes in India. Further adaptation and evaluation in rural and suburban settings in India is essential to create a version that could be used throughout India. PMID:27049394
India: General Survey Unit for World Civilization Course Curriculum Project. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad, 1997 (India).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Brinton, Victoria
This unit is intended to provide high school students with a general knowledge of the history and culture of India. Lessons include: (1) "Early India"; (2) "Indian Civilization 1500 BC - 500 AD: Hinduism"; (3) "Buddhism"; (4) "Indian Empires"; (5) "Indian Empires, Continued"; (6) "Imperialism"; and (7) "Independence and Modern India." Suggestions…
Meeting the challenges of stroke in India.
Mehndiratta, Man Mohan; Singhal, Aneesh B; Chaturvedi, Seemant; Sivakumar, M R; Moonis, Majaz
Worldwide, cerebrovascular diseases are responsible for 6.15 million deaths (10.8% of all deaths)(1) and are the second most common cause of mortality; 87% of stroke deaths occur in low or middle income countries.(2) With the world's second largest population, India is witnessing several adverse trends for the cardiovascular health of its population, including a rapid rise in the proportion of patients with diabetes and dyslipidemia, and the relative lack of exercise among the general population. India has the world's largest population of patients with diabetes, with over 62 million people with diabetes in 2011.(3) At the current time, the population in India is projected to have over 1 million strokes per year. This figure will surely rise in the coming decades due to longer life expectancy and the downstream influence of risk factors such as diabetes. PMID:23751917
Productive trends in India's energy intensive industries
Roy, J.; Sathaye, J.; Sanstad, A.; Mongia, P.; Schumacher, K.
This paper reports on an analysis of productivity growth and input trends in six energy intensive sectors of the Indian economy, using growth accounting and econometric methods. The econometric work estimates rates and factor price biases of technological change using a translog production model with an explicit relationship defined for technological change. Estimates of own-price responses indicate that raising energy prices would be an effective carbon abatement policy for India. At the same time, the authors results suggest that, as with previous findings on the US economy, such policies in India could have negative long run effects on productivity in these sectors. Inter-input substitution possibilities are relatively weak, so that such policies might have negative short and medium term effects on sectoral growth. The authors study provides information relevant for the analysis of costs and benefits of carbon abatement policies applied to India and thus contributes to the emerging body of modeling and analysis of global climate policy.
India takes nuclear path to go green
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bagla, Pallava
Manmohan Singh, the prime minister of India, last month announced a major new emphasis on nuclear power that could see the country generate as much as 470GW of power from nuclear reactors by 2050. Speaking at the opening of the International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in New Dehli, Singh said that the programme would sharply reduce India's dependence on fossil fuels and be a "major contribution" to global efforts to combat climate change. "If we use the power of the atom wisely for the universal good, the possibilities are unbounded," he said. However, even with this capacity, nuclear power would still only account for 25% of India's energy mix, with the bulk of the rest coming from coal.
Pneumococcal Vaccine in Diabetes: Relevance in India.
Shashank, R Joshi; Samika, S Joshi; Siddharth, N Shah
Currently we have more than 65 million Diabetes patients in India with estimated 80 million prediabetics. Diabetes is a immunologically vulnerable population to develop all types of microbial infections. Pneumoccocal infections do have a substantial morbidity and mortality burden in the community. India has a large geriatric pool now which has substantially increased pneumococcal disease burden. Diabetes is a well-known risk factor for pneumococcal infection and predisposes individuals to nasopharyngeal colonization with the pneumococcus which is associated with invasive infection. In diabetics who are elderly, with chronic kidney or pulmonary disease and long standing duration of the disease with poor glycemic control are the highest risk group susceptible to invasive pneumococcal disease. With now availibilty of Pneumoccal vaccine in India, now it may be an preventive option which can be offered. Most global organisations recommend pneumococcal vaccination to diabetics. PMID:26562963
India's Computational Biology Growth and Challenges.
Chakraborty, Chiranjib; Bandyopadhyay, Sanghamitra; Agoramoorthy, Govindasamy
India's computational science is growing swiftly due to the outburst of internet and information technology services. The bioinformatics sector of India has been transforming rapidly by creating a competitive position in global bioinformatics market. Bioinformatics is widely used across India to address a wide range of biological issues. Recently, computational researchers and biologists are collaborating in projects such as database development, sequence analysis, genomic prospects and algorithm generations. In this paper, we have presented the Indian computational biology scenario highlighting bioinformatics-related educational activities, manpower development, internet boom, service industry, research activities, conferences and trainings undertaken by the corporate and government sectors. Nonetheless, this new field of science faces lots of challenges. PMID:27465042
Genomic view on the peopling of India
India is known for its vast human diversity, consisting of more than four and a half thousand anthropologically well-defined populations. Each population differs in terms of language, culture, physical features and, most importantly, genetic architecture. The size of populations varies from a few hundred to millions. Based on the social structure, Indians are classified into various caste, tribe and religious groups. These social classifications are very rigid and have remained undisturbed by emerging urbanisation and cultural changes. The variable social customs, strict endogamy marriage practices, long-term isolation and evolutionary forces have added immensely to the diversification of the Indian populations. These factors have also led to these populations acquiring a set of Indian-specific genetic variations responsible for various diseases in India. Interestingly, most of these variations are absent outside the Indian subcontinent. Thus, this review is focused on the peopling of India, the caste system, marriage practice and the resulting health and forensic implications. PMID:23020857
Health insurance--a challenge in India.
Presswala, R G
In India, indemnity health insurance started about 3 decades ago. Mediclaim was the most popular product. Indian insurers and multinational companies have not been enthusiastic about starting health insurance in spite of the availability of a good market because health insurers have historically incurred losses. Losses have been caused by poor administration. Because it is a small portion of their total businesses, insurers have never tried sincerely to improve deficiencies or taken special interest. Hospital management and medical specialists have the spirit of entrepreneurship and are prepared to learn quickly and follow managed care principles, though they are not currently practiced in India. Actuarial data from the health insurance industry is sparse, but data from alternative sources will be helpful for starting managed healthcare. In my opinion, if properly administered, a "limited" managed care product with appropriate precautions and premium levels will be successful and profitable and will compete with present indemnity products in India. PMID:15104031
India advancing as international exploration target
Not Available
Mighty as it is in terms of sedimentary area, hydrocarbon potential, and sheer market size, India does not occupy a position of like stature on the international oil explorer's chart. Yet Indian government policy initiatives during the past 3 years have thrown the country open to foreign investment upstream and downstream. Strapped for cash, hounded by declining production and reserves, the government is leaving higher cost and higher risk exploration to foreign and domestic private sector companies. Furthermore, India has approved majority capital holdings in the downstream sector, invited bids on field reactivation schemes and speculative seismic surveys, and adopted attractive and flexible production sharing contracts to govern these agreements. A strong tradition upholding sanctity of law provides a solid guarantee that such contracts will not be broken or modified. The paper discusses India's restructuring, the bidding rounds, the growing interest of foreign companies, downstream and gas deals, acreage and terms being offered, and other projects.
Risk Factors for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in India
Kar, Premashis
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an important cause of death all over the world, more so in Asia and Africa. The representative data on epidemiology of HCC in India is very scanty and cancer is not a reportable disease in India and the cancer registries in India are mostly urban. 45 million people who are suffering from chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and approximately 15 million people who are afflicted with chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in India. HBV and HCV infection is considered an important etiologic factor in HCC. Positive association between HCC and consumption of alcohol where alcohol contribute as a cofactor for hepatotoxins and hepatitis viruses. Aflatoxin contamination in the diets, Hepatitis B virus infection and liver cirrhosis in Andhra Pradesh, India and direct chronic exposure to aflatoxins was shown to cause liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis of liver of any cause lead to develop about 70%–90% of HCC. Aflatoxin interact synergistically with Hepatitis B virus (HBV)/Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection which increase the risk of HCC. HBV infection, HBV infection with Aflatoxin exposure, viral infection and alcohol consumption leading to overt cirrhosis of the liver, alcohol consumption leading to cirrhosis of the liver with viral infection are the predominant risk factor for the development of HCC. HCV and alcohol are also associated with HCC in India. Indians develop diabetes at younger age, Asians have strong genetic susceptibility for type II diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is identified as a risk factor for HCC. Prevention of viral infection by universal vaccination against hepatitis virus, HCC surveillance program, preventing alcoholic liver diseases, fungal contamination of grains and ground crops to prevent basically Aflatoxin exposure are important measures to prevent liver diseases and HCC among those at risk. PMID:25755609
Laboratory Astrophysics White Paper
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Brickhouse, Nancy; Federman, Steve; Kwong, Victor; Salama, Farid; Savin, Daniel; Stancil, Phillip; Weingartner, Joe; Ziurys, Lucy
Laboratory astrophysics and complementary theoretical calculations are the foundations of astronomical and planetary research and will remain so for many generations to come. From the level of scientific conception to that of the scientific return, it is our understanding of the underlying processes that allows us to address fundamental questions regarding the origins and evolution of galaxies, stars, planetary systems, and life in the cosmos. In this regard, laboratory astrophysics is much like detector and instrument development at NASA and NSF; these efforts are necessary for the astronomical research being funded by the agencies. The NASA Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop met at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) from 14-16 February, 2006 to identify the current laboratory data needed to support existing and future NASA missions and programs in the Astrophysics Division of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD). Here we refer to both laboratory and theoretical work as laboratory astrophysics unless a distinction is necessary. The format for the Workshop involved invited talks by users of laboratory data, shorter contributed talks and poster presentations by both users and providers that highlighted exciting developments in laboratory astrophysics, and breakout sessions where users and providers discussed each others' needs and limitations. We also note that the members of the Scientific Organizing Committee are users as well as providers of laboratory data. As in previous workshops, the focus was on atomic, molecular, and solid state physics.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Gilliom, Laura R.
Sandia National Laboratories has identified technology transfer to U.S. industry as a laboratory mission which complements our national security mission and as a key component of the Laboratory's future. A number of technology transfer mechanisms - such as CRADA's, licenses, work-for-others, and consortia - are identified and specific examples are given. Sandia's experience with the Specialty Metals Processing Consortium is highlighted with a focus on the elements which have made it successful. A brief discussion of Sandia's potential interactions with NASA under the Space Exploration Initiative was included as an example of laboratory-to-NASA technology transfer. Viewgraphs are provided.
Ethical challenges in biobanking: moving the agenda forward in India.
Vaz, Manjulika; Vaz, Mario; Srinivasan, K
There is no agreement on the typology and definition of biobanks.The present regulations across countries, including India, focus ongenomic and genetic databases and DNA and cell line biobanking.It is unclear how the range of the holdings of biological samples in diagnostic and research laboratories fall under these regulatory frameworks. Biobank-related research has become very attractive because of advances in sample storage and data processing, a better understanding of the human genome, and high throughput laboratory assays. There is extensive literature and much debate on the subject, especially on the ethical and regulatory dilemmas, in the developed countries, but this is hardly the casein developing countries. This paper is based on a review of the published documents and data, and aims at evaluating the ethical frameworks for biobanking in the Indian context. The issues of"'broad consent; commercialisation of samples, and extended sample use are discussed. The governance of biobanks emerges as an integral part of the ethical responsibilities of institutions. It also makes the implementation of national guidelines possible, and helps to enhance the trust and confidence of local contributors in biobank research. PMID:24727618
Educating and training India's next generation of in vivo pharmacologists
Lewis, David I.
The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry is undergoing rapid development and expansion. Critical to this process, and the future of drug discovery in India is the continued education and training of integrative or in vivo pharmacologists, equipped with the knowledge, skills and expertise to undertake studies using laboratory animals. Modern in vivo pharmacologists not only require manual or technical skills, but a much broader education including in animal welfare, ethics, the principles of the replacement, refinement and reduction of animals in research, and nonanimal alternative techniques. This education, training, and continued professional development throughout their careers can be provided, in part, through the use of online e-learning resources. While many excellent resources exist, they are hard to locate and not widely known to the community. To address this issue, Education and Training Resources in In vivo Sciences, a free website which provides access to free open access e-learning resources in in vivo pharmacology was developed. Use of this resource by researchers and educators will result in better-trained researchers and members of ethical review committees, which in turn will raise animal welfare standards, minimize the pain, suffering and distress of laboratory animals, and enhance scientific research. PMID:27298489
Educating and training India's next generation of in vivo pharmacologists.
Lewis, David I
The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry is undergoing rapid development and expansion. Critical to this process, and the future of drug discovery in India is the continued education and training of integrative or in vivo pharmacologists, equipped with the knowledge, skills and expertise to undertake studies using laboratory animals. Modern in vivo pharmacologists not only require manual or technical skills, but a much broader education including in animal welfare, ethics, the principles of the replacement, refinement and reduction of animals in research, and nonanimal alternative techniques. This education, training, and continued professional development throughout their careers can be provided, in part, through the use of online e-learning resources. While many excellent resources exist, they are hard to locate and not widely known to the community. To address this issue, Education and Training Resources in In vivo Sciences, a free website which provides access to free open access e-learning resources in in vivo pharmacology was developed. Use of this resource by researchers and educators will result in better-trained researchers and members of ethical review committees, which in turn will raise animal welfare standards, minimize the pain, suffering and distress of laboratory animals, and enhance scientific research. PMID:27298489
Progress toward poliomyelitis eradication--India, 1998.
In 1988, the World Health Assembly resolved to eradicate poliomyelitis globally by 2000. In 1995, India began to accelerate implementation of polio eradication strategies by conducting annual National Immunization Days (NIDs). In 1997, an active surveillance system for polio using acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) as a screening case definition was established. This report summarizes progress toward polio eradication, focusing on the implementation of supplemental vaccination activities and the establishment of sensitive surveillance. The findings suggest that NIDs in India have decreased previously widespread poliovirus circulation. PMID:9769136
Sexuality research in India: An update.
Prakash, Om; Rao, T S Sathyanarayana
This review provides the available evidence on sexual dysfunctions in India. Most of the studies have concentrated on male sexual dysfunction and hardly a few have voiced the sexual problems in females. Erectile dysfunction (ED), premature ejaculation (PME) and combinations of ED and PME appear to be main dysfunctions reported in males. Dhat syndrome remains an important diagnosis reported in studies from North India. There is a paucity of literature on management issues with an emergent need to conduct systematic studies in this neglected area so that the concerns of these patients can be properly dealt with. PMID:21836690
Himalayan Mountain Range, India/China
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
The frontier between India (Kashmir) and China (Tibet) (33.5N, 79.5E) lies across the narrow land bridge between the two lakes near the center of this photo. Many of the peaks in this region of the Karakoram and Latakh ranges of the Himalayan Mountains, exceed 20,000 ft. making it one of the most remote regions of the Earth. The large end lake is the Kako in China and the long narrow lake is the Pangong in India.
Trends in child mortality in India.
Behl, A S
To assess Indias recent trends in child mortality rates and disparities and identify ways to reduce child mortality and wealth-related health disparities, we analyzed three years of data from Indias National Family Health Survey related to child mortality. Nationally, declines in average child mortality were statistically significant, but declines in inequality were not. Urban areas had lower child mortality rates than rural areas but higher inequalities. Interstate differences in child mortality rates were significant, with rates in the highest-mortality states four to six times higher than in the lowest-mortality states. However, child mortality in most states declined. PMID:23396786
Charnockitic magmatism in southern India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rajesh, H. M.; Santosh, M.
Large charnockite massifs cover a substantial portion of the southern Indian granulite terrain. The older (late Archaean to early Proterozoic) charnockites occur in the northern part and the younger (late Proterozoic) charnockites occur in the southern part of this high-grade terrain. Among these, the older Biligirirangan hill, Shevroy hill and Nilgiri hill massifs are intermediate charnockites, with Pallavaram massif consisting dominantly of felsic charnockites. The charnockite massifs from northern Kerala and Cardamom hill show spatial association of intermediate and felsic charnockites, with the youngest Nagercoil massif consisting of felsic charnockites. Their igneous parentage is evident from a combination of features including field relations, mineralogy, petrography, thermobarometry, as well as distinct chemical features. The southern Indian charnockite massifs show similarity with high-Ba-Sr granitoids, with the tonalitic intermediate charnockites showing similarity with high-Ba-Sr granitoids with low K2O/Na2O ratios, and the felsic charnockites showing similarity with high-Ba-Sr granitoids with high K2O/Na2O ratios. A two-stage model is suggested for the formation of these charnockites. During the first stage there was a period of basalt underplating, with the ponding of alkaline mafic magmas. Partial melting of this mafic lower crust formed the charnockitic magmas. Here emplacement of basalt with low water content would lead to dehydration melting of the lower crust forming intermediate charnockites. Conversely, emplacement of hydrous basalt would result in melting at higher {ie565-01} favoring production of more siliceous felsic charnockites. This model is correlated with two crustal thickening phases in southern India, one related to the accretion of the older crustal blocks on to the Archaean craton to the north and the other probably related to the collision between crustal fragments of East and West Gondwana in a supercontinent framework.
India's National Large Solar Telescope
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hasan, S. S.
India's 2-m National Large Solar Telescope (NLST) is aimed primarily at carrying out observations of the solar atmosphere with high spatial and spectral resolution. A comprehensive site characterization program, that commenced in 2007, has identified two superb sites in the Himalayan region at altitudes greater than 4000-m that have extremely low water vapor content and are unaffected by monsoons. With an innovative optical design, the NLST is an on-axis Gregorian telescope with a low number of optical elements to reduce the number of reflections and yield a high throughput with low polarization. In addition, it is equipped with a high-order adaptive optics to produce close to diffraction limited performance. To control atmospheric and thermal perturbations of the observations, the telescope will function with a fully open dome, to achieve its full potential atop a 25 m tower. Given its design, NLST can also operate at night, without compromising its solar performance. The post-focus instruments include broad-band and tunable Fabry-Pérot narrow-band imaging instruments; a high resolution spectropolarimeter and an Echelle spectrograph for night time astronomy. This project is led by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics and has national and international partners. Its geographical location will fill the longitudinal gap between Japan and Europe and is expected to be the largest solar telescope with an aperture larger than 1.5 m till the ATST and EST come into operation. An international consortium has been identified to build the NLST. The facility is expected to be commissioned by 2016.
