Updating the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) Global Population and Human Capital Projections

The first set of population projections following the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) was developed in 2013. These projections have found widespread use within the environmental and climate change community, among others. In 2018, an SSPs update was generated but not integrated into the SSP database. In 2021, the SSP community requested an update of the human core of the SSPs, which is detailed in this report. This updated version is based on 2020 as the reference year, with adjustments to certain short-term assumptions extending to 2030. Consequently, the assumptions' trend component is grounded in recent observed changes. The modeling approaches for fertility, mortality, and educational attainment have been revised. Notably, there are updates to education-specific fertility rates with new estimates. Education-specific mortality has been made specific to countries and regions. Additionally, this version introduces explicit education-specific migration differentials. The paper presents a comparison between the methodology used for developing the global population and education projections under the five SSPs and the previous method. Furthermore, a brief analysis is conducted on the primary results regarding population size and composition, with comparisons made to earlier projections and other organizations, including the United Nations Population Division

Dynamic Patterns of Circulating Seasonal and Pandemic A(H1N1)pdm09 Influenza Viruses From 2007–2010 in and around Delhi, India

Influenza surveillance was carried out in a subset of patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) presenting at an Employee Health Clinic (EHS) at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi (urban) and pediatric out patients department of civil hospital at Ballabhgarh (peri-urban), under the Comprehensive Rural Health Services Project (CRHSP) of AIIMS, in Delhi region from January 2007 to December 2010. Of the 3264 samples tested, 541 (17%) were positive for influenza viruses, of which 221 (41%) were pandemic Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, 168 (31%) were seasonal influenza A, and 152 (28%) were influenza B. While the Influenza viruses were detected year-round, their types/subtypes varied remarkably. While there was an equal distribution of seasonal A(H1N1) and influenza B in 2007, predominance of influenza B was observed in 2008. At the beginning of 2009, circulation of influenza A(H3N2) viruses was observed, followed later by emergence of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 with co-circulation of influenza B viruses. Influenza B was dominant subtype in early 2010, with second wave of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in August-September, 2010. With the exception of pandemic H1N1 emergence in 2009, the peaks of influenza activity coincided primarily with monsoon season, followed by minor peak in winter at both urban and rural sites. Age group analysis of influenza positivity revealed that the percent positivity of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza virus was highest in >5–18 years age groups (OR 2.5; CI = 1.2–5.0; p = 0.009) when compared to seasonal influenza. Phylogenetic analysis of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 from urban and rural sites did not reveal any major divergence from other Indian strains or viruses circulating worldwide. Continued surveillance globally will help define regional differences in influenza seasonality, as well as, to determine optimal periods to implement influenza vaccination programs among priority populations

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Not AvailableAn experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of trickle infection of Haemonchus contortus on lambs maintained under standard reference feeding with respect to metabolic responses and pathophysiology. The experiment was continued for 10 weeks with the record of weekly body weight, faecal egg count, haematological (haemoglobin, packed cell volume, differential leucocyte count) and biochemical parameters (total serum protein, albumin and iron). A metabolic trial was conducted after 6 weeks of infection. The lambs were slaughtered after 10 weeks and total worm burden was assessed. There was nonsignificant difference in intake and digestibility of nutrients except CP, which reduced in infected group. The N balance was similar between the groups. The blood haemato-biochemical parameters also revealed a nonsignificant alteration except some periodic and low levels of total protein and albumin in few infected animals. The eosinophil count was significantly higher in infected animals. The absence of significant effect of infection on the parameters studied was probably due to high protein diet fed to the lambs that might have negated the adverse effect of parasitism.Not Availabl

An Unusual Case of Cystic Fibrosis Associated Pneumocystis jiroveci Pneumonia in an Infant

Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PJP) is one of the major infections in patients with impaired immunity. The entity is common in HIV-seropositive individuals but quite very rare in HIV-seronegative individuals especially children. We report here a case of 16-week-old HIV-seronegative infant with chief complaint of chronic cough of one month of evolution. Sweat chloride test for diagnosis of cystic fibrosis was positive. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was collected and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated on culture. Empirical antibiotic regimen comprising ceftriaxone and azithromycin was initiated that was switched to meropenem as per antimicrobial susceptibility report, but the patient did not improve. Subsequently, an immunofluorescence staining of BAL fluid was performed and P. jiroveci cysts were detected. Following a laboratory confirmation of Pneumocystis pneumonia, cotrimoxazole was added and the clinical condition of the patient significantly improved. This is an unusual case wherein unsuspected PJP occurred and since signs and symptoms of the patient persisted even after the initiation of antimicrobial therapy for Pseudomonas infection and resolved only after treatment for PJP was started, it suggests a causative role of P. jiroveci rather than colonization/contamination

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Not AvailableEffect ofincreaseddietaryproteinsupplyonrepeated Haemonchuscontortus infection was assessedingrowingnativeChoklalambsinthesemi-aridRajasthanstateofIndia. In a2 3 factorialdesign,48Choklalambs(4–5mo,14.971.0 kg)weredistributedin two maingroups(24animalseach),control(C)andinfected(I)andwerefedon completediets(at3%ofliveweight(LW))withthreelevelsofprotein(CP,g/kgdry matter)high(HP;150),moderate(MP115)andlow(LP;95),thusconstitutingsix treatmentgroupsHPC,HPI,MPC,MPI,LPCandLPIhavingeightanimalseach.Lambsof infectedgroupsweredrenchedwith200infectivelarvae(L3)/kgLWafteronemonthof experimentalfeeding,andsubsequentlywith300L3/kgLWthreetimesaweekfor13 consecutiveweeks.Theexperimentlastedfor21weekswithrecordoffeedintakeand weeklyLWchangealongwithcollectionofbloodandfaecalsamplesforanalysis.Body conditionscore(BCS)ofanimalswererecordedattheendofinfectionregime.A digestibilitytrialwasconductedduring13weeksofinfectiontoassessplaneof nutrition.Themortalitywasgreaterandadverseclinicalsignssuchasinappetance, weightlossandsubmandibularoedemaweremorefrequentintheLPIgroup.TheLPI group alsohadmoresevereanaemia,hypoproteinaemiaandhypoalbumenaemia. Faecaleggcounts,wormburden,establishmentoflarvaeandfecunditywerenot significantly(P40.05) differentbetweenthegroupsofinfectedlambs.However,higher proteinlevelsinthedietenhancedfeedandnutrientintakeandsupportedhigherLW gain withbetterfeedefficiencyandimprovedBCS.Itmaythusbeconcludedthatlambs on LPdietwerelessabletowithstandthepatho-physiologicaleffectsof H. contortus than lambsonMPandHPdiets.Not Availabl

Zirconia supported Ru–Co bimetallic catalysts for diesel soot oxidation

Various amounts of ruthenia–cobaltate bimetallic catalyst supported on zirconia have been prepared by co-impregnation method and their catalytic activity towards soot/carbon oxidation has been evaluated using TG technique under the loose contact condition. These catalysts show good activity for carbon/soot oxidation, which is observed to be a factor of ruthenia content. The thermal stability experiments confirmed the stability of catalytic materials in air at least up to 900 �C. In this way, ruthenia can be easily dispersed on zirconia possibly through the solid solution formation, while its thermal stability can be significantly improved by introducing a transition metal namely cobalt. Formation of Ru–Co bimetallic clusters over zirconia is probably responsible for its thermal stability, while dissociative adsorption of oxygen on catalyst surface appears to be responsible for their catalytic activity