[Ayurvedics drugs in France. Laboratories polytherapic, a test].
Raynal, Cécile; Lefebvre, Thierry
In the beginning of the thirties, Dr Jean Saidman, who has already created a rotative solarium at Aix-les-Bains, built another one in Jamnagar (India). When he was there, he discovered ayurvedic therapy. After the Second World War, with his friends Dr Rémus Krainik and the chemist René-Henri Monceaux, he set up a "néo-ayurvedic action committee", and then a pharmaceutical laboratory, "Polythérapic", to export to french colonies patents medicines inspired by indian medicine. The authors tale this experience suddenly stopped by the unexpected death of Jean Saidman, in 1949. PMID:21661222
Status of immunodiagnosis and immunocontraceptive vaccines in India.
Gupta, S K
The article focuses on the Indian initiative of making kits for diagnosis of various infectious and non-infectious diseases as well as reproductive hormones and hormones in various other endocrine disorders. Indigenous diagnostic kits for the detection of various infections such as filariasis, typhoid, amebiasis, Japanese encephalitis, hepatitis, HIV, dengue, leishmaniasis, malaria, rabies, toxoplasmosis, rotavirus, and group A streptococci have been developed. Agreements to transfer the know-how of some of these leads to industries have been signed. The know-how of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of hepatitis C has been successfully transferred to industry and is being commercially produced. For detection of HIV-1 and HIV-2, indigenous diagnostic kits based on three different formats, namely ELISA, Western blot and rapid test have been developed and are being commercially produced by Indian industries. The factors influencing the successful transfer of laboratory-scale diagnostic assays from academia to industry and their commercial exploitation have been discussed. Indian scientists have made seminal contributions in exploring the possibility to develop an effective and safe contraceptive vaccine to control the increasing human population of India. Achieving contraception by means of vaccine is a novel approach, which entails generation of a specific antibody response against antigens critically involved in the process of mammalian reproduction. In India, three major programs on contraceptive vaccines based on the beta-subunit of human chorionic gonadotrophin ((beta)hCG) for women, ovine follicle stimulating hormone (oFSH) for men, and riboflavin carrier protein for both males and females have been initiated. The work at the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi on contraceptive vaccine for women, based on (beta)hCG, has demonstrated, for the first time, that it is feasible to regulate fertility by such an approach. Basic research
Patent Pooling for Promoting Access to Antiretroviral Drugs (ARVs) - A Strategic Option for India.
Satyanarayana, Kanikaram; Srivastava, Sadhana
The current HIV/AIDS scenario in India is quite grim with an estimated 2.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in 2008, just behind South Africa and Nigeria. The anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) remain the main stay of global HIV/AIDS treatment. Over 30 ARVs (single and FDCs) available under six categories viz., NRTIs (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors), NNRTIs (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors), Protease inhibitors, the new Fusion inhibitors, Entry inhibitors-CCR5 co-receptor antagonists and HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitors. The major originator companies for these ARVs are: Abbott, Boehringer Ingelheim (BI), Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Merck, Pfizer, Roche, and Tibotec. Beginning with zidovidine in 1987, all the drugs are available in the developed countries. In India, about 30 ARVs are available as generics manufactured by Aurobindo, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh; Cipla Limited, Goa; Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Pune, Maharashtra; Hetero Drugs, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh; Macleods Pharmaceuticals, Daman; Matrix Laboratories, Nashik, Maharashtra; Ranbaxy, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh; and Strides Arcolab, Bangalore, Karnataka. The National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) set up in 1992 by the Govt. of India provides free ARVs to HIV positive patients in India since 2004. The drugs available in India include both single drugs and FDCs covering both first line and second line ARVs. Even while there are claims of stabilization of the disease load, there is still huge gap of those who require ARVs as only about 150,000 PLHA receive the ARVs from the Govt. and other sources. Access to ARVs therefore is still a cause of serious concern ever since India became fully Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)-complaint in 2005. Therefore, the Indian pharmaceutical companies cannot make generics for those for drugs introduced post-2005 due to product patent regime. Other concerns include heat stable
Patent Pooling for Promoting Access to Antiretroviral Drugs (ARVs) – A Strategic Option for India
Satyanarayana, Kanikaram; Srivastava, Sadhana
The current HIV/AIDS scenario in India is quite grim with an estimated 2.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in 2008, just behind South Africa and Nigeria. The anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) remain the main stay of global HIV/AIDS treatment. Over 30 ARVs (single and FDCs) available under six categories viz., NRTIs (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors), NNRTIs (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors), Protease inhibitors, the new Fusion inhibitors, Entry inhibitors-CCR5 co-receptor antagonists and HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitors. The major originator companies for these ARVs are: Abbott, Boehringer Ingelheim (BI), Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Merck, Pfizer, Roche, and Tibotec. Beginning with zidovidine in 1987, all the drugs are available in the developed countries. In India, about 30 ARVs are available as generics manufactured by Aurobindo, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh; Cipla Limited, Goa; Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Pune, Maharashtra; Hetero Drugs, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh; Macleods Pharmaceuticals, Daman; Matrix Laboratories, Nashik, Maharashtra; Ranbaxy, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh; and Strides Arcolab, Bangalore, Karnataka. The National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) set up in 1992 by the Govt. of India provides free ARVs to HIV positive patients in India since 2004. The drugs available in India include both single drugs and FDCs covering both first line and second line ARVs. Even while there are claims of stabilization of the disease load, there is still huge gap of those who require ARVs as only about 150,000 PLHA receive the ARVs from the Govt. and other sources. Access to ARVs therefore is still a cause of serious concern ever since India became fully Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)-complaint in 2005. Therefore, the Indian pharmaceutical companies cannot make generics for those for drugs introduced post-2005 due to product patent regime. Other concerns include heat stable
Rationalizing antibiotic use to limit antibiotic resistance in India+
Antibiotic resistance, a global concern, is particularly pressing in developing nations, including India, where the burden of infectious disease is high and healthcare spending is low. The Global Antibiotic Resistance Partnership (GARP) was established to develop actionable policy recommendations specifically relevant to low- and middle-income countries where suboptimal access to antibiotics - not a major concern in high-income countries - is possibly as severe a problem as is the spread of resistant organisms. This report summarizes the situation as it is known regarding antibiotic use and growing resistance in India and recommends short and long term actions. Recommendations aim at (i) reducing the need for antibiotics; (ii) lowering resistance-enhancing drug pressure through improved antibiotic targeting, and (iii) eliminating antibiotic use for growth promotion in agriculture. The highest priority needs to be given to (i) national surveillance of antibiotic resistance and antibiotic use - better information to underpin decisions on standard treatment guidelines, education and other actions, as well as to monitor changes over time; (ii) increasing the use of diagnostic tests, which necessitates behavioural changes and improvements in microbiology laboratory capacity; (iii) setting up and/or strengthening infection control committees in hospitals; and (iv) restricting the use of antibiotics for non-therapeutic uses in agriculture. These interventions should help to reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance, improve public health directly, benefit the populace and reduce pressure on the healthcare system. Finally, increasing the types and coverage of childhood vaccines offered by the government would reduce the disease burden enormously and spare antibiotics. PMID:21985810
Scrub Typhus in a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India.
Sharma, Navneet; Biswal, Manisha; Kumar, Abhay; Zaman, Kamran; Jain, Sanjay; Bhalla, Ashish
Scrub typhus, a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi, has become endemic in many parts of India. We studied the clinical profile of this infection in 228 patients that reported to this tertiary care center from July 2013 to December 2014. The median age of patients was 35 years (interquartile range = 24.5-48.5 years), and 111 were males and 117 females. A high-grade fever occurred in 85%, breathlessness in 42%, jaundice in 32%, abdominal pain in 28%, renal failure in 11%, diarrhea in 10%, rashes in 9%, and seizures in 7%. Common laboratory abnormalities at presentation were a deranged hepatic function in 61%, anemia in 54%, leukopenia in 15%, and thrombocytopenia in 90% of our patients. Acute kidney injury (32%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (25%), and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (16%) were the commonest complications. A hepatorenal syndrome was seen in 38% and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in 20% patients. The overall case fatality rate was 13.6%. In univariate analysis, ARDS requiring mechanical ventilation, acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis, hypotension requiring inotropic support, central nervous system dysfunction at presentation, and MODS were inversely associated with survival. Survival was significantly higher in patients that presented with a duration of fever < 10 days compared with those that presented ≥ 12 days (P < 0.05) after onset. In conclusion, scrub typhus has become a leading infectious disease in north India and an important cause of infectious fever. An increasing awareness of this disease coupled with prompt management will go a long way in reducing both morbidity and mortality from this disease. PMID:27296391
Poliomyelitis surveillance: the model used in India for polio eradication.
Banerjee, K.; Hlady, W. G.; Andrus, J. K.; Sarkar, S.; Fitzsimmons, J.; Abeykoon, P.
Poliomyelitis surveillance in India previously involved the passive reporting of clinically suspected cases. The capacity for detecting the disease was limited because there was no surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). In October 1997, 59 specially trained Surveillance Medical Officers were deployed throughout the country to establish active AFP surveillance; 11,533 units were created to report weekly on the occurrence of AFP cases at the district, state and national levels; timely case investigation and the collection of stool specimens from AFP cases was undertaken; linkages were made to support the polio laboratory network; and extensive training of government counterparts of the Surveillance Medical Officers was conducted. Data reported at the national level are analysed and distributed weekly. Annualized rates of non-polio AFP increased from 0.22 per 100,000 children aged under 15 years in 1997 to 1.39 per 100,000 in 1999. The proportion of cases with two adequate stools collected within two weeks of the onset of paralysis increased from 34% in 1997 to 68% in 1999. The number of polio cases associated with the isolation of wild poliovirus decreased from 211 in the first quarter of 1998 to 77 in the first quarter of 1999. Widespread transmission of wild poliovirus types 1 and 3 persists throughout the country; type 2 occurs only in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. In order to achieve polio eradication in India during 2000, extra national immunization days and house-to-house mopping-up rounds should be organized. PMID:10812728
Regional variations in cardiovascular risk factors in India: India heart watch
Gupta, Rajeev; Guptha, Soneil; Sharma, Krishna Kumar; Gupta, Arvind; Deedwania, Prakash
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in India. Mortality statistics and morbidity surveys indicate substantial regional variations in CVD prevalence and mortality rates. Data from the Registrar General of India reported greater age-adjusted cardiovascular mortality in southern and eastern states of the country. Coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality is greater in south India while stroke is more common in the eastern Indian states. CHD prevalence is higher in urban Indian populations while stroke mortality is similar in urban and rural regions. Case-control studies in India have identified that the common major risk factors account for more than 90% of incident myocardial infarctions and stroke. The case-control INTERHEART and INTERSTROKE studies reported that hypertension, lipid abnormalities, smoking, obesity, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, low fruit and vegetable intake, and psychosocial stress are as important in India as in other populations of the world. Individual studies have reported that there are substantial regional variations in risk factors in India. At a macro-level these regional variations in risk factors explain some of the regional differences in CVD mortality. However, there is need to study the prevalence of multiple cardiovascular risk factors in different regions of India and to correlate them with variations in CVD mortality using a uniform protocol. There is also a need to determine the "causes of the causes" or fundamental determinants of these risk factors. The India Heart Watch study has been designed to study socioeconomic, anthropometric and biochemical risk factors in urban populations in different regions of the country in order to identify regional differences. PMID:22558490
NVLAP calibration laboratory program
Cigler, J.L.
This paper presents an overview of the progress up to April 1993 in the development of the Calibration Laboratories Accreditation Program within the framework of the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Technology Systems. Laboratory Activities.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Brame, Ray; And Others
This guide contains 43 modules of laboratory activities for technology education courses. Each module includes an instructor's resource sheet and the student laboratory activity. Instructor's resource sheets include some or all of the following elements: module number, course title, activity topic, estimated time, essential elements, objectives,…
The Virtual Robotics Laboratory
Kress, R.L.; Love, L.J.
The growth of the Internet has provided a unique opportunity to expand research collaborations between industry, universities, and the national laboratories. The Virtual Robotics Laboratory (VRL) is an innovative program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) that is focusing on the issues related to collaborative research through controlled access of laboratory equipment using the World Wide Web. The VRL will provide different levels of access to selected ORNL laboratory equipment to outside universities, industrial researchers, and elementary and secondary education programs. In the past, the ORNL Robotics and Process Systems Division (RPSD) has developed state-of-the-art robotic systems for the Army, NASA, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, as well as many other clients. After proof of concept, many of these systems sit dormant in the laboratories. This is not out of completion of all possible research topics, but from completion of contracts and generation of new programs. In the past, a number of visiting professors have used this equipment for their own research. However, this requires that the professor, and possibly his students, spend extended periods at the laboratory facility. In addition, only a very exclusive group of faculty can gain access to the laboratory and hardware. The VRL is a tool that enables extended collaborative efforts without regard to geographic limitations.
Quality in Teaching Laboratories.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Stubington, John F.
Describes a Japanese process-oriented approach called KAIZEN for improving the quality of existing teaching laboratories. It provides relevant quality measurements and indicates how quality can be improved. Use of process criteria sidesteps the difficulty of defining quality for laboratory experiments and allows separation of student assessment…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hocking, Elton
This condensed article on the language laboratory describes educational and financial possibilities and limitations, often citing the foreign language program at Purdue University as an example. The author discusses: (1) costs and amortization, (2) preventive maintenance, (3) laboratory design, (4) the multichannel recorder, and (5) visuals. Other…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC.
The Air Force dental laboratory technology manual is designed as a basic training text as well as a reference source for dental laboratory technicians, a specialty occupation concerned with the design, fabrication, and repair of dental prostheses. Numerous instructive diagrams and photographs are included throughout the manual. The comprehensive…
Hoods for Science Laboratories.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Horowitz, Harold; and others
Detailed discussions are presented dealing with the selection and design of fume hoods for science laboratories. Areas covered include--(1) air flow design, (2) materials properties, (3) location in the laboratory, (4) testing and adjustment, (5) exhaust systems, and (6) hazards of fume discharges. (JT)
The Virtual Robotics Laboratory
Kress, R.L.; Love, L.J.
The growth of the Internet has provided a unique opportunity to expand research collaborations between industry, universities, and the national laboratories. The Virtual Robotics Laboratory (VRL) is an innovative program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) that is focusing on the issues related to collaborative research through controlled access of laboratory equipment using the World Wide Web. The VRL will provide different levels of access to selected ORNL laboratory secondary education programs. In the past, the ORNL Robotics and Process Systems Division has developed state-of-the-art robotic systems for the Army, NASA, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, as well as many other clients. After proof of concept, many of these systems sit dormant in the laboratories. This is not out of completion of all possible research topics. but from completion of contracts and generation of new programs. In the past, a number of visiting professors have used this equipment for their own research. However, this requires that the professor, and possibly his/her students, spend extended periods at the laboratory facility. In addition, only a very exclusive group of faculty can gain access to the laboratory and hardware. The VRL is a tool that enables extended collaborative efforts without regard to geographic limitations.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Center on Education and Training for Employment.
This document, which is designed for use in developing a tech prep competency profile for the occupation of dental laboratory technician, lists technical competencies and competency builders for 13 units pertinent to the health technologies cluster in general and 8 units to the occupation of dental laboratory technician. The following skill areas…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Biotechnology Laboratory Methods.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Davis, Robert H.; Kompala, Dhinakar S.
Describes a course entitled "Biotechnology Laboratory" which introduces a variety of laboratory methods associated with biotechnology. Describes the history, content, and seven experiments of the course. The seven experiments are selected from microbiology and molecular biology, kinetics and fermentation, and downstream processing-bioseparations.…
Medical Laboratory Technician.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Center on Education and Training for Employment.
This document, which is designed for use in developing a tech prep competency profile for the occupation of medical laboratory technician, lists technical competencies and competency builders for 18 units pertinent to the health technologies cluster in general and 8 units specific to the occupation of medical laboratory technician. The following…
Practical Laboratory Planning.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ferguson, W. R.
This book is intended as a guide for people who are planning chemistry and physics research laboratories. It deals with the importance of effective communication between client and architect, the value of preliminary planning, and the role of the project officer. It also discusses the size and layout of individual laboratories, the design of…
Primary Standards Laboratory report
Not Available
Sandia National Laboratories operates the Primary Standards Laboratory (PSL) for the Department of Energy, Albuquerque Operations Office (DOE/AL). This report summarizes metrology activities that received emphasis in the first half of 1990 and provides information pertinent to the operation of the DOE/AL system-wide Standards and Calibration Program.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
A review is made of the activities of the Laboratory for Oceans. The staff and the research activities are nearly evenly divided between engineering and scientific endeavors. The Laboratory contributes engineering design skills to aircraft and ground based experiments in terrestrial and atmospheric sciences in cooperation with scientists from labs in Earth sciences.
Dicentric assay: inter-laboratory comparison in Indian laboratories for routine and triage applications.
Bakkiam, D; Bhavani, M; Anantha Kumar, A Arul; Sonwani, Swetha; Venkatachalam, P; Sivasubramanian, K; Venkatraman, B
An Inter-Laboratory Comparison (ILC) study on Dicentric Chromosome Assay (DCA) was carried out between two Indian biodosimetry labs. Human peripheral blood samples exposed to 10 different doses of X-rays up to 5Gy were shared between the labs to generate calibration data. Validation of calibration curves was done by dose estimation of coded samples exposed to X- or gamma radiation. Reliability of the DCA data for triage application was evaluated by scoring 20, 50 and 100 metaphases in the dose range of 0.5-3.0Gy. No significant difference was observed between labs regarding the established calibration data as well as the DCA triage dose assessments. Scoring of 20 metaphases (MP) was adequate to detect radiation exposure of >2Gy whereas 50 MP were sufficient to determine exposures of 0.5Gy. Both labs performed the DCA in a reliable manner and made the first step in setting up a biodosimetry network in India. PMID:25728004
Educational Development in the Post-colonial Period in India: Problems and Prospects.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kattackal, Joseph A.
A problem-oriented history of education in postcolonial India is presented along with a forecast of India's educational future. The problems of providing quality education in India after 190 years of British rule, which left only l3 percent of the Indian population literate at the time of India's independence in 1947, are discussed. India's…
Magmatic record of India-Asia collision.
Zhu, Di-Cheng; Wang, Qing; Zhao, Zhi-Dan; Chung, Sun-Lin; Cawood, Peter A; Niu, Yaoling; Liu, Sheng-Ao; Wu, Fu-Yuan; Mo, Xuan-Xue
New geochronological and geochemical data on magmatic activity from the India-Asia collision zone enables recognition of a distinct magmatic flare-up event that we ascribe to slab breakoff. This tie-point in the collisional record can be used to back-date to the time of initial impingement of the Indian continent with the Asian margin. Continental arc magmatism in southern Tibet during 80-40 Ma migrated from south to north and then back to south with significant mantle input at 70-43 Ma. A pronounced flare up in magmatic intensity (including ignimbrite and mafic rock) at ca. 52-51 Ma corresponds to a sudden decrease in the India-Asia convergence rate. Geological and geochemical data are consistent with mantle input controlled by slab rollback from ca. 70 Ma and slab breakoff at ca. 53 Ma. We propose that the slowdown of the Indian plate at ca. 51 Ma is largely the consequence of slab breakoff of the subducting Neo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere, rather than the onset of the India-Asia collision as traditionally interpreted, implying that the initial India-Asia collision commenced earlier, likely at ca. 55 Ma. PMID:26395973
The Classical Performing Arts of India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Curtiss, Marie Joy
A monograph of the numerous activities that have contributed to the current renaissance of India's classical performing arts covers the theoretical aspects, musical instruments, the main schools of classical dance, and drama. Besides the basic research described, the total project produced a set of 300 slides with annotated listing, picturing the…
Open Educational Resources in India's National Development
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kumar, M. S. Vijay
As India marches rapidly towards an ambitious agenda of economic and social advancement, one of the greatest challenges it faces is to provide extensive access to quality higher education opportunities. An evident and expanding Open Education Resources movement offers great promise for meeting this challenge through initiatives that make quality…
Internationalizing Geography Education: A Focus on India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Solem, Michael; Balachandran, Chandra Shekhar
The Association of American Geographers (AAG), through its Center for Global Geography Education (CGGE) project, recently published a collection of online educational resources examining important geographic issues affecting people, places, and environments in India. The resources were created by a delegation of high school teachers and academic…
Problems with India ink skin markings.
Haselow, R E; Krause, D A
India ink skin markings allow consistently reproducible radiation field setups. The authors report a case in which a facial tattoo was applied with an injection, resulting in permanent "black eyes." The vaccination technique has not been associated with this complication. PMID:7352251
Farmers' Functional Literacy Program in India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chauhan, Malikhan S.
The Farmers' Functional Literacy Program has been conducted in conjunction with an intensive agricultural development program in the villages of India since 1968. A recent innovation of significance to developing countries, the program incorporates the concept of linking education to development. This joint venture of three governmental ministries…
Student Unrest in India. A Select Bibliography.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jafar, S. M.
Responding to the problem of student unrest in India, this bibliography offers 1,415 articles from periodicals and books examining the nature, causes, and remedies of student unrest. A brief survey of the historical background of student involvement in Indian society traces the student movement from its earlier purpose to help the Indian National…
Languages of Instruction in Plurilingual India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Khubchandani, Lachman
In multilingual India each state has the responsibility for providing education and determining the language(s) of instruction. This report describes some of the regional options provided for language(s) of instruction at various grade levels. The use frequency of major languages for university instruction is tabulated from a 1965 report. (SJL)
Foreign Area Studies: India. A Syllabus.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Brown, Emily C., Ed.
Developed for a one-semester college credit course, this syllabus encourages a cross-cultural approach to the study of Indian society. The objective is to provide students with not only a balanced view of India but also with an idea of dynamics of change. Emphasis is upon paralleling social and political issues in the United States with those of…
Biotechnology Education in India: An Overview
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Joshi, Kirti; Mehra, Kavita; Govil, Suman; Singh, Nitu
Among the developing countries, India is one of those that recognises the importance of biotechnology. The trajectory of different policies being formulated over time is proof that the government is progressing towards achieving self-sufficiency. However, to cater to the ever-growing biotech industry, skilled manpower is required. This article…
Open Universities in India 2000: Brief Information.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bhushan, Bharat, Comp.; Lele, Nalini A., Comp.; Rausaria, R. R., Comp.
This report contains information on the following open universities in India: (1) Indira Gandhi National Open University; (2) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University; (3) Kota Open University; (4) Nalanda Open University; (5) Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University; (6) Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University; (7) Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open…
ICT Usage by Distance Learners in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Awadhiya, Ashish Kumar; Gowthaman, K.
Open Universities across the world are embracing ICT based teaching and learning process to disseminate quality education to their learners spread across the globe. In India availability and access of ICT and learner characteristics are uneven and vary from state to state. Hence it is important to establish the facts about ICT access among…
National Policy on Public Libraries in India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jambhekar, Neeta
Investigates the government policies in India, especially the five-year plans regarding finance, since its independence in 1947 and their impact on the establishment of the public library system. Highlights include model library systems, library development, national libraries, information services, and adult education and public libraries.…
Functional Literacy in India: A Progress Report
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bhargava, Alka
Literacy has been a priority for the leaders of India since before Independence. Since the independence of the country in 1947, eradication of illiteracy has been a major concern of the national Government. The nation's constitution includes specific articles and amendments to guarantee the advancement of education. During the country's first Five…
Unlocking the Creative Potential of Rural India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Raghavan, Ramji
"Rural education": the phrase conjures up unflattering images of broken blackboards and slates, lackadaisical teachers and students, rote learning and of outdated teaching techniques and suppressed creativity. Yet, these images are completely out of consonance with modern India and a knowledge-based society. This article describes a new model for…
Cost of intensive care in India
Jayaram, Raja; Ramakrishnan, N.
Critical care is often described as expensive care. However, standardized methodology that would enable determination and international comparisons of cost is currently lacking. This article attempts to review this important issue and develop a framework through which cost of critical care in India could be analyzed. PMID:19742248
India--A Look Across Cultures.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison.
This teaching guide about India presents teaching-learning strategies. The major intent is to help the teacher and student examine and understand another culture within its own frame of reference, thereby helping the student understand his own. The overall emphasis of the guide is on the development and understanding of concepts and…
Education and Economic Growth in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Goel, S. C.
Article focused on the relationship between the levels of educational development at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, on the one hand, and economic development, as measured by the per capita income at current prices on the other, in India during the period 1950-51 to 1970-71. (Author/RK)
Manpower Aspects of Higher Education in India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Khan, Qamar Uddin
Using data from various published sources, this report reviews the growth of higher education in India over the last 30 years, analyzes employers' needs for higher education graduates since 1950, and suggests guidelines for involving educational planning with manpower planning. The author describes the growth of Indian higher education in the…
Magmatic record of India-Asia collision
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhu, Di-Cheng; Wang, Qing; Zhao, Zhi-Dan; Chung, Sun-Lin; Cawood, Peter A.; Niu, Yaoling; Liu, Sheng-Ao; Wu, Fu-Yuan; Mo, Xuan-Xue
New geochronological and geochemical data on magmatic activity from the India-Asia collision zone enables recognition of a distinct magmatic flare-up event that we ascribe to slab breakoff. This tie-point in the collisional record can be used to back-date to the time of initial impingement of the Indian continent with the Asian margin. Continental arc magmatism in southern Tibet during 80-40 Ma migrated from south to north and then back to south with significant mantle input at 70-43 Ma. A pronounced flare up in magmatic intensity (including ignimbrite and mafic rock) at ca. 52-51 Ma corresponds to a sudden decrease in the India-Asia convergence rate. Geological and geochemical data are consistent with mantle input controlled by slab rollback from ca. 70 Ma and slab breakoff at ca. 53 Ma. We propose that the slowdown of the Indian plate at ca. 51 Ma is largely the consequence of slab breakoff of the subducting Neo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere, rather than the onset of the India-Asia collision as traditionally interpreted, implying that the initial India-Asia collision commenced earlier, likely at ca. 55 Ma.
Proteomics research in India: an update.
Reddy, Panga Jaipal; Atak, Apurva; Ghantasala, Saicharan; Kumar, Saurabh; Gupta, Shabarni; Prasad, T S Keshava; Zingde, Surekha M; Srivastava, Sanjeeva
After a successful completion of the Human Genome Project, deciphering the mystery surrounding the human proteome posed a major challenge. Despite not being largely involved in the Human Genome Project, the Indian scientific community contributed towards proteomic research along with the global community. Currently, more than 76 research/academic institutes and nearly 145 research labs are involved in core proteomic research across India. The Indian researchers have been major contributors in drafting the "human proteome map" along with international efforts. In addition to this, virtual proteomics labs, proteomics courses and remote triggered proteomics labs have helped to overcome the limitations of proteomics education posed due to expensive lab infrastructure. The establishment of Proteomics Society, India (PSI) has created a platform for the Indian proteomic researchers to share ideas, research collaborations and conduct annual conferences and workshops. Indian proteomic research is really moving forward with the global proteomics community in a quest to solve the mysteries of proteomics. A draft map of the human proteome enhances the enthusiasm among intellectuals to promote proteomic research in India to the world.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics in India. PMID:25868663
Epidemiological Modeling of Bovine Brucellosis in India
Kang, Gloria J.; Gunaseelan, L.; Abbas, Kaja M.
The study objective is to develop an epidemiological model of brucellosis transmission dynamics among cattle in India and to estimate the impact of different prevention and control strategies. The prevention and control strategies are test-and-slaughter, transmission rate reduction, and mass vaccination. We developed a mathematical model based on the susceptible-infectious-recovered epidemic model to simulate brucellosis transmission dynamics, calibrated to the endemically stable levels of bovine brucellosis prevalence of cattle in India. We analyzed the epidemiological benefit of different rates of reduced transmission and vaccination. Test-and-slaughter is an effective strategy for elimination and eradication of brucellosis, but socio-cultural constraints forbid culling of cattle in India. Reducing transmission rates lowered the endemically stable levels of brucellosis prevalence correspondingly. One-time vaccination lowered prevalence initially but increased with influx of new susceptible births. While this epidemiological model is a basic representation of brucellosis transmission dynamics in India and constrained by limitations in surveillance data, this study illustrates the comparative epidemiological impact of different bovine brucellosis prevention and control strategies. PMID:26280026
Oman-India pipeline route survey
Mullee, J.E.
Paper describes the geological setting in the Arabian Sea for a proposed 28-inch gas pipeline from Oman to India reaching 3,500-m water depths. Covers planning, execution, quality control and results of geophysical, geotechnical and oceanographic surveys. Outlines theory and application of pipeline stress analysis on board survey vessel for feasibility assessment, and specifies equipment used.
Employed Mothers and Their Families in India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chowdhury, Aparajita
Examines the salient features of families with employed women and young children in India. Found that the majority of the mothers worked due to economic necessity, felt guilty of neglecting their children and family, and were dissatisfied over lack of alternative childcare facilities available. Reexamining the father's role has been stressed as a…
Basic Skills in Asian Studies: India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hantula, James
Designed for an Asian studies program at the secondary level and using learning activities centering on India, the guide develops four basic skills: reading, applying critical thinking, interpreting the geography, and understanding history. Five learning activities are provided for each basic skill and each unit is introduced with a description…
Reservoir hosts of Leptospira inadai in India.
Gangadhar, N L; Rajasekhar, M; Smythe, L D; Norris, M A; Symonds, M L; Dohnt, M F
Isolation of Leptospira from the kidneys of Rattus rattus wroughtoni hinton, Rattus rattus rufescens, Bandicota bengalensis and Bandicota indica was attempted in Bangalore in southern India. In total, 296 spirochaetes were isolated from 1,348 kidney cultures (an isolation rate of 22%). A batch of fifty-six isolates from India was identified, based on serological and polymerase chain reaction analysis, of which twenty-three isolates were identified as L. inadai by the World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis, in Brisbane. This is the first record of isolation of L. inadai from rodents. The preponderance of L. inadai in four different species of rodents suggests that these animals could be the natural reservoir hosts of L. inadai, and raises a critical question as to the likely impact of this species of Leptospira on the renal carrier status of other Leptospira pathogenic to humans and animals in this part of India. Virulence studies conducted at the University of Trieste in Italy, revealed that isolates of L. inadai from India were moderately or totally serum resistant when subjected to a serum killing test. To establish the possible seroprevalence of this species in the population, the inclusion of L. inadai in the battery of leptospiral antigens used for sero-epidemiological studies is recommended. PMID:11107622
Ciprofloxacin-resistant Neisseria meningitidis, Delhi, India.
Singhal, Smita; Purnapatre, Kedar P; Kalia, Vandana; Dube, Smita; Nair, Deepti; Deb, Monorama; Aggarwal, Pushpa; Gupta, Sunil; Upadhyay, Dilip J; Rattan, Ashok; Raj, V Samuel
Decreased susceptibility of Neisseria meningitidis isolates to ciprofloxacin emerged from an outbreak in Delhi, India. Results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the meningococcal isolates to ciprofloxacin and further sequencing of DNA gyrase A quinolone-resistance-determining region confirmed the emergence of ciprofloxacin resistance in the outbreak. PMID:18258023
PC Kiosk Trends in Rural India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Toyama, Kentaro; Kiri, Karishma; Menon, Deepak; Sethi, Suneet; Pal, Joyojeet; Srinivasan, Janaki
This article presents a series of preliminary, quantitative results on rural PC kiosks in India. An analysis of the data confirms many expected trends and correlations and shows that kiosks still face the challenge of sustainability as a business. This study is based on questionnaires presented to kiosk operators and customers of kiosks operated…
Magmatic record of India-Asia collision
Zhu, Di-Cheng; Wang, Qing; Zhao, Zhi-Dan; Chung, Sun-Lin; Cawood, Peter A.; Niu, Yaoling; Liu, Sheng-Ao; Wu, Fu-Yuan; Mo, Xuan-Xue
New geochronological and geochemical data on magmatic activity from the India-Asia collision zone enables recognition of a distinct magmatic flare-up event that we ascribe to slab breakoff. This tie-point in the collisional record can be used to back-date to the time of initial impingement of the Indian continent with the Asian margin. Continental arc magmatism in southern Tibet during 80–40 Ma migrated from south to north and then back to south with significant mantle input at 70–43 Ma. A pronounced flare up in magmatic intensity (including ignimbrite and mafic rock) at ca. 52–51 Ma corresponds to a sudden decrease in the India-Asia convergence rate. Geological and geochemical data are consistent with mantle input controlled by slab rollback from ca. 70 Ma and slab breakoff at ca. 53 Ma. We propose that the slowdown of the Indian plate at ca. 51 Ma is largely the consequence of slab breakoff of the subducting Neo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere, rather than the onset of the India-Asia collision as traditionally interpreted, implying that the initial India-Asia collision commenced earlier, likely at ca. 55 Ma. PMID:26395973
K12 Inc. Scraps India Outsourcing
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Trotter, Andrew
A company that runs one of the nation's largest networks of online schools recently decided to discontinue a program that arranged for high school teachers in the United States to send their students' English essays to India for evaluations by reviewers there. The existence of the program by Herndon, Virginia-based K12 Inc. is an example of the…
Recent Trends in School Geography in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Alam, Sarfaraz
This article critically examines the recommendations of two major Indian education reports--NCFSE 2000 and NCF 2005--prepared by the National Council of Educational Research and Training in India. The NCFSE 2000 has recommended an integrated teaching of geography as one component of the social studies. The NCF 2005 has reverted to the pre-NCFSE…
Childhood Labor in India: Issues and Complexities
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Viruru, Radhika
It is estimated that more than 12 million children in India under the age of 14 engage in paid labor at least part time, due mostly to economic reasons. Dominant discourses about childhood however conceptualize childhood labor not only as unethical but as exploitation. This article explored the tensions between Western notions of childhood…
Quitline Activity in Rajasthan, India.
Gupta, Rakesh; Verma, Vinit; Mathur, Pankaj
Quitline activity in Rajasthan, India is a voluntary activity of Rajasthan Cancer Foundation (RCF) since April 2013. To kick-off, it took the benefit of the State Government- PIRAMAL SWASTHYA (PS)1 collaborative 104 Health Information Helpline that existed already in public-private partnership. It is a reactive quitline that helps callers through the counselors and nursing staff trained specifically through the weekly sessions held by the first author, the RCF resource on quitline. Besides structuring of the scripts for primary intervention and follow-ups after 1 week, 1 month, 6 months and a year, he also monitors calls, advices and coordinates with the supervisors to manage and analyze the data base, and reports to the PS lead at the Jaipur Center on overall performance and to plan strategic communication with the State Government on its outcomes. The quitline has limitations of its informal existence through a voluntary effort of RCF, no specific resource allocation, suboptimal data management, minimal awareness in the masses due to poor IEC (Information, Education and Communication; except its efforts made by RCF in last 1 year through the government-run State TV and City Radio) and staff shortage and its attrition due to lack of plan for career advancement. Despite these challenges in the year 2013, the quit line has registered a quit rate (for complete abstinence) of 19.93% amongst 1525 callers. The quit rate were 58.01% (304/ 524) among the responders at the 3rd follow-up at 18 months (in September 2014)2. In view of an increase in quit rate by 5- 9 times over the prevailing quit rate in the former ever daily users [both smokers and the users of smokeless tobacco (SLT)], efforts are being made by RCF in concurrence with PS to have this cost-effective model established formally with optimal resource allocation in collaboration with willing agencies (the State and Central Governments and the International Quitline Agencies) and its replication in 4 more states
Carbon Characterization Laboratory Report
David Swank; William Windes; D.C. Haggard; David Rohrbaugh; Karen Moore
The newly completed Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Carbon Characterization Laboratory (CCL) is located in Lab-C20 of the Idaho National Laboratory Research Center. This laboratory was established under the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project to support graphite research and development activities. The CCL is designed to characterize and test carbon-based materials such as graphite, carbon-carbon composites, and silicon-carbide composite materials. The laboratory is fully prepared to measure material properties for nonirradiated carbon-based materials. Plans to establish the laboratory as a radiological facility within the next year are definitive. This laboratory will be modified to accommodate irradiated materials, after which it can be used to perform material property measurements on both irradiated and nonirradiated carbon-based material. Instruments, fixtures, and methods are in place for preirradiation measurements of bulk density, thermal diffusivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, elastic modulus, Young's modulus, Shear modulus, Poisson ratio, and electrical resistivity. The measurement protocol consists of functional validation, calibration, and automated data acquisition.
Prevalence of hypothyroidism in pregnancy: An epidemiological study from 11 cities in 9 states of India
Dhanwal, Dinesh Kumar; Bajaj, Sarita; Rajput, Rajesh; Subramaniam, K. A. V.; Chowdhury, Subhankar; Bhandari, Rajendra; Dharmalingam, Mala; Sahay, Rakesh; Ganie, Ashraf; Kotwal, Narendra; Shriram, Usha
Background: A previous hospital based study from Delhi revealed a high prevalence of hypothyroidism in pregnant women. Several other studies with small sample size also indicate a rising trend of prevalence of hypothyroidism during pregnancy in India. Objective: To assess prevalence of hypothyroidism in pregnant women from various states/cities across India. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional multicenter study conducted at Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Kolkata (West Bengal), Hyderabad (Telangana), Nasik (Maharashtra), Rohtak (Haryana), Pune (Maharashtra), New Delhi (Delhi), Srinagar (Kashmir), and Vizag (Andhra Pradesh) enrolling 2599 pregnant women. Estimation of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free T4, and antithyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies was carried out using Roche modular kit using ECLIA technology in a central laboratory. Results: We found in our study population that 13.13% of pregnant women have hypothyroidism (n = 388), using a cutoff TSH level of 4.5 μIU/ml. This prevalence was much higher using the American Thyroid Association criteria. Anti-TPO antibodies were positive in 20.74% of all pregnant women (n = 613), whereas 40% (n = 155) of hypothyroid pregnant women were positive for anti-TPO antibodies. Conclusion: This study concludes that there is a high prevalence of hypothyroidism (13.13%), majority being subclinical in pregnant women during the first trimester from India and universal screening of hypothyroidism may be desirable in our country. PMID:27186559
Prevalence and geographical distribution of Escherichia coli O157 in India: a 10-year survey.
Sehgal, Rakesh; Kumar, Yashwant; Kumar, Sunil
Escherichia coli colonizes the human gastrointestinal tract and produces a variety of diseases. Escherichia coli O157 is one of the most important pathogenic strains reported from food-borne illnesses leading to enterohemorrhagic colitis. The National Salmonella and Escherichia Centre is a national reference centre for Salmonella and Escherichia for India; it receives samples from research laboratories, hospitals and institutions for serological identification. The present study is an epidemiological survey of E. coli O157 in different regions of India. The data are based on samples received from humans, food items, animals and the environment. A total of 17 093 isolates cultured from samples were received during the 10-year period of which 5678 were from human sources. Thirty (0.5%) human samples were positive for E. coli O157. A significantly high percentage of E. coli O157 were isolated from meat (0.9%, 13/1376), milk and milk products (1.8%, 10/553), seafood (8.4%, 16/190) and water (1.6%, 8/486). The isolates were found to be distributed among domestic and wild animals, and the maximum number of isolates of E. coli O157 was detected in samples received from coastal belt areas. Escherichia coli O157 is widely distributed among humans and animals, food and environment in different geographical regions of India. PMID:18321544
Suicide in India: a systematic review
RANE, Anil; NADKARNI, Abhijit
Background Suicide is an important cause of death in India but estimated suicide rates based on data from India's National Crime Records Bureau are unreliable. Aim Systematically review existing literature on suicide and the factors associated with suicide in India. Methods PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Global Health, Google Scholar and IndMED were searched using appropriate search terms. The abstracts of relevant papers were independently examined by both authors for possible inclusion. A standardized set of data items were abstracted from the full text of the selected papers. Results Thirty-six papers met inclusion criteria for the analysis. The heterogeneity of sampling procedures and methods of the studies made meta-analysis of the results infeasible. Verbal autopsy studies in several rural locations in India report high suicide rates, from 82 to 95 per 100,000 population – up to 8-fold higher than the official national suicide rates. Suicide rates are highest in persons 20 to 29 years of age. Female suicide rates are higher than male rates in persons under 30 years of age but the opposite is true in those 30 years of age or older. Hanging and ingestion of organophosphate pesticides are the most common methods of suicide. Among women, self-immolation is also a relatively common method of suicide. Low socioeconomic status, mental illness (especially alcohol misuse) and inter-personal difficulties are the factors that are most closely associated with suicide. Conclusion The quality of the information about suicide in India is quite limited, but it is clearly an important and growing public health problem. Compared to suicides in high-income countries, suicide in India is more prevalent in women (particularly young women), is much more likely to involve ingestion of pesticides, is more closely associated with poverty, and is less closely associated with mental illness. PMID:25092952
An assessment of EIA system in India
Panigrahi, Jitendra K.; Amirapu, Susruta
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) was first introduced in India based on the Environmental Protection Act (EPA), 1986. But formally it came in to effect, when Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has passed a major legislative measure under EPA in January 1994 for Environmental Clearance (EC) known as EIA Notification, 1994. Subsequently, EIA processes have been strengthened by MoEF by a series of amendments. The current practice is adhering to EIA Notification, 2006 and its amendments. The pieces of evidence collected and analysis in the present assessment suggest that, despite a sound legislative, administrative and procedural set-up EIA has not yet evolved satisfactorily in India. An appraisal of the EIA system against systematic evaluation criteria, based on discussions with various stakeholders, EIA expert committee members, approval authorities, project proponents, NGOs and consulting professionals, reveals various drawbacks of the EIA system. These mainly include; inadequate capacity of EIA approval authorities, deficiencies in screening and scoping, poor quality EIA reports, inadequate public participation and weak monitoring. Overall, EIA is used presently as a project justification tool rather than as a project planning tool to contribute to achieving sustainable development. While shortcomings are challenging, Government of India is showing a high degree of commitment. The EIA system in the country is undergoing progressive refinements by steadily removing the constraints. The paper identifies opportunities for taking advantage of the current circumstances for strengthening the EIA process. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer An assessment has been carried out on Environmental Clearance under EIA Notification, 2006, MoEF, Government of India. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer EIA system is appraised against systematic evaluation criteria proposed by Ahmad and Wood (2002), Wood (2003), Fuller (1999). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The analysis
Transits of Venus and Colonial India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kochhar, Rajesh
Astronomical expeditions during the colonial period had a political and national significance also. Measuring the earth and mapping the sky were activities worthy of powerful and power- seeking nations. Such was the sanctity of global astronomical activity that many other agendas could be hidden under it. An early astronomy-related expedition turned out to be extremely beneficial, to botany. The expedition sent by the French Government in 1735 to South America under the leadership of Charles Marie de la Condamine (1701--1774) ostensibly for the measurement of an arc of the meridian at Quito in Ecuador surreptitiously collected data that enabled Linnaeus to describe the genus cinchona in 1742. When the pair of transits of Venus occurred in 1761 and 1769, France and England were engaged in a bitter rivalry for control of India. The observation of the transits became a part of the rivalry. A telescope presented by the British to a South Indian King as a decorative toy was borrowed back for actual use. Scientifically the transit observations were a wash out, but the exercise introduced Europe to details of living Indian tradition of eclipse calculations. More significantly, it led to the institutionalization of modern astronomy in India under the auspices of the English East India Company (1787). The transits of Venus of 1874 and 1882 were important not so much for the study of the events as for initiating systematic photography of the Sun. By this, Britain owned most of the world's sunshine, and was expected to help European solar physicists get data from its vast Empire on a regular basis. This and the then genuinely held belief that a study of the sun would help predict failure of monsoons led to the institutionalization of solar physics studies in India (1899). Of course, when the solar physicists learnt that solar activity did not quite determine rainfall in India, they forgot to inform the Government.
Risk analysis of a gas-processing complex in India.
Garg, R K; Khan, A A
ONGC's Hazira Gas-Processing Complex (HGPC) consists of facilities for receiving natural gas along with associated condensate from an off-shore field at a rate of 20 MMN M3 per day. After separating the condensate, which is processed in condensate fractionation units, the gas is processed through various steps to recover LPG and to reduce its dew point to less than 5 degrees C in order to make it suitable for transportation over long distances. The acid gas recovered during the gas-sweetening step is processed to obtain sulphur. The major products manufactured at HGPC therefore are lean sweet gas, LPG, NGL, and sulphur. The Oil and Natural Gas Commission awarded the assignment on Hazard Study and Risk Analysis of their Hazira Gas-Processing Complex (HGPC) to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in association with the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). The scope of this assignment covered a number of closely related and fully defined activities normally encountered in this type of work. Identification of hazards through the most appropriate methods, assigning frequency of occurrence of major unwanted incidents, quantification and assessment of probable damage to plant equipment, environment, human and animal life due to an unexpected event, and evaluation of various methods for reducing risk, together constituted the methodology for this assignment. Detailed recommendations aimed at reducing risk and enhancing reliability of plant and machinery were made. This article gives an overview of the assignment. PMID:1947347
Specialized Laboratory Information Systems.
Dangott, Bryan
Some laboratories or laboratory sections have unique needs that traditional anatomic and clinical pathology systems may not address. A specialized laboratory information system (LIS), which is designed to perform a limited number of functions, may perform well in areas where a traditional LIS falls short. Opportunities for specialized LISs continue to evolve with the introduction of new testing methodologies. These systems may take many forms, including stand-alone architecture, a module integrated with an existing LIS, a separate vendor-supplied module, and customized software. This article addresses the concepts underlying specialized LISs, their characteristics, and in what settings they are found. PMID:26851663
Laboratory Automation and Middleware.
Riben, Michael
The practice of surgical pathology is under constant pressure to deliver the highest quality of service, reduce errors, increase throughput, and decrease turnaround time while at the same time dealing with an aging workforce, increasing financial constraints, and economic uncertainty. Although not able to implement total laboratory automation, great progress continues to be made in workstation automation in all areas of the pathology laboratory. This report highlights the benefits and challenges of pathology automation, reviews middleware and its use to facilitate automation, and reviews the progress so far in the anatomic pathology laboratory. PMID:26065792
Sonication standard laboratory module
Beugelsdijk, Tony; Hollen, Robert M.; Erkkila, Tracy H.; Bronisz, Lawrence E.; Roybal, Jeffrey E.; Clark, Michael Leon
A standard laboratory module for automatically producing a solution of cominants from a soil sample. A sonication tip agitates a solution containing the soil sample in a beaker while a stepper motor rotates the sample. An aspirator tube, connected to a vacuum, draws the upper layer of solution from the beaker through a filter and into another beaker. This beaker can thereafter be removed for analysis of the solution. The standard laboratory module encloses an embedded controller providing process control, status feedback information and maintenance procedures for the equipment and operations within the standard laboratory module.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Of the five modules comprising the Orbiting Quarantine Facility, the Laboratory Module must provide not only an extensive research capability to permit execution of the protocol, but also the flexibility to accommodate second-order testing if nonterrestrial life is discovered in the sample. The biocontainment barriers that protect the sample and the researchers from cross contamination are described. Specifically, the laboratory layout, laboratory equipment, the environmental control and life support system, and containment assurance procedures are discussed. The metal manipulation arm proposed for use within the biocontainment cabinets is described. Sample receipt and processing procedures are outlined.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Madders, M.
Describes the materials and laboratory techniques for the study of food chains and food webs, pyramids of numbers and biomass, energy pyramids, and oxygen gradients. Presents a procedure for investigating the effects of various pollutants on an entire ecosystem. (GS)
Organic Laboratory Experiments.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Smith, Sherrel
Detailed is a method in which short pieces of teflon tubing may be used for collection tubes for collecting preparative fractions from gas chromatographs. Material preparation, laboratory procedures, and results of this method are discussed. (CW)
Understanding Laboratory Tests
... and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the development and marketing of all laboratory tests that use test kits ... at the National Institutes of Health FOLLOW US Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Google+ LinkedIn GovDelivery RSS CONTACT ...
Tethered gravity laboratories study
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lucchetti, F.
Variable Gravity Laboratory studies are discussed. The following subject areas are covered: (1) conceptual design and engineering analysis; (2) control strategies (fast crawling maneuvers, main perturbations and their effect upon the acceleration level); and (3) technology requirements.
The RAS Initiative uses multiple technologies to attack RAS-driven cancers. The resources of the Frederick National Lab allocated to the RAS Hub are organized into seven laboratory groups, each contributing to the collaborative effort.
Microcontrollers in the Laboratory.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Williams, Ron
Described is the use of automated control using microcomputers. Covers the development of the microcontroller and describes advantages and characteristics of several brands of chips. Provides several recent applications of microcontrollers in laboratory automation. (MVL)
Retainer for laboratory animals
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lee, R. W.
Bio-retainer holds laboratory animals in fixed position for research and clinical experiments. Retainer allows full access to animals and can be rapidly opened and closed to admit and release specimens.
The Environmental Research Laboratory - Corvallis is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's - national research center for terrestrial and watershed ecology, aquatic ecoregions, and for the ecological effects of climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, and atmospheric p...
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Takada, Tohru; Nakamura, Jin; Suzuki, Masaru
All the first-year students in the University of Electro-Communications (UEC) take "Basic Physics I", "Basic Physics II" and "Physics Laboratory" as required subjects; Basic Physics I and Basic Physics II are calculus-based physics of mechanics, wave and oscillation, thermal physics and electromagnetics. Physics Laboratory is designed mainly aiming at learning the skill of basic experimental technique and technical writing. Although 95% students have taken physics in the senior high school, they poorly understand it by connecting with experience, and it is difficult to learn Physics Laboratory in the university. For this reason, we introduced two ICT (Information and Communication Technology) systems of Physics Laboratory to support students'learning and staff's teaching. By using quantitative data obtained from the ICT systems, we can easily check understanding of physics contents in students, and can improve physics education.
Safety in Science Laboratories.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Education in Science, 1978
Presents 12 amendments to the second edition of Safety in Science Laboratories. Covers topics such as regular inspection of equipment, wearing safety glasses, dating stock chemicals, and safe use of chemicals. (MA)
NETL - Thermogravimetric Analysis Laboratory
Richards, George
Researchers in NETL's Thermal Analysis Laboratory are investigating chemical looping combustion. As a clean and efficient fossil fuel technology, chemical looping combustion controls CO2 emissions and offers a promising alternative to traditional combustion.
Greater India Basin hypothesis and a two-stage Cenozoic collision between India and Asia.
van Hinsbergen, Douwe J J; Lippert, Peter C; Dupont-Nivet, Guillaume; McQuarrie, Nadine; Doubrovine, Pavel V; Spakman, Wim; Torsvik, Trond H
Cenozoic convergence between the Indian and Asian plates produced the archetypical continental collision zone comprising the Himalaya mountain belt and the Tibetan Plateau. How and where India-Asia convergence was accommodated after collision at or before 52 Ma remains a long-standing controversy. Since 52 Ma, the two plates have converged up to 3,600 ± 35 km, yet the upper crustal shortening documented from the geological record of Asia and the Himalaya is up to approximately 2,350-km less. Here we show that the discrepancy between the convergence and the shortening can be explained by subduction of highly extended continental and oceanic Indian lithosphere within the Himalaya between approximately 50 and 25 Ma. Paleomagnetic data show that this extended continental and oceanic "Greater India" promontory resulted from 2,675 ± 700 km of North-South extension between 120 and 70 Ma, accommodated between the Tibetan Himalaya and cratonic India. We suggest that the approximately 50 Ma "India"-Asia collision was a collision of a Tibetan-Himalayan microcontinent with Asia, followed by subduction of the largely oceanic Greater India Basin along a subduction zone at the location of the Greater Himalaya. The "hard" India-Asia collision with thicker and contiguous Indian continental lithosphere occurred around 25-20 Ma. This hard collision is coincident with far-field deformation in central Asia and rapid exhumation of Greater Himalaya crystalline rocks, and may be linked to intensification of the Asian monsoon system. This two-stage collision between India and Asia is also reflected in the deep mantle remnants of subduction imaged with seismic tomography. PMID:22547792
Theory and laboratory astrophysics
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Schramm, David N.; Mckee, Christopher F.; Alcock, Charles; Allamandola, Lou; Chevalier, Roger A.; Cline, David B.; Dalgarno, Alexander; Elmegreen, Bruce G.; Fall, S. Michael; Ferland, Gary J.
Science opportunities in the 1990's are discussed. Topics covered include the large scale structure of the universe, galaxies, stars, star formation and the interstellar medium, high energy astrophysics, and the solar system. Laboratory astrophysics in the 1990's is briefly surveyed, covering such topics as molecular, atomic, optical, nuclear and optical physics. Funding recommendations are given for the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Department of Energy. Recommendations for laboratory astrophysics research are given.
The making of an endocrinologist in India: Life and times at Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research Calcutta
Dutta, Deep
Endocrinology is relatively one of the newer super-specialties of internal medicine. Following higher secondary schooling, it takes anywhere between 13 and 18 years to become a super-specialist in India, which holds true for endocrinology also. This article intends to highlight the life and the journey of making an endocrinologist in India, through personal experiences, focusing on Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (IPGMER) Calcutta, the largest super-specialty teaching hospital and research institute of Eastern India. In general, there is lack of adequate exposure to endocrinology during the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and MD Internal Medicine Training in India. Pre-Doctorate of Medicine (DM) senior residency goes a long way in developing an orientation for endocrinology. Endocrinology DM entrance examinations are usually a rigorous intimidating affair. Endocrinology training at IPGMER was a heady mix of managing huge number of patients with diverse endocrinopathies, laboratory work, academic presentations, and clinical research. The support and back up provided by the entire faculty enhanced the learning process. As I look back, the 3 years of DM residency flew by like the wink of the eye. The journey of endocrinology is the journey of a lifetime. PMID:26425482
77 FR 18296 - WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding India-Measures Concerning the Importation of Certain...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... TRADE REPRESENTATIVE WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding India--Measures Concerning the... India under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement'') concerning antidumping measures prohibitions imposed by India on the importation of various...
77 FR 66580 - Certain Preserved Mushrooms From India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... India, 64 FR 8311 (February 19, 1999) (Mushroom Antidumping Duty Order), remains dispositive... International Trade Administration Certain Preserved Mushrooms From India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping... review of the antidumping duty order on certain preserved mushrooms (mushrooms) from India. The period...
These reports summarize pollution prevention opportunity assessments conducted jointly by EPA and DOE at the Geochemistry Laboratory and the Manufacturing and Fabrication Repair Laboratory at the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories facility in Albuquerque, New Mex...
Literary Vision of Symbolic India: Removing the Veil and Stepping into Spiritual India. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad 1996 (India).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Barry, Patricia
This curriculum guide was developed to assist middle-school students in understanding the complexity of India. A slide presentation is used in combination with several activities for interdisciplinary study of India through literature and social studies. A comprehensive bibliography provides suggestions for further reading. Sections of the guide…
Multinational Alcohol Market Development and Public Health: Diageo in India.
Esser, Marissa B; Jernigan, David H
Alcohol is a risk factor for communicable and noncommunicable diseases, and alcohol consumption is rising steadily in India. The growth of multinational alcohol corporations, such as Diageo, contributes to India's changing alcohol environment. We provide a brief history of India's alcohol regulation for context and examine Diageo's strategies for expansion in India in 2013 and 2014. Diageo is attracted to India's younger generation, women, and emerging middle class for growth opportunities. Components of Diageo's responsibility strategy conflict with evidence-based public health recommendations for reducing harmful alcohol consumption. Diageo's strategies for achieving market dominance in India are at odds with public health evidence. We conclude with recommendations for protecting public health in emerging markets. PMID:26378848
On the importance of continental lithospheric roots in plume-continent interaction: implication for India motions over the last 130 Ma
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sibrant, A.; Davaille, A.
Over the last 130 Ma, the India plate migration varied in velocity and direction. The oceanic magnetic anomalies indicates that the India-Asia convergence rate increase at ~ 90 Ma and at ~ 67 Ma. These episodes of acceleration correspond to the emplacement of Morondava and Deccan large igneous provinces, respectively. They therefore may be generated by the arrival of a mantle plume in the vicinity of India. We carried out laboratory experiments to examine and quantify the possible links between plume head impact and the acceleration of a continental plate. The latter is modelled by a buoyant raft, floating on the surface of a plexiglas tank containing Sugar Syrup, a temperature-dependent viscosity fluid. Plumes are generated by heating from below. The initial distance between the plume impact and the raft, as well as the raft size and density were systematically varied. The latter allows to evaluate the influence of a cratonic keel on the plate migration. Experimental results suggest that: (1) a continent can migrate under the influence of a plume head only if the thickness ratio between the keel and the plume head impact is greater than a critical value; (2) the maximum velocity achieved by the raft depends on the distance between the raft and the plume centre and (3) the direction taken by the raft is directly related to the position of the plume impact compared to the keel's. Given the Deccan Traps plume characteristics, the scaling laws derived from the experiments suggest that India could migrate after the plume impact with a velocity ranging between 61 and 125 mm/yr. This estimated range is fully coherent with the India plate velocity calculated from the oceanic magnetic anomalies, but it put strong constraints on the existence and position of cratonic keels under India. Moreover, India migration during the last 130 Ma can be quantitavely related to the successive impacts of three mantle plumes.
India: population: shocking results; monetary incentives.
Addressing a conference of Parliament members on population and development in New Delhi, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was reported to have informed the gathering that results of India's latest census "shocked us." The census counted a total national population of 683 million. It was 11 million more than officially anticipated. In her speech, Mrs. Gandhi was also reported to have reiterated that her government is totally committed to "voluntary family planning" and "firmly against compulsion." J.R.D. Tata, chairman of the Family Planning Foundation of India, proposed that the government raise monetary incentives for citizens voluntarily opting for vasectomy and tubectomy. He suggested that the present Rs. 200 for vasectomy and tubectomy be upped to Rs. 5000. He made the proposal in a call to the government to increase its outlay for the family planning program. PMID:12337557
Occupational health and unemployment in India.
Joshi, T K
Unemployment is a serious problem in India. Rural workers have no stable and durable employment. Educated and women experience more unemployment which is a greater problem in urban than in rural areas. An unemployed takes a long time to find work and secures it at an inadequate remuneration since job seekers far outnumber the available opportunities. Unavailability of social security makes life more difficult for the unemployed. Latest figures place the number of unemployed at 37.2 million. However, the figure is disputed as no national survey to determine the extent of unemployment has been undertaken in India. The health of unemployed has not been an issue. A pilot study was undertaken to assess the effect of tuberculosis on employment in Delhi. Tuberculosis appeared to be a significant cause of unemployment and loss of income specially among unskilled workers. The health and labour ministries may formulate a strategy to promote research and focus on health protection of unemployed. PMID:10197464
Spread of acid rain over India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Khemani, L. T.; Momin, G. A.; Rao, P. S. Prakasa; Safai, P. D.; Singh, G.; Kapoor, R. K.
Rain water and aerosol samples were collected at a few locations representative of urban and non-urban regions in India. Also, rain water samples were collected in and around a coal-fired power plant. All the rain water and aerosol samples were analyzed for major chemical components along with pH. The rain water at all the places of measurement, except near the industrial sources, has been found to be alkaline and was characterized by the presence of excess cations, particularly by Ca 2+. The acid rain near the industrial sources was associated with excess anions, especially SO 42-. The atmospheric aerosols at all the places of measurement were found rich with basic components, suggesting that the alkaline soil dust and fly ash are responsible at present for preventing the spread of acid rain in India.
Psychological Dimensions of Celiac Disease in India
Vohra, Pankaj
An epidemic of celiac disease is being witnessed in India as well as several other parts of the world. Awareness is important for early diagnosis and treatment so as to avoid long-term morbidity as well as irreversible complications. However, the key for resolution of the disease is good compliance to a gluten-free diet. Unfortunately, the current scenario in India is that either gluten free foods are not easily available or are expensive and often not tested. This is especially true in schools and colleges and smaller towns. In addition, the stigma attached to gluten-free food makes it socially undesirable, and this is made worse by the lack of knowledge among peers, family members, advisors, and even health care providers. We need to make a strong pitch to overcome the confusion regarding the disease as well as the diet to avoid psychological and medical complications. PMID:27335528
Fifty years of stroke researches in India.
Banerjee, Tapas Kumar; Das, Shyamal Kumar
Currently, the stroke incidence in India is much higher than Western industrialized countries. Large vessel intracranial atherosclerosis is the commonest cause of ischemic stroke in India. The common risk factors, that is, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and dyslipidemia are quite prevalent and inadequately controlled; mainly because of poor public awareness and inadequate infrastructure. Only a small number of ischemic stroke cases are able to have the benefit of thrombolytic therapy. Benefits from stem cell therapy in established stroke cases are under evaluation. Presently, prevention of stroke is the best option considering the Indian scenario through control and/or avoiding risk factors of stroke. Interventional studies are an important need for this scenario. PMID:27011621
Euthanasia: the perceptions of nurses in India.
Poreddi, Vijayalakshmi; Nagarajaiah; Konduru, Reddemma; Math, Suresh Bada
Euthanasia provokes controversies in various domains, such as the moral, ethical, legal, religious, scientific, and economic. India legalised passive euthanasia (withdrawal of life support) for patients with brain death or who are in a permanent vegetative state in 2011, but research on perceptions of euthanasia among people in India is limited. This study aimed to examine nurses' perceptions of the practice of euthanasia as well as factors influencing those perceptions. A non-probability quantitative, cross-sectional design was adopted for a sample of 214 nurses working at a tertiary care centre. Data was collected through self-reported questionnaires at the nurses workplace.The findings revealed mixed opinions on euthanasia among the nurses. However, the majority of the participants did not agree with the practice of euthanasia. Nonetheless, further research is needed on this issue across the country among various health professionals in the context of current legislation. PMID:23967773
Physical intimate partner violence in northern India.
Ragavan, Maya I; Iyengar, Kirti; Wurtz, Rebecca M
In this article, we examine perceptions about the definition of physical intimate partner violence (IPV) in northern India utilizing feminist perspectives as a framework. We interviewed 56 women and 52 men affiliated with a health services nongovernmental organization in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan. We transcribed, coded, and analyzed the interviews utilizing grounded theory. We found that perceptions regarding physical IPV were associated with both structural and ideological patriarchal beliefs and microlevel constructs such as alcohol use. We discovered multiple types of physical IPV in the study region, including rationalized violence (socially condoned violence perpetrated by a husband against his wife), unjustified violence (socially prohibited violence perpetrated by a husband against his wife), and majboori violence (violence perpetrated by a wife against her husband). Our results add to the breadth of research available about IPV in India and create a framework for future research and IPV prevention initiatives. PMID:24598776
Kinship Institutions and Sex Ratios in India
This article explores the relationship between kinship institutions and sex ratios in India at the turn of the twentieth century. Because kinship rules vary by caste, language, religion, and region, we construct sex ratios by these categories at the district level by using data from the 1901 Census of India for Punjab (North), Bengal (East), and Madras (South). We find that the male-to-female sex ratio varied positively with caste rank, fell as one moved from the North to the East and then to the South, was higher for Hindus than for Muslims, and was higher for northern Indo-Aryan speakers than for the southern Dravidian-speaking people. We argue that these systematic patterns in the data are consistent with variations in the institution of family, kinship, and inheritance. PMID:21308567
The first multituberculate mammal from India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Parmar, Varun; Prasad, Guntupalli V. R.; Kumar, Deepak
Mesozoic deposits of the former Gondwanaland are depauperate in early mammals, in general, and multituberculate mammals, in particular. Until now, the oldest multituberculate mammals known from the Gondwanan continents come from the Early Cretaceous of Morocco, NW Africa. Here, we report the presence of a new multituberculate mammal, Indobaatar zofiae gen. et sp. nov., from the Lower/Middle Jurassic Kota Formation, Pranhita-Godavari valley in peninsular India. This is the first record of a multituberculate from the Mesozoic rocks of India and possibly predates the oldest known multituberculates from Gondwanan continents. The new specimen, representing an upper premolar (P4), compares well with the upper premolar morphology of Eobaatariinae multituberculates known from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia, China, England, and Spain. Together with the recent findings of cimolodontan multituberculates from the Early Cretaceous of Australia and Late Cretaceous of South America, the new discovery indicates a wide temporal and spatial distribution for multituberculate mammals in the former Gondwanaland.
Wind Resource Assessment of Gujarat (India)
Draxl, C.; Purkayastha, A.; Parker, Z.
India is one of the largest wind energy markets in the world. In 1986 Gujarat was the first Indian state to install a wind power project. In February 2013, the installed wind capacity in Gujarat was 3,093 MW. Due to the uncertainty around existing wind energy assessments in India, this analysis uses the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to simulate the wind at current hub heights for one year to provide more precise estimates of wind resources in Gujarat. The WRF model allows for accurate simulations of winds near the surface and at heights important for wind energy purposes. While previous resource assessments published wind power density, we focus on average wind speeds, which can be converted to wind power densities by the user with methods of their choice. The wind resource estimates in this study show regions with average annual wind speeds of more than 8 m/s.
Multiple sclerosis in India: An overview.
Singhal, Bhim S; Advani, Hemali
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is being increasingly diagnosed in India mainly due to increase in the number of practicing neurologists and easy and affordable availability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The clinical features and course are largely similar to those seen in the West. The term optico-spinal MS (Asian MS) was coined in the pre-MRI days. Many such patients turn out to be cases of neuromyelitis optica - a distinct disorder and not a variant of MS. Others have shown the classical features of MS on MRI scan. Several of the disease-modifying agents, not all, are now available in India. Their use, however, has been limited in view of the high cost. PMID:26538844
Multiple sclerosis in India: An overview
Singhal, Bhim S.; Advani, Hemali
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is being increasingly diagnosed in India mainly due to increase in the number of practicing neurologists and easy and affordable availability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The clinical features and course are largely similar to those seen in the West. The term optico-spinal MS (Asian MS) was coined in the pre-MRI days. Many such patients turn out to be cases of neuromyelitis optica — a distinct disorder and not a variant of MS. Others have shown the classical features of MS on MRI scan. Several of the disease-modifying agents, not all, are now available in India. Their use, however, has been limited in view of the high cost. PMID:26538844
Psychological Dimensions of Celiac Disease in India.
Vohra, Pankaj
An epidemic of celiac disease is being witnessed in India as well as several other parts of the world. Awareness is important for early diagnosis and treatment so as to avoid long-term morbidity as well as irreversible complications. However, the key for resolution of the disease is good compliance to a gluten-free diet. Unfortunately, the current scenario in India is that either gluten free foods are not easily available or are expensive and often not tested. This is especially true in schools and colleges and smaller towns. In addition, the stigma attached to gluten-free food makes it socially undesirable, and this is made worse by the lack of knowledge among peers, family members, advisors, and even health care providers. We need to make a strong pitch to overcome the confusion regarding the disease as well as the diet to avoid psychological and medical complications. PMID:27335528
Fifty years of stroke researches in India
Banerjee, Tapas Kumar; Das, Shyamal Kumar
Currently, the stroke incidence in India is much higher than Western industrialized countries. Large vessel intracranial atherosclerosis is the commonest cause of ischemic stroke in India. The common risk factors, that is, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and dyslipidemia are quite prevalent and inadequately controlled; mainly because of poor public awareness and inadequate infrastructure. Only a small number of ischemic stroke cases are able to have the benefit of thrombolytic therapy. Benefits from stem cell therapy in established stroke cases are under evaluation. Presently, prevention of stroke is the best option considering the Indian scenario through control and/or avoiding risk factors of stroke. Interventional studies are an important need for this scenario. PMID:27011621
Development of the Design Laboratory.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Silla, Harry
Describes the design laboratory at the Stevens Institute of Technology (SIT). Considers course objectives, design projects, project structure, mechanical design, project management, and laboratory operation. This laboratory complements SIT's course in process design, giving students a complete design experience. (JN)
Country Report on Building Energy Codes in India
Evans, Meredydd; Shui, Bin; Somasundaram, Sriram
This report is part of a series of reports on building energy efficiency codes in countries associated with the Asian Pacific Partnership (APP) - Australia, South Korea, Japan, China, India, and the United States of America. This reports gives an overview of the development of building energy codes in India, including national energy policies related to building energy codes, history of building energy codes in India, recent national projects and activities to promote building energy codes. The report also provides a review of current building energy codes (such as building envelope, HVAC, lighting, and water heating) for commercial buildings in India.
India's poliomyelitis eradication: a milestone in public health.
Grover, Manoj; Bhatnagar, Nidhi; Sinha, Smita; Kaur, Ravneet
India has recently completed 2 years without single case of poliomyelitis on 13 January 2013. This has brought South East Asian Region closer to eradication. Recently, India is being regarded as a role model for polio eradication efforts in other low-income endemic countries-Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan. However, the near elimination of wild polio virus in India has set forth newer challenges. Stricter surveillance measures are now needed to check for importations spread of virus in migratory populations and rapid containment of newly found virus. India's battle against polio will soon be cited as biggest public health achievement or most expensive public health failure. PMID:23792550
Skinner, E.L.; Watterson, C.A.; Chemerys, J.C.
Safety, defined as 'freedom from danger, risk, or injury,' is difficult to achieve in a laboratory environment. Inherent dangers, associated with water analysis and research laboratories where hazardous samples, materials, and equipment are used, must be minimized to protect workers, buildings, and equipment. Managers, supervisors, analysts, and laboratory support personnel each have specific responsibilities to reduce hazards by maintaining a safe work environment. General rules of conduct and safety practices that involve personal protection, laboratory practices, chemical handling, compressed gases handling, use of equipment, and overall security must be practiced by everyone at all levels. Routine and extensive inspections of all laboratories must be made regularly by qualified people. Personnel should be trained thoroughly and repetitively. Special hazards that may involve exposure to carcinogens, cryogenics, or radiation must be given special attention, and specific rules and operational procedures must be established to deal with them. Safety data, reference materials, and texts must be kept available if prudent safety is to be practiced and accidents prevented or minimized.
NASA's Propulsion Research Laboratory
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
The grand opening of NASA's new, world-class laboratory for research into future space transportation technologies located at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, took place in July 2004. The state-of-the-art Propulsion Research Laboratory (PRL) serves as a leading national resource for advanced space propulsion research. Its purpose is to conduct research that will lead to the creation and development of innovative propulsion technologies for space exploration. The facility is the epicenter of the effort to move the U.S. space program beyond the confines of conventional chemical propulsion into an era of greatly improved access to space and rapid transit throughout the solar system. The laboratory is designed to accommodate researchers from across the United States, including scientists and engineers from NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, universities, and industry. The facility, with 66,000 square feet of useable laboratory space, features a high degree of experimental capability. Its flexibility allows it to address a broad range of propulsion technologies and concepts, such as plasma, electromagnetic, thermodynamic, and propellant propulsion. An important area of emphasis is the development and utilization of advanced energy sources, including highly energetic chemical reactions, solar energy, and processes based on fission, fusion, and antimatter. The Propulsion Research Laboratory is vital for developing the advanced propulsion technologies needed to open up the space frontier, and sets the stage of research that could revolutionize space transportation for a broad range of applications.
India's baseline plan for nuclear energy self-sufficiency.
Bucher, R .G.; Nuclear Engineering Division
India's nuclear energy strategy has traditionally strived for energy self-sufficiency, driven largely by necessity following trade restrictions imposed by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) following India's 'peaceful nuclear explosion' of 1974. On September 6, 2008, the NSG agreed to create an exception opening nuclear trade with India, which may create opportunities for India to modify its baseline strategy. The purpose of this document is to describe India's 'baseline plan,' which was developed under constrained trade conditions, as a basis for understanding changes in India's path as a result of the opening of nuclear commerce. Note that this treatise is based upon publicly available information. No attempt is made to judge whether India can meet specified goals either in scope or schedule. In fact, the reader is warned a priori that India's delivery of stated goals has often fallen short or taken a significantly longer period to accomplish. It has been evident since the early days of nuclear power that India's natural resources would determine the direction of its civil nuclear power program. It's modest uranium but vast thorium reserves dictated that the country's primary objective would be thorium utilization. Estimates of India's natural deposits vary appreciably, but its uranium reserves are known to be extremely limited, totaling approximately 80,000 tons, on the order of 1% of the world's deposits; and nominally one-third of this ore is of very low uranium concentration. However, India's roughly 300,000 tons of thorium reserves account for approximately 30% of the world's total. Confronted with this reality, the future of India's nuclear power industry is strongly dependent on the development of a thorium-based nuclear fuel cycle as the only way to insure a stable, sustainable, and autonomous program. The path to India's nuclear energy self-sufficiency was first outlined in a seminal paper by Drs. H. J. Bhabha and N. B. Prasad presented at the Second
Warburg micro syndrome in siblings from India
Sekhon, Prabhjot Kaur; Premalatha, R.; Sabapathy, Sarala
Warburg syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by microcephaly, microcornea, congenital cataract, developmental delay, and hypogonadism. Here, we report two siblings from India who presented with developmental delay, microcornea, microphthalmia, and bilateral congenital cataracts, born to the third-degree consanguineously married couple. Both children had hypoplasia of corpus callosum. In this report, we aim to highlight and compare clinical features of these two cases with previously reported cases. PMID:27195044
Tuberculosis Risk among Medical Trainees, Pune, India
Chandanwale, Ajay; Patil, Akhil; Kadam, Dileep; Joshi, Samir; Gupte, Nikhil; McIntire, Katie; Jain, Divyashri; Dalal, Hamza; Badave, Rohan; DeLuca, Andrea; Gupta, Amita; Bollinger, Robert; Mave, Vidya
During 2012–2013, at a public hospital in Pune, India, 26 (3.9%) cases of tuberculosis were reported among 662 medical trainees, representing an estimated incidence of 3,279 cases/100,000 person-years. Three of these infections were isoniazid-resistant, 1 was multidrug-resistant, and 1 occurred in a trainee who had fulminant hepatitis after starting treatment for TB. PMID:26889712
Widening economic & social disparities: implications for India.
Kurian, N J
India is often characterized as an emerging economic super power. The huge demographic dividend, the high quality engineering and management talent, the powerful Indian diaspora and the emerging Indian transnational--kneeling the optimism. In contrast, there is another profile of India which is rather gloomy. This is the country with the largest number of the poor, illiterates and unemployed in the world. High infant mortality, morbidity and widespread anaemia among women and children continue. India suffers from acute economic and social disparities. This article addresses four dimensions of such disparities, viz. regional, rural-urban, social, and gender. There is empirical evidence to indicate that during the last two decades all these disparities have been increasing. As a result of economic reforms, the southern and western States experienced accelerated economic and social development as compared to northern and eastern States. This has led to widening gap in income, poverty and other indicators of development between the two regions. Rural-urban divide also widened in the wake of reforms. While large and medium cities experience unprecedented economic prosperity, the rural areas experience economic stagnation. As a result, there is widespread agrarian distress which results in farmers' suicide and rural unrest. Socially backward sections, especially scheduled castes and tribes (SCs and STs) have gained little from the new prosperity which rewards disproportionately those with assets, skills and higher education. STs have often been victims of development as a result of displacement. The gender gap in social and economic status, traditionally more in India as compared to other societies; has further widened by the economic reforms and globalization. The approach paper to the Eleventh Plan stresses the importance of more inclusive economic growth. It emphasizes the need for bridging the divides discussed in this article. Unless these are achieved in a time
Improved source localization with LIGO-India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fairhurst, S.
A global network of advanced gravitational wave interferometric detectors is under construction. These detectors will offer an order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity over the initial detectors, and will usher in the era of gravitational wave astronomy. Gravitational wave sources can be localized on the sky, primarily through time of arrival measurements at the detectors, allowing for followup observations by telescopes. In this paper, we have evaluated the improvement in sky localization obtained by relocating one of the Advanced LIGO detectors to India.
The modified mucus method in India.
Dorairaj, K
The modified mucus method-Prajanan Jagriti (fertility awakening) is intended to serve the cultural needs of illiterate and semilliterate women. Over 10 months, 3003 women in northern India were taught the modified mucus method. There were a total of 42 pregnancies in 24,702 cycles for a Pearl index of 2.04. High effectiveness is attributed to the support that was provided to clients by the instructor. PMID:1755473
The landless poor--India's growing problem.
Baidya, K N
The bulk of poverty in India is found among those with no land or insufficient land with which to feed themselves. This predicament is a result of both population growth and the failure of the government to create sufficient employment opportunities in rural areas. India's inheritance custom, which calls for a sharing of property among a deceased's heirs, has fragmented farms into ever smaller holdings. The sharecropping system has created obstacles against participation of the rural masses in the development effort. The failure of agrarian reform efforts in India is attributed to the resistance of the powerful land-owning interests, supported by small landowners. Industrialization has not provided employment for the many rural unemployed who drift to the cities. It is not the lack of agricultural investment per se that is the source of the problem of the landless poor. Rather, social and political issues are involved. Large farms tend to obtain whatever aid is available for rural development. The increased use of electrification and mechanization has reduced the amount of employment available for landless workers. Half of India's arable land remains in the hands of 7% of the big land-holders. Thus, the gap between the haves and the have-nots has actually increased as a result of agricultural development. Food production has increased, but the ability of the poor masses to purchase food has decreased. As long as they are weak economically, the poor are likely to remain weak politically. Thus, there is a need for both economic and political reform. Resources must be massively diverted for the benefit of the rural sector, and power must be developed within democratic organizations at the rural level. The consequences of such change may be unacceptable to the elite classes who control the state apparatus and have the power to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality, however. PMID:12266988
Postgraduate training in psychiatry in India
Sharma, Shridhar
This review traces the evolution of modern medical education in India on the one hand and the formation of the Indian Psychiatric Society and the progress of postgraduate psychiatric education on the other hand, all in the context of Indian psychiatry. The topic is covered under the headings standard of psychiatric education, the goals, competencies required, impact of psychiatric disorders, relation of medicine to psychiatry, and the directions for the future of postgraduate psychiatric training. PMID:21836724
Promoting safe motherhood in rural India.
Maclean, G
This article identifies some activities performed to promote safe motherhood in rural India. Nurses from a voluntary organization in Hyderabad, India, trained women's groups from 32 villages in rural Andhra Pradesh state over 3 days in 1996 in maternal and child care, health and family welfare, gender issues, sanitation, leadership, literacy, negotiating skills, and health monitoring. The women were encouraged to perform health activities in their villages. In October 1996, a Conference of Women celebrated the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, with women's groups reporting on health activities in specific villages. Each women's group had its own banner. Every woman wore a conference delegate badge. One woman's group was rewarded for making the most significant progress. Participants included women from 29 villages and auxiliary nurse-midwives. For some women, this was the first time away from home. Conference delegates toured the primary health center facilities at Shamirpet and met with staff. The aim was to reduce fear and reluctance to use the services and to promote awareness of available health care. Most villages in India rely on auxiliary nurse-midwives for maternal and child health care. Promotion of safe motherhood requires close cooperation between the auxiliary nurse-midwifes and women's groups. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India is introducing in-service training to improve the clinical skills of auxiliary nurse-midwives in eight states. The nurse-midwives use adapted and new educational material from WHO's safe motherhood midwifery training modules. A workshop was used to introduce the new modules and to propose teaching methods for senior project staff. The five modules include a trainers' manual of educational methods. PMID:12321357
Hemovigilance: A new beginning in India
Boparai, Jaspreet Kaur; Singh, Surjit
Hemovigilance plays an essential role in ensuring patient safety with regard to blood transfusions. The data generated through the hemovigilance system helps in framing important changes in the whole blood transfusion process which are useful for better patient safety. This article briefly describes the history of hemovigilance, why the need of hemovigilance was felt and also illustrates about the Hemovigilance Program of India. PMID:26539371
Study of minimum detection limit of TLD personnel monitoring system in India.
Sneha, C; Pradhan, S M; Adtani, M M
Personnel monitoring of radiation workers in India is carried out using a thermoluminescence dosemeter (TLD) system based on CaSO(4):Dy Teflon TLD disc. The dose due to occupational exposure for a majority of radiation workers is very small and hence is reported as zero. In view of this the detection of low levels of occupational dose over and above a variable background assumes great importance. The present values of reporting levels are based on the standard deviations of annealed dosemeters and therefore are fixed irrespective of period of use and background radiation levels. The validity of these levels is investigated under laboratory conditions. The laboratory values of standard deviations cannot be used as an indication of the imprecision that occurs during service. Therefore, the validity of the reporting levels is also investigated for control dosemeters used in routine service. PMID:20511403
Safety in nuclear power plants in India
Deolalikar, R.
Safety in nuclear power plants (NPPs) in India is a very important topic and it is necessary to dissipate correct information to all the readers and the public at large. In this article, I have briefly described how the safety in our NPPs is maintained. Safety is accorded overriding priority in all the activities. NPPs in India are not only safe but are also well regulated, have proper radiological protection of workers and the public, regular surveillance, dosimetry, approved standard operating and maintenance procedures, a well-defined waste management methodology, proper well documented and periodically rehearsed emergency preparedness and disaster management plans. The NPPs have occupational health policies covering periodic medical examinations, dosimetry and bioassay and are backed-up by fully equipped Personnel Decontamination Centers manned by doctors qualified in Occupational and Industrial Health. All the operating plants are ISO 14001 and IS 18001 certified plants. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited today has 17 operating plants and five plants under construction, and our scientists and engineers are fully geared to take up many more in order to meet the national requirements. PMID:20040970
Urban health in India: who is responsible?
Gupta, Indrani; Mondal, Swadhin
Urban health has received relatively less focus compared with rural health in India, especially the health of the urban poor. Rapid urbanization in India has been accompanied by an increase in population in urban slums and shanty towns, which are also very inadequately covered by basic amenities, including health services. The paper presents existing and new evidence that shows that health inequities exist between the poor and the non-poor in urban areas, even in better-off states in India. The lack of evidence-based policies that cut across sectors continues to be a main feature of the urban health scenario. Although the problems of urban health are more complex than those of rural health, the paper argues that it is possible to make a beginning fairly quickly by (i) collecting more evidence of health status and inequities in urban areas and (ii) correcting major inadequacies in infrastructure-both health and non-health-without waiting for major policy overhauls. PMID:24420558
Animal reservoirs of visceral leishmaniasis in India.
Singh, Niti; Mishra, Jyotsna; Singh, Ram; Singh, Sarman
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a disease that has both zoonotic and anthroponotic etiologies. In India, VL is endemic, considered to be anthroponotic, and caused by Leishmania donovani . Anthroponotic diseases are maintained by transmission from human to human and to a lesser extent from human to animals. Serum samples from 1,220 animals from 7 human VL endemic districts of Bihar, India, were tested for antibodies to a recombinant kinetoplast antigen (rK39 antigen) present in amastigotes of visceralizing Leishmania species, i.e., L. donovani complex. Additionally, PCR was used to examine samples positive by rK39 antigen serology. Antibodies to rK39 indicative of VL were detected in 33 of 1,220 animals. Thirty-one of 867 goats (Capra hircus), 1 of 161 cattle (Bos indicus), and 1 of 54 wild rats (Rattus sp.) were positive by rK39 serology. None of 106 chickens (Gallus domesticus), 26 sheep (Ovis aries), 3 water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalus), or 3 dogs (Canis familiaris) was positive by rK39 serology. Leishmania donovani DNA was detected by PCR in 20 rK39 positive blood samples from goats and 1 sample from a cow. The present study indicates that goats are potential animal reservoirs of human VL in India. PMID:22765517
Reflections on discrimination and health in India.
Srivatsan, R
This is a speculative paper on the structure of caste-based discrimination in India. It sketches the field by a) proposing four empirical and historical examples of discrimination in different medical situations; b) suggesting an analytical framework composed of domain, register, temporality and intensity of discrimination; c) proposing that in the Indian historical context, discrimination masks itself, hiding its character behind the veneer of secular ideas; d) arguing that discrimination is not some unfortunate residue of backwardness in modern society that will go away, but is the force of social hierarchy transforming itself into a fully modern capitalist culture. The paper then arrives at the understanding that discrimination is pandemic across India. The conclusion suggests that in India today, we need proposals, hypotheses and arguments that help us establish the ethical framework for meaningful empirical research that sociological studies of medical ethics and the epidemiology of discrimination can pursue. Its method is that of logical and speculative argument based on experience, with examples of different forms of discrimination to clarify the point being made. No specific research was undertaken for this purpose since the paper is not empirically based. PMID:25716435
Molecular biology research in neuropsychiatry: India's contribution.
Sathyanarayana Rao, T S; Ramesh, B N; Vasudevaraju, P; Rao, K S J
Neuropsychiatric disorders represent the second largest cause of morbidity worldwide. These disorders have complex etiology and patho-physiology. The major lacunae in the biology of the psychiatric disorders include genomics, biomarkers and drug discovery, for the early detection of the disease, and have great application in the clinical management of disease. Indian psychiatrists and scientists played a significant role in filling the gaps. The present annotation provides in depth information related to research contributions on the molecular biology research in neuropsychiatric disorders in India. There is a great need for further research in this direction as to understand the genetic association of the neuropsychiatric disorders; molecular biology has a tremendous role to play. The alterations in gene expression are implicated in the pathogenesis of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including drug addiction and depression. The development of transgenic neuropsychiatric animal models is of great thrust areas. No studies from India in this direction. Biomarkers in neuropsychiatric disorders are of great help to the clinicians for the early diagnosis of the disorders. The studies related to gene-environment interactions, DNA instability, oxidative stress are less studied in neuropsychiatric disorders and making efforts in this direction will lead to pioneers in these areas of research in India. In conclusion, we provided an insight for future research direction in molecular understanding of neuropsychiatry disorders. PMID:21836667
Making medicine indigenous: homeopathy in South India.
Hausman, Gary J
Historical studies of homeopathy in Europe and the USA have focused on practitioners' attempts to emphasize 'modern' and 'scientific' approaches. Studies of homeopathy in India have focused on a process of Indianization. Arguing against such unilineal trajectories, this paper situates homeopathy in South India within the context of shifting relations between 'scientific' and 'indigenous' systems of medicine. Three time periods are considered. From 1924 through 1934, homeopathy was singled out by Government of Madras officials as 'scientific', as contrasted with the 'indigenous' Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani systems of medicine. From 1947 through 1960, both 'indigenous' and 'scientific' interpretations of homeopathy were put forward by different factions. An honorary director of homeopathy proposed the Indianization of homeopathy, and its reconciliation with Ayurveda; this view conflicted with the Madras government's policy of expanding the 'scientific' medical curriculum of the Government College of Indigenous Medicine. It was not until the early 1970s that homeopathy was officially recognized in Tamilnadu State. By then, both homeopathy and Ayurveda had become conceptualized as non-Tamil, in contrast with promotion of the Tamil Siddha system of 'indigenous' medicine. Thus, constructs of 'indigenous' and 'scientific' systems of medicine are quite malleable with respect to homeopathy in South India. PMID:12638553
Safety in nuclear power plants in India.
Deolalikar, R
Safety in nuclear power plants (NPPs) in India is a very important topic and it is necessary to dissipate correct information to all the readers and the public at large. In this article, I have briefly described how the safety in our NPPs is maintained. Safety is accorded overriding priority in all the activities. NPPs in India are not only safe but are also well regulated, have proper radiological protection of workers and the public, regular surveillance, dosimetry, approved standard operating and maintenance procedures, a well-defined waste management methodology, proper well documented and periodically rehearsed emergency preparedness and disaster management plans. The NPPs have occupational health policies covering periodic medical examinations, dosimetry and bioassay and are backed-up by fully equipped Personnel Decontamination Centers manned by doctors qualified in Occupational and Industrial Health. All the operating plants are ISO 14001 and IS 18001 certified plants. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited today has 17 operating plants and five plants under construction, and our scientists and engineers are fully geared to take up many more in order to meet the national requirements. PMID:20040970
Kapur, R.L.
Intraspecific violence is now established as a biological phenomenon intrinsic to living nature. Ethologists maintain that culturally moulded programs of aggression which can be released by certain environmental triggers exist in the nervous system among higher animals. Evidence also suggests that there co-exists a biological capacity for morality and empathy. A child by the age of two is endowed with the capacity to refrain from hurting another person purely by identifying himself with the other. This moral faculty is strengthened by parental training, appropriate role models and a nurturing society. In India today, the weakening of cultural values due to rapid social change and the inability of elders and leadership to present a clear set of values which tliey themselves live by has induced a sense of alienation, powerlessness and meaninglessness among the youth. This makes them extremely susceptible to programs of aggression, all the while weakening their empathic and moral inclinations. The paper attempts an in-depth psychological examinations of these issues and also other factors responsible for violence in India. Psychologically rooted strategies to tackle the problem of violence in India are also discussed. PMID:21743695
About "Save the Children Committee (India)".
This article describes the activity among charitable committees to provide education and shelter to orphans and homeless children in India. "Save The Children Committee" of the All India Women's Conference began operations during the Bengal famine of 1943 by providing shelter to children who were homeless or did not know where their parents were. The Bengal Relief Committee also provided shelters, which later became Children's Homes, which were operated by the Save The Children Committee. Funding support for the homes came from individual donors and organizations. The Bengal government provided Rs.25/month/child for 450 children. Children's homes were set up in Phola, Mymensingh, and Brahmanberia, in the present day Bangladesh, and in Bankura. The Committee took over homes in Mahishadal, Khagda, and Belbeni. After 1948, the Children's Homes in East Pakistan were transferred to India. In 1952, several Children's Committees merged. Funds were supplied by international organizations. Government support levels varied over time. Schools for orphans changed from an emphasis on self-reliance and work to ordinary schooling. Brief descriptions are provided for homes at Pifa, Mangalgunge in Bongaon Subdivision, Thakurpukur in 24-Parganas, and Khagda in Midnapore district. For example, the home at Khagda was begun by the Bengal Relief Committee at the time of the famine of 1944. Save The Children Committee took over its operations in 1946. It is now a home for 21 boys. The boys have access to a good high school, have achieved academically, and received respect from the community. PMID:12179427
Floods in Bangladesh and Northeast India
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
For the past month heavy monsoon rains have led to massive flooding in eastern India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, which have killed over 500 people and left millions homeless. This false-color image acquired on August 5, 2002, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA's Terra spacecraft shows the extent of this flooding. In the upper right-hand corner of the image, the swollen Brahmaputra River runs east to west through the Indian state of Assam. Normally, the river and its tributaries would resemble a tangle of thin lines. Moving to the upper left-hand corner, flooding can be seen along the Ganges River in the state of Bihar, India. Both of these rivers flow into Bangladesh along with many others from India and Nepal. Heavy monsoon rains from all across the region have inundated the small country with water this year. Floodwaters have all but covered northeastern Bangladesh, which is usually dry. The Jamuna River, which runs down the center of the country off of the Brahmaputra River, now resembles a narrow lake. Millions of dollars in crops have been destroyed and thousands have been left stranded in their villages or on rafts. Forecasters are warning that flooding could get worse. In the false-color image, land is green, and water is black and dark brown. Clouds appear pink, red and white. Credit: Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC
India: environmental degradation, urban slums, political tension.
Chhabra, R
This article presents an overview of stresses facing Indian society, including population pressures on land and agriculture, topsoil erosion, deforestation, flooding, unemployment, urban slums, and political unrest. Over 60% of India's arable land is estimated to suffer from environmental degradation. This has been caused both by a rapidly growing poor population seeking subsistence and by the misappropriation of natural resources by the wealthy for luxury consumption. Although deforestation is officially cited at 0.37 million acres/year, more sensitive estimates put it at 2.5 million acres/year. Deforestation and massive soil erosion have further created silting, flooding, and pollution in the plains areas of the country. Moreover, the urban population of India is expected to double in the next 15 years to reach a level of 350-400 million. At present, 20-33% of the urban population lives in slums without basic facilities. The employment crisis precipitated by increasing urbanization and migration is expected to be a major problem in the decades ahead. By the year 2000, 7.5 million people will enter the labor force annually. Demographic tension has been a major factor in recent political unrest. Language differences, inequitable access to resources, and the lack of job opportunities have been central issues in these conflicts. Unless more effective means can be found to cope simultaneously with the need to speed up development and meet the needs of a rapidly expanding population, the social and environmental fabric of India is in danger of further erosion. PMID:12313938
Womb Outsourcing: Commercial Surrogacy in India.
Frankford, David M; Bennington, Linda K; Ryan, Jane Greene
Infertility affects more than 7 million American couples. As traditional treatments fail and the costs of hiring a surrogate increase in the United States, transnational commercial surrogacy becomes a feasible alternative for many couples. Infertile couples may opt for this choice after reading enticing Internet advertisements of global medical tourism offering "special deals" on commercial surrogacy. This is particularly true in India where couples from the United States can purchase transnational surrogacy for less than one-half or even one-third of the costs in the United States, including the cost of travel. The majority of surrogate mothers in India come from impoverished, poorly educated rural areas of India. Commercial surrogacy offers the lure of earning the equivalent of 5 years of family income. This multidisciplinary review of the literature suggests that the issue of commercial surrogacy is complex and influenced by a number of factors including expensive infertility costs, ease of global travel, and the financial vulnerability of Indian commercial surrogate mothers and their families. Questions are being raised about decision making by the surrogate mother particularly as influenced by gender inequities, power differentials, and inadequate legal protection for the surrogate mother. More research is needed to understand commercial surrogacy, especially research inclusive of the viewpoints of the Indian mothers and their families involved in these transactions. PMID:26110574
Does occupational health nursing exist in India?
Tiwari, Rajnarayan R.; Sharma, Anjali; Zodpey, Sanjay P.; Khandare, Shobha M.
Background: Occupational health services are important to develop healthy and productive work forces, which should be delivered through occupational health team. Occupational health nurse (OHN) is an important member of this team and is required to apply nursing principles in conserving the health of workers in occupational settings. Purpose: This article attempts to map the occupational health nursing courses in India and design competencies and curriculum for such a course. Materials and Methods: Information through the Internet, printed journals, and perspectives of the key stakeholders were the principal sources of data. Discussion: In India, there is a need to initiate a course on occupational health nursing to provide occupational health services for the organized and unorganized sector workforce. A certificate course for occupational health nursing for 3–4 months duration offered through contact session mode can be an opportune beginning. However, to cater employed nurses an online course can be another effective alternative. The theoretical part should essentially include modules on occupational diseases, industrial hygiene, and occupational health legislation, whereas the modules on practical aspects can include visits to industries. Taking into account the existing norms of Indian Factories Act for hazardous units of organized sector an estimated 1,34,640 OHNs are required. Conclusion: There is a need–supply gap in the number of occupational health nursing manpower in India, which can be attributed to the absence of any course to train such manpower. PMID:25598615
Nanavati, Aditya J; Nagral, Sanjay; Prabhakar, Subramaniam
Fast-track surgery or 'enhanced recovery after surgery' or 'multimodal rehabilitation after surgery' is a form of protocol-based perioperative care programme. It is an amalgamation of evidence-based practices that have been proven to improve patient outcome independently and exert a synergistic effect when applied together. The philosophy is to treat the patient's pathology with minimal disturbance to the physiology. Several surgical subspecialties have now adopted such protocols with good results. The role of fast-track surgery in colorectal procedures has been well demonstrated. Its application to other major abdominal surgical procedures is not as well defined but there are encouraging results in the few studies conducted. There has been resistance to several aspects of this programme among gastrointestinal and general surgeons. There is little data from India in the available literature on the application of fast-tracking in gastrointestinal surgery. In a country such as India the existing healthcare structure stands to gain the most by widespread adoption of fast-track methods. Early discharge, early ambulation, earlier return to work and increased hospital efficiency are some of the benefits. The cost gains derived from this programme stand to benefit the patient, doctor and government as well. The practice and implementation of fast-track surgery involves a multidisciplinary team approach. It requires policy formation at an institutional level and interdepartmental coordination. More research is required in areas like implementation of such protocols across India to derive the maximum benefit from them. PMID:25471759
Record of Tropical Rat Mite, Ornithonyssus bacoti (Acari: Mesostigmata: Macronyssidae) from Domestic and Peridomestic Rodents (Rattus rattus) in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India
Bhuyan, Pranab Jyoti; Nath, Anjan Jyoti
Background: Tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti) is reported from many parts of the world and is considered important in transmitting rickettsial pathogens. There have been scanty reports on prevalence of this parasite from India. Following a recent report of O. bacoti infestation in a laboratory mice colony from Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India, attempts were made to detect the parasite in its natural reservoir, ie the domestic and peridomestic rats (Rattus rattus). Methods: The National Centre for Disease Control, Coonoor is involved in screening plague in domestic and peridomestic rats in Nilgiris and erstwhile plague endemic areas of Southern India. The parasite samples were identified based on the morphological characteristics attributable to O. bacoti and as per description of published literature. Results: Seven mite samples identified as O. bacoti based on morphological characteristics were isolated incidentally from domestic and peridomestic rodents in and around the hilly districts of Nilgiris, Southern India, during the routine plague surveillance programme. The identification was based on the morphological characteristics attributable to O. bacoti observed under a low power microscope. Conclusion: In India, this is probably the first record of isolation of O. bacoti from domestic and peridomestic rodents. Prevalence of such parasite in domestic and peridomestic rats necessitates further investigation on monitoring and surveillance of rickettsial diseases in the locality, as these parasites are considered to be potential vector of transmitting rickettsial pathogens. PMID:27047977
Rapid spread of Chikungunya virus infection in Orissa: India
Dwibedi, B.; Sabat, J.; Mahapatra, N.; Kar, S.K.; Kerketta, A.S.; Hazra, R.K.; Parida, S.K.; Marai, N.S.; Beuria, M.K.
Background & objectives : A large number of cases of undiagnosed fever and joint pain were reported from different parts of the State of Orissa since February 2006. Epidemiological and laboratory investigation were carried out to confirm the cause of emerging illness, which was provisionally suspected as Chikungunya (CHIK) fever. Methods: Upon getting the reports of suspected CHIK like illness in different parts of the State, epidemic investigations were carried out in the outbreak affected villages. Case history was recorded, clinical examination undertaken and blood samples collected for seroconfirmation for CHIK IgM antibody using ELISA based kit. Simultaneously vector survey was also carried out. Results: With no previous record of CHIK infection in the State, the first outbreak was confirmed during February 2006. Subsequently, the infection spread to 13 of 30 districts in different episodes covering 79 villages till November 2007. Attack rate was 9-43 per cent in the different outbreaks with average seropositivity of 24 per cent to CHIK specific IgM. Morbidity was high though no deaths were recorded. Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were identified as the possible vectors for transmission. Interpretation & conclusions : The report confirmed emergence of CHIK infection in the State of Orissa, India, and its spread to a larger geographic zone in a short period which warrants public health measures to control further spread. PMID:21441687
The history of human cytogenetics in India-A review.
Dutta, Usha R
It is 60years since the discovery of the correct number of chromosomes in 1956; the field of cytogenetics had evolved. The late evolution of this field with respect to other fields is primarily due to the underdevelopment of lenses and imaging techniques. With the advent of the new technologies, especially automation and evolution of advanced compound microscopes, cytogenetics drastically leaped further to greater heights. This review describes the historic events that had led to the development of human cytogenetics with a special attention about the history of cytogenetics in India, its present status, and future. Apparently, this review provides a brief account into the insights of the early laboratory establishments, funding, and the German collaborations. The details of the Indian cytogeneticists establishing their labs, promoting the field, and offering the chromosomal diagnostic services are described. The detailed study of chromosomes helps in increasing the knowledge of the chromosome structure and function. The delineation of the chromosomal rearrangements using cytogenetics and molecular cytogenetic techniques pays way in identifying the molecular mechanisms involved in the chromosomal rearrangement. Although molecular cytogenetics is greatly developing, the conventional cytogenetics still remains the gold standard in the diagnosis of various numerical chromosomal aberrations and a few structural aberrations. The history of cytogenetics and its importance even in the era of molecular cytogenetics are discussed. PMID:26850130
A history of the Lonar crater, India: An overview
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Nayak, V. K.
The origin of the circular structure at Lonar, India, described variously as cauldron, pit, hollow, depression, and crater, has been a controversial subject since the early nineteenth century. A history of its origin and other aspects from 1823 to 1990 are overviewed. The structure in the Deccan Trap Basalt is nearly circular with a breach in the northeast, 1830 m in diameter, 150 m deep, with a saline lake in the crater floor. Over the years, the origin of the Lonar structure has risen from volcanism, subsidence, and cryptovolcanism to an authentic meteorite impact crater. Lonar is unique because it is probably the only terrestrial crater in basalt and is the closest analog with the Moon's craters. Some unresolved questions are suggested. The proposal is made that the young Lonar impact crater, which is less than 50,000 years old, should be considered as the best crater laboratory analogous to those of the Moon, be treated as a global monument, and preserved for scientists to comprehend more about the mysteries of nature and impact cratering, which is now emerging as a fundamental ubiquitous geological process in the evolution of the planets.
Evaluating Astronomy Laboratories
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zirbel, E. L.
A set of non-traditional astronomy laboratories for non-science majors will be presented along with evaluations of lab technicians (these labs were originally developed at the College of Staten Island of the City University of New York). The goal of these labs is twofold: (a) to provide the students with hands-on experiences of scientific methodology and (b) to provoke critical thinking. Because non-science majors are often rather resistant to learning the relevant methodology - and especially to thinking critically - this manual is structured differently. It does not only provide traditional cook-book recipes but also contains several leading questions to make the students realize why they are doing what. The students are encouraged to write full sentences and explain how they reach which conclusions. This poster summarizes the experiences of the laboratory assistants that worked with the instructor and presents how they judge the effectiveness of the laboratories.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Perchonok, Michele; Russo, Dane M. (Technical Monitor)
The Space Food Systems Laboratory (SFSL) is a multipurpose laboratory responsible for space food and package research and development. It is located on-site at Johnson Space Center in Building 17. The facility supports the development of flight food, menus, packaging and food related hardware for Shuttle, International Space Station, and Advanced Life Support food systems. All foods used to support NASA ground tests and/or missions must meet the highest standards before they are 'accepted' for use on actual space flights. The foods are evaluated for nutritional content, sensory acceptability, safety, storage and shelf life, and suitability for use in micro-gravity. The food packaging is also tested to determine its functionality and suitability for use in space. Food Scientist, Registered Dieticians, Packaging Engineers, Food Systems Engineers, and Technicians staff the Space Food Systems Laboratory.
Exploration Laboratory Analysis - ARC
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Krihak, Michael K.; Fung, Paul P.
The Exploration Laboratory Analysis (ELA) project supports the Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) risk, Risk of Inability to Adequately Treat an Ill or Injured Crew Member, and ExMC Gap 4.05: Lack of minimally invasive in-flight laboratory capabilities with limited consumables required for diagnosing identified Exploration Medical Conditions. To mitigate this risk, the availability of inflight laboratory analysis instrumentation has been identified as an essential capability in future exploration missions. Mission architecture poses constraints on equipment and procedures that will be available to treat evidence-based medical conditions according to the Space Medicine Exploration Medical Conditions List (SMEMCL). The SMEMCL provided diagnosis and treatment for the evidence-based medical conditions and hence, a basis for developing ELA functional requirements.
Screening difficult-to-reach populations for tuberculosis using a mobile medical unit, Punjab India
Binepal, G.; Agarwal, P.; Kaur, N.; Singh, B.; Bhagat, V.; Verma, R. P.; Satyanarayana, S.; Oeltmann, J. E.
Background: In India, the National Health Mission has provided one mobile medical unit (MMU) per district in the state of Punjab to provide primary health care services for difficult-to-reach populations. Objectives: To determine the number of patients with presumptive tuberculosis (TB) and the number of TB cases detected and treated among patients who used the MMU services from May to December 2012 in Mohali district, Punjab, India. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted and registers of the out-patient, laboratory, radiology, and TB departments of the MMU were reviewed to determine the number of persons presumed to have TB and the number of persons diagnosed with TB. Results: Of 8346 patients who attended the MMUs, 663 (8%) had symptoms suggestive of TB. Among those with TB symptoms, 540 (81%) were evaluated for pulmonary TB using sputum examination or chest X-ray. In total, 58 (11%) patients had clinical or laboratory evidence of pulmonary TB, of whom 21 (36%) started anti-tuberculosis treatment. Conclusion: As MMUs are an integral part of the general public health system, these units have the potential to detect TB cases among difficult-to-reach populations. Additional research is required to optimise the diagnosis of TB at MMUs and to increase rates of TB treatment initiation. PMID:26767177
Analytical laboratory quality audits
Kelley, William D.
Analytical Laboratory Quality Audits are designed to improve laboratory performance. The success of the audit, as for many activities, is based on adequate preparation, precise performance, well documented and insightful reporting, and productive follow-up. Adequate preparation starts with definition of the purpose, scope, and authority for the audit and the primary standards against which the laboratory quality program will be tested. The scope and technical processes involved lead to determining the needed audit team resources. Contact is made with the auditee and a formal audit plan is developed, approved and sent to the auditee laboratory management. Review of the auditee's quality manual, key procedures and historical information during preparation leads to better checklist development and more efficient and effective use of the limited time for data gathering during the audit itself. The audit begins with the opening meeting that sets the stage for the interactions between the audit team and the laboratory staff. Arrangements are worked out for the necessary interviews and examination of processes and records. The information developed during the audit is recorded on the checklists. Laboratory management is kept informed of issues during the audit so there are no surprises at the closing meeting. The audit report documents whether the management control systems are effective. In addition to findings of nonconformance, positive reinforcement of exemplary practices provides balance and fairness. Audit closure begins with receipt and evaluation of proposed corrective actions from the nonconformances identified in the audit report. After corrective actions are accepted, their implementation is verified. Upon closure of the corrective actions, the audit is officially closed.
Epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of von Willebrand disease in India.
Ghosh, Kanjaksha; Shetty, Shrimati
Von Willebrand disease (VWD) in all developing countries including India is considered a rare coagulation disorder, contrary to many reports from Western countries. Prevalence data based on hospital referrals identifies type 3 VWD as the most common subtype followed by type 1 and type 2. Approximately 60 to 70% cases of type 3 VWD are reportedly born of consanguineous marriages. The discriminatory diagnostic tests mainly include assays for factor (F)VIII:C and ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination and Von Willebrand factor (VWF) antigen either by immunoelectrophoresis or by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. VWD-type assisting tests like VWF collagen binding, VWF ristocetin cofactor assay, VWF-FVIII binding assay, and multimer analysis are occasionally used but not routinely applied in many laboratories. Among women, menorrhagia is an important presenting manifestation. Except for a handful of centers mainly in metropolitan cities, most laboratories in the remote parts of the country have no facilities for VWD-related investigations, resulting in occasional misdiagnoses of VWD as hemophilia A. Genetic diagnosis is being offered in two or three centers using the indirect linkage method in type 3 VWD, and efforts are continuing to implementing a direct mutation detection technique for routine practice in a few laboratories. Depending on the subtype or the severity of VWD, desmopressin, cryoprecipitate, fresh-frozen plasma, and factor VIII/VWF concentrates are used for management. Antifibrinolytic agents like epsilon-aminocaproic acid and tranexamic acid are widely used as an adjuvant therapy. In women with menorrhagia, oral contraceptives as a supplementary treatment are also being widely advocated to reduce bleeding. Products like danazol, ethenyl estradiol, thalidomide, and atorvastatin have been used in individual patients; acquired VWD associated with hypothyroidism has been managed successfully with thyroid hormone treatment. Both minor and major surgical
Improving the energy efficiency of refrigerators in India
Sand, J.R.; Vineyard, E.A.; Bohman, R.H.
Five state-of-the-art, production refrigerators from different manufacturers in India were subjected to a variety of appliance rating and performance evaluation test procedures in an engineering laboratory. Cabinet heat loss, compressor calorimeter, high-ambient pull-down, and closed-door energy consumption tests were performed on each unit to assess the current status of commercially available Indian refrigerators and refrigerator component efficiencies. Daily energy consumption tests were performed at nominal line voltages and at 85% and 115% of nominal voltage to assess the effect of grid voltage variations. These test results were also used to indicate opportunities for effective improvements in energy efficiency. A widely distributed ``generic`` computer model capable of simulating single-door refrigerators with a small interior freezer section was used to estimate cabinet heat loss rates and closed door energy consumption values from basic cabinet and refrigeration circuit inputs. This work helped verify the model`s accuracy and potential value as a tool for evaluating the energy impact of proposed design options. Significant differences ranging from 30 to 90% were seen in the measured performance criterion for these ``comparable`` refrigerators suggesting opportunities for improvements in individual product designs. Modeled cabinet heat loadings differed from experimentally extrapolated values in a range from 2--29%, and daily energy consumption values estimated by the model differed from laboratory data by as little as 3% or as much as 25%, which indicates that refinement of the model may be needed for this single-door refrigerator type. Additional comparisons of experimentally measured performance criteria such as % compressor run times and compressor cycling rates to modeled results are given. The computer model is used to evaluate the energy saving impact of several modest changes to the basic Indian refrigerator design.
Proteomics in India: A Report on a Brainstorming Meeting at Hyderabad, India.
Chatterjee, Bhaswati; Makarov, Alexander; Clemmer, David E; Steen, Hanno; Steen, Judith; Saffell-Clemmer, Wendy; Moghekar, Abhay R; Mohan Rao, Chintalagiri; Bradshaw, Ralph A; Thakur, Suman S
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India, was host for an international forum, or "brainstorming meeting," on proteomics held in November 2014, which provided the opportunity to showcase proteomic science in India and to allow discussions between Indian scientists and students and several international visitors. This provided an amalgamation of speakers and participants whose interests lay mainly in developing and using mass-spectrometry-based proteomics to advance their research work. A week-long workshop with hands-on training in proteomic methodology followed the meeting. PMID:27114450
The Applied Mathematics Laboratory.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Siegel, Martha J.
This report describes the Applied Mathematics Laboratory (AML) operated by the Department of Mathematics at Towson State University, Maryland. AML is actually a course offered to selected undergraduates who are given the opportunity to apply their skills in investigating industrial and governmental problems. By agreement with sponsoring…
Simulating Laboratory Procedures.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Baker, J. E.; And Others
Describes the use of computer assisted instruction in a medical microbiology course. Presents examples of how computer assisted instruction can present case histories in which the laboratory procedures are simulated. Discusses an authoring system used to prepare computer simulations and provides one example of a case history dealing with fractured…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Pope, Jonathan
Presents schools as the perfect microcosms of the world of the 1990s: most work is done indoors, many resources are consumed, and schools sit surrounded by large chunks of land mostly devoted to grass and parking. Suggests that a school can serve as two perfect environmental education laboratories, one indoor and one outdoor. Describes how to…
Aquatic Microbiology Laboratory Manual.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cooper, Robert C.; And Others
This laboratory manual presents information and techniques dealing with aquatic microbiology as it relates to environmental health science, sanitary engineering, and environmental microbiology. The contents are divided into three categories: (1) ecological and physiological considerations; (2) public health aspects; and (3)microbiology of water…
Introducing Laboratory Safety.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
DeLorenzo, Ronald
Presents a simple, 10-item quiz designed to make students aware that they must learn laboratory safety. The items include questions on acid/base accidents, several types of fire extinguishers, and safety glassses. Answers and some explanations are included. (DH)
Microgravity Materials Science Laboratory
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Grisaffe, S. J.
A Microgravity Materials Science Laboratory (MMSL) has been planned, designed, and is being developed. This laboratory will support related efforts to define the requirements for the Microgravity and Materials Processing Laboratory (MMPF) and the MMPF Test Bed for the Space Station. The MMSL will serve as a check out and training facility for science mission specialists for STS, Spacelab and Space Station prior to the full operation of the MMPF Test Bed. The focus of the MMSL will be on experiments related to the understanding of metal/ceramic/glass solidification, high perfection crystal growth and fluid physics. This ground-based laboratory will be used by university/industry/government researchers to examine and become familiar with the potential of new microgravity materials science concepts and to conduct longer term studies aimed at fully developing a l-g understanding of materials and processing phenomena. Such research will help create new high quality concepts for space experiments and will provide the basis for modeling, theories, and hypotheses upon which key space experiments can be defined and developed.
Water Chemistry Laboratory Manual.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jenkins, David; And Others
This manual of laboratory experiments in water chemistry serves a dual function of illustrating fundamental chemical principles of dilute aqueous systems and of providing the student with some familiarity with the chemical measurements commonly used in water and wastewater analysis. Experiments are grouped in categories on the basis of similar…
Instrumental Analysis Chemistry Laboratory
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Munoz de la Pena, Arsenio; Gonzalez-Gomez, David; Munoz de la Pena, David; Gomez-Estern, Fabio; Sequedo, Manuel Sanchez
designed for automating the collection and assessment of laboratory exercises is presented. This Web-based system has been extensively used in engineering courses such as control systems, mechanics, and computer programming. Goodle GMS allows the students to submit their results to a…
Energy Systems Laboratory Groundbreaking
Hill, David; Otter, C.L.; Simpson, Mike; Rogers, J.W.
INL recently broke ground for a research facility that will house research programs for bioenergy, advanced battery systems, and new hybrid energy systems that integrate renewable, fossil and nuclear energy sources. Here's video from the groundbreaking ceremony for INL's new Energy Systems Laboratory. You can learn more about CAES research at http://www.facebook.com/idahonationallaboratory.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Writing the Laboratory Notebook.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kanare, Howard M.
The purpose of this book is to teach the principles of proper scientific notekeeping. The principles presented in this book are goals for which working scientists must strive. Chapter 1, "The Reasons for Notekeeping," is an overview of the process of keeping a laboratory notebook. Chapter 2, "The Hardware of Notekeeping," is intended especially…
Energy Systems Laboratory Groundbreaking
Hill, David; Otter, C.L.; Simpson, Mike; Rogers, J.W.;
INL recently broke ground for a research facility that will house research programs for bioenergy, advanced battery systems, and new hybrid energy systems that integrate renewable, fossil and nuclear energy sources. Here's video from the groundbreaking ceremony for INL's new Energy Systems Laboratory. You can learn more about CAES research at http://www.facebook.com/idahonationallaboratory.
Microcomputers in the Laboratory.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rafert, Bruce; Nicklin, R. C.
A one-semester hour laboratory course introduced junior and senior physics majors to assembly language programing and to interfacing KIM-1 microcomputer to experiments. A general purpose interface to a standard breadboard was developed. Course details, apparatus, and some interfacing projects are given. (Author/SK)
Introductory Materials Laboratory.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ritter, John E., Jr.
Described is an introductory materials science laboratory program which emphasizes crystal structure both on the atomistic and microscopic scale and the dependence of materials properties on structure. The content of this program is classified into four major areas: (1) materials science, (2) mechanical behavior of materials, (3) materials testing…
Revitalizing chemistry laboratory instruction
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
McBride, Phil Blake
This dissertation involves research in three major domains of chemical education as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. program in chemistry at Miami University with a major emphasis on chemical education, and concurrent study in organic chemistry. Unit I, Development and Assessment of a Column Chromatography Laboratory Activity, addresses the domain of Instructional Materials Development and Testing. This unit outlines the process of developing a publishable laboratory activity, testing and revising that activity, and subsequently sharing that activity with the chemical education community. A laboratory activity focusing on the separation of methylene blue and sodium fluorescein was developed to demonstrate the effects of both the stationary and mobile phase in conducting a separation. Unit II, Bringing Industry to the Laboratory, addresses the domain of Curriculum Development and Testing. This unit outlines the development of the Chemistry of Copper Mining module, which is intended for use in high school or undergraduate college chemistry. The module uses the learning cycle approach to present the chemistry of the industrial processes of mining copper to the students. The module includes thirteen investigations (three of which are web-based and ten which are laboratory experiments) and an accompanying interactive CD-ROM, which provides an explanation of the chemistry used in copper mining with a virtual tour of an operational copper mine. Unit III, An Alternative Method of Teaching Chemistry. Integrating Lecture and the Laboratory, is a project that addresses the domain of Research in Student Learning. Fundamental Chemistry was taught at Eastern Arizona College as an integrated lecture/laboratory course that met in two-hour blocks on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The students taking this integrated course were compared with students taking the traditional 1-hour lectures held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with accompanying 3-hour lab on
Primary hydatid cyst of the kidney and ureter with hydatiduria in a laboratory worker: a case report.
Seetharam, Venkatesh; Khanna, Vinay; Jaiprakash, Padmapriya; Kosaraju, Kranthi; Thomas, Joseph; Mukhopadhayay, Chiranjay
Hydatid disease is frequent in endemic regions and sheep farming areas. Most common localization of hydatid cyst occurs in liver followed by lungs. Renal hydatid cyst constitutes about 2-4% of all locations. We report a case of left renal hydatid from a laboratory technician admitted in a tertiary care hospital. There were few cases of renal hydatid disease reported in India among general population but to the best of our knowledge never reported from laboratory worker. The possibility of laboratory-acquired infection cannot be ruled out in this case due to lack of precautionary measures and containment facilities in resource-constrained setting. PMID:24555138
Network of LAMP systems for atmospheric monitoring in India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yellapragada, Bhavani Kumar; Jayaraman, Achuthan
A systematic knowledge of the vertical distribution of aerosol particles in the atmosphere is required for understanding many atmospheric processes such as dynamics of boundary layer, pollution transport, modification of cloud microphysics etc. At present, the information on the particle distribution in the atmosphere is far from sufficient to estimate properly the load of aerosols in the atmosphere. Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) has been demonstrated to be a reliable remote sensing technique to obtain altitude profiles of atmospheric cloud and aerosol scattering. A LIDAR network is being implemented by National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), a Department of Space unit, in India for the measurement and monitoring of the atmospheric aerosols and clouds. Towards this, the technology of boundary layer lidar (BLL) (Bhavani Kumar, 2006) has been exploited. Several industrial grade BLL systems are being fabricated at a private industry in India through technological transfer from NARL. The industrial BLL lidar is named as LAMP, stands for LIDAR for Atmospheric Measurement and Probing. Five LAMP systems have already been fabricated and deployed at several locations of the country for continuous monitoring of aerosols and clouds under the Indian Lidar network (I-LINK) programme. The LAMP system employs a single barrel construction so that no realignment is required in future. Moreover, the network lidar system employs several features like rotation facility about the elevation (EL) axis, a provision of front window for environmental protection to the telescope optics and a silica gel pocket for desiccation (for transmit and receive assembly) and a provision of nitrogen purging to overcome the humidity effects. The LAMP system is an autonomous system equipped with a diode pumped Nd-YAG laser, a PMT for the detection of the backscattered photons, and a PC based photon counting electronics for recording the photon returns. In this paper, a report describing
Environmental impact of coal industry and thermal power plants in India.
Mishra, U C
Coal is the only natural resource and fossil fuel available in abundance in India. Consequently, it is used widely as a thermal energy source and also as fuel for thermal power plants producing electricity. India has about 90,000 MW installed capacity for electricity generation, of which more than 70% is produced by coal-based thermal power plants. Hydro-electricity contributes about 25%, and the remaining is mostly from nuclear power plants (NPPs). The problems associated with the use of coal are low calorific value and very high ash content. The ash content is as high as 55-60%, with an average value of about 35-40%. Further, most of the coal is located in the eastern parts of the country and requires transportation over long distances, mostly by trains, which run on diesel. About 70% oil is imported and is a big drain on India's hard currency. In the foreseeable future, there is no other option likely to be available, as the nuclear power programme envisages installing 20,000 MWe by the year 2020, when it will still be around 5% of the installed capacity. Hence, attempts are being made to reduce the adverse environmental and ecological impact of coal-fired power plants. The installed electricity generating capacity has to increase very rapidly (at present around 8-10% per annum), as India has one of the lowest per capita electricity consumptions. Therefore, the problems for the future are formidable from ecological, radio-ecological and pollution viewpoints. A similar situation exists in many developing countries of the region, including the People's Republic of China, where coal is used extensively. The paper highlights some of these problems with the data generated in the author's laboratory and gives a brief description of the solutions being attempted. The extent of global warming in this century will be determined by how developing countries like India manage their energy generation plans. Some of the recommendations have been implemented for new plants
Laboratory Waste Management. A Guidebook.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.
A primary goal of the American Chemical Society Task Force on Laboratory Waste Management is to provide laboratories with the information necessary to develop effective strategies and training programs for managing laboratory wastes. This book is intended to present a fresh look at waste management from the laboratory perspective, considering both…
The Geopolitics and Meanings of India's Massive Skills Development Ambitions
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
King, Kenneth
This paper interrogates the drivers and meanings behind the dramatic rise of technical and vocational education and training in the policy and political agenda of India. What are the assumptions about the existing traditions and character of India's culture or cultures of skills development? Is the massive planned expansion of skilled people in…
The National Insurance Academy: Serving India's Insurance Professionals and Researchers
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sane, Bhagyashree
This article discusses how a special library can meet the needs of a specific industry. The author focuses on India's National Insurance Academy (NIA) Library, which serves the insurance industry of India and some neighboring countries. It is where the author serves as the chief librarian.
ICT Oriented toward Nyaya: Community Computing in India's Slums
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Byker, Erik J.
In many schools across India, access to information and communication technology (ICT) is still a rare privilege. While the Annual Status of Education Report in India (2013) showed a marginal uptick in the amount of computers, the opportunities for children to use those computers have remained stagnant. The lack of access to ICT is especially…
Problems and Challenges in Medical Education in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Goswami, Sribas; Sahai, Manjari
As India marches towards an exciting new future of growth and progress, medical education will play a pivotal role in crafting a sustained development agenda. The idea of creating a healthy society is no longer a debatable luxury; its significance has been grasped by policy shapers worldwide. In a developing nation like India, medical services…
Photocopy of sketch in India Ink on a quilt from ...
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
Photocopy of sketch in India Ink on a quilt from 1842 (quilt at the Chester County Historical Society, West Chester, Pennsylvania) Photocopy taken by Ned Goode, April 14, 1960 sketch of house in india ink on quilt from 1842 - Primitive Hall, State Route 841 (West Marlborough Township), Clonmell, Chester County, PA
75 FR 60736 - Water Technology Trade Mission to India
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... International Trade Administration Water Technology Trade Mission to India AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice. ] Water Technology Trade Mission to India; February 28... Administration, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (CS), is organizing a Water Technology Trade Mission to...
India: Problems with the Sixth Five-Year Plan.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Masani, Minoo R.
Examines background of India's Sixth Five-Year Plan, describes the current status of the Plan, and assesses the future of economic and political development in India based upon the Plan's achievements in areas including the small industries sector, heavy industry, public services, agriculture, and political cooperation. Journal availability: see…
Where Are They? Gifted Disadvantaged Children in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sharma, Jyoti
India is a pluralistic, multicultural, and multilingual society. Cultural differences within India make it impossible to adopt a common approach to the identification of potentially gifted children. We need a program that is locally driven and culturally appropriate to be able to make a real difference in the future life of young potentially able…
India's People, Country, and Great Religions: Two Instructional Learning Packages.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wales, Largo Ann
Divided into two parts, this slide narration covers India's history, people, religions, geography, and architecture. The first part, "Introduction: Country, People, and History," covers the general history of India and its people. The history is presented through: (1) the architecture, including the Palace of Winds, the Amber Fort, the Taj Mahal,…
Dyschromias: A Series of Five Interesting Cases from India
Namitha, Prabhu; Sacchidanand, S
Dyschromatosis is a pigmentary genodermatosis which presents with hyper and hypopigmented skin lesions giving a mottled appearance. It is a rare entity in India reported mainly in the East Asian population. Classically, two forms have been described; dyschromatosis universalis hereditaria (DUH) and dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria. Here we report four cases of DUH and one case of dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria from India. PMID:26677297
The Implications of Contract Teaching in India: A Review
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chandra, Madhur
The attempt to rapidly increase access to primary education in developing countries like India over the past decade has created a need to commensurately increase the number of teachers in the system. In order to meet the burgeoning demand for additional teachers amidst fiscal constraints, India has chosen to actively promote the hiring of contract…
Reconciling Dichotomous Demands: Telemarketing Agents in Bangalore and Mumbai, India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Noronha, Ernesto; D'Cruz, Premilla
Though outsourcing has created enormous employment potential in India's information technology enabled services/business process outsourcing (ITES/BPO) sector, the implications for employees remain to be understood. The present paper describes employee experiences in telemarketing outbound call centers in Bangalore and Mumbai, India. Following van…
Organizational Commitment among High School Teachers of India and Iran
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Joolideh, Faranak; Yeshodhara, K.
Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the organizational commitment of teachers in India and Iran. It is an attempt to understand how these perceptions vary by demographic variables such as age and subject taught by teachers. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 721 high school teachers in Bangalore (India) and Sanandaj (Iran).…
Communication and Culture in Ancient India and China.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Oliver, Robert T.
The rhetorical theories and practices of ancient India and China provide the themes of this book. An examination of the relationship between culture and rhetoric, East and West, opens the book. The rhetorical milieu of India, its philosophy, social system, and uses of speech, leads to a probing of the caste system and speech of the Brahmins.…
Compulsory Birth Control and Fertility Measures in India.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Halli, S. S.
Discussion of possible applications of the microsimulation approach to analysis of population policy proposes compulsory sterilization policy for all of India. Topics covered include India's population problem, methods for generating a distribution of couples to be sterilized, model validation, data utilized, data analysis, program limitations,…
Linguistic Human Rights and the Tribes in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mishra, Prashant
In a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-lingual country like India, making priorities about the use of language in education, administration, media and other domains of activities is not free from adverse effects. The choice of one language over others becomes threat to the existence of many. The constitution of India has made…
Socio-Economic Development and Gender Inequality in India
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Razvi, Meena; Roth, Gene L.
Gender discrimination in India affects poor women's socio-economic development. This paper describes and interprets recurrent themes indicating that the Indian government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other international human rights organizations show growing concerns regarding gender inequality in India. As it is not within the…