Why isn’t India a major global player? : the political economy of trade liberalization

The policy reforms initiated in India in the mid-1980s and expanded in 1991 helped support an expansion in India’s trade. Trade reforms since the mid-1990s have been piecemeal. This paper argues that without significant further reform and adoption of a focused trade strategy, the competitiveness of India’s industry will suffer, including in areas such as information technology and related services in which India has established a strong global niche. Critical building blocks of such strategic reforms include further reductions in tariffs, opening services sectors to foreign competition, serious initiatives to reduce trade transaction costs that prioritize integration into international supply-chains, and a greater focus on regional integration

Extreme Levels of Underweight and Stunting Among Pre-Adolescent Children of Low Socioeconomic Class from Madhyamgram and Barasat, West Bengal, India

A cross-sectional study on 1206 children (788 boys, 618 girls) aged 1–12 years, belonging to low socioeconomic status, of Barasat and Madhyamgram, West Bengal, India, was undertaken to investigate age and sex variations in height and weight. It also evaluated the levels of underweight and stunting among them. Anthropometric measurements included weight and height. Weight-for-age (WA) and height-for-age (HA) <–2 z-scores were used to evaluate underweight (UW) and stunting (ST), respectively, following the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Guidelines. Results showed that boys aged 4 and 11 years were significantly heavier than girls of corresponding ages. Boys aged 7 years were significantly taller than girls of the same age. Significant (p<0.001) age differences existed in mean weight and height in boys (weight: F=336.762; height: F=565.160) as well as girls (weight: F=275.320; height =498.715). Results also revealed that the mean z-scores of WA (WAZ) and HA (HAZ) were less than (negative values) those of NCHS for both sexes at all ages. The overall (age combined) rate of UW was 60.4% and 51.3%; while that of ST was 51.7% and 48.4%, in boys and girls, respectively. Based on World Health Organization classification of severity of malnutrition, the prevalence of UW and ST were very high (30%) in both sexes. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the prevalence of UW and ST were very high among the subjects. Since the nutritional status of the subjects is not satisfactory, there is need for immediate supplementary nutrition

Histopathological spectrum in cases of abnormal uterine bleeding: a cross sectional study in tertiary care hospital in Tripura

Background: Majority women encounter abnormal uterine bleeding in their life where the causes are not limited to cancer even unknown. The actual cause has not been studied in north-east part of India. This data is scarce in State of Tripura. The present study aims to find out histomorphological patterns of AUB reported in AGMC &amp; GBP Hospital in a calendar year. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted over 2 calendar year from 2021 to 2022 where the cases of AUB irrespective of age, who had undergone endometrial biopsy, endometrial curettage and hysterectomy in Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, AGMC were examined histomorphologically in the dept of Pathology, AGMC. Data were collected in predesigned proforma and analysed using SPSS 21.0 and expressed in both descriptive and inferential statistics. Ethical approval was taken. Results: Total 220 cases of AUB specimens were examined. Among the reported AUB cases, the mean age is 42.5±7.42 year. Overall, 16.81% of the cases of AUB shows normal tissue pattern and 83.19% with abnormal endometrial tissue. Out of 220 sample of AUB, the commonest cause was leiomyoma (20.45%) followed by endometrial hyperplasia (17.27%), adenomyosis (14.54%), mixed tumour lesion (9.09%), endometrial carcinoma (4.54%) and 1.35% shows cervical cancer. Conclusions: Study concluded that In Tripura, majority AUB cases are due to leiomyoma, endometrial hyperplasia, adenomyosis and mixed inflammation indicating proper screening during reproductive stage of the women

A Comparative Study of Hungarian and Indian University Students’ Attitudes Toward Forestry = Egyetemi hallgatók bizonytalan attitűdjei a fával, faanyagokkal, erdőgazdálkodással, fakitermeléssel, fatermékekkel és fenntartható erdőgazdálkodással kapcsolatban a keleti és nyugati kultúrákban: összehasonlító tanulmány India és Magyarország között

Attitudes toward using wood as a raw material vary greatly, from anti-logging and anti-felling propaganda to the propagation of wood use. This study examines attitudes toward wood, trees, and sustainable forest management in two distinct cultures – India and Hungary. Our questionnaire survey findings indicate that sustainable forest management is considered more important in India than in Hungary and that environmental education is more widespread in India (40 %) than in Hungary (19 %). Over 30 % of people in both countries do not plan to keep wood-related traditions or customs. Indian students lean more toward discontinuing the wide use of wood than Hungarian students do. However, anti-logging/anti-felling propaganda is more widespread in Hungary (85 %) than in India (62 %). Passing wooden tools to the next generation shows a decreasing trend, which is significant from a carbon sequestration, carbon storage perspective, and climate protection. The study findings suggest that keeping wood-related traditions and customs should be strengthened in both countries through environmental education. Óriási bizonytalanság tapasztalható a fa alapanyagként való felhasználásával kapcsolatos attitűdökben: egyrészt a fakitermelés- és fakivágás-ellenes propaganda, másrészt a fahasználat propagálása áll szemben egymással. Arra voltunk kíváncsiak, hogy mi a különbség a fáról, a faanyagról és a fenntartható erdőgazdálkodásról való gondolkodásban két különböző kultúra, India és Magyarország között. Kérdőíves felmérésünk eredményei azt mutatják, hogy Indiában sokkal fontosabbnak tartják a fenntartható erdőgazdálkodást, mint Magyarországon, valamint az, hogy Indiában (40%) elterjedtebb a környezeti nevelés, mint Magyarországon (19%). Mindkét országban több mint 30 %-uk nem tervezi a fához kapcsolódó hagyományok vagy szokások megtartását, ami azt sugallja, hogy a fával kapcsolatos hagyományokat meg kell erősíteni. Az indiai hallgatók úgy gondolják, hogy a fát a magyarokhoz képest nem szabad tovább széles körben használni. Megállapítottuk továbbá, hogy Magyarországon elterjedtebb a fakitermelés-ellenes propaganda (85%), mint Indiában (62%), és hogy csökkenő tendenciát mutat a faeszközök következő generációnak való átadásának szándéka. Ez utóbbi a klímavédelemhez hozzájáruló szénmegkötés és széntárolás szempontjából fontos. Ezek az eredmények azt sugallják, hogy a környezeti nevelés részeként mindkét országban erősíteni kell a fával kapcsolatos hagyományok és szokások megőrzését

Can Administration of Potentized Homeopathic Remedy, Arsenicum Album, Alter Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) Titer in People Living in High-Risk Arsenic Contaminated Areas? I. A Correlation with Certain Hematological Parameters

To examine whether elevated antinuclear antibody (ANA) titers reported in random human population of arsenic contaminated villages can be reverted to the normal range by administration of a potentized homeopathic drug, Arsenicum album, randomly selected volunteers in two arsenic contaminated villages and one arsenic-free village in West Bengal (India) were periodically tested for their ANA titer as well as various blood parameters in two types of experiments: ‘placebo-controlled double blind’ experiment for shorter duration and ‘uncontrolled verum fed experiment’ for longer duration. Positive modulation of ANA titer was observed along with changes in certain relevant hematological parameters, namely total count of red blood cells and white blood cells, packed cell volume, hemoglobin content, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and blood sugar level, mostly within 2 months of drug administration. Thus, Arsenicum album appears to have great potential for ameliorating arsenic induced elevated ANA titer and other hematological toxicities

Can Homeopathic Arsenic Remedy Combat Arsenic Poisoning in Humans Exposed to Groundwater Arsenic Contamination?: A Preliminary Report on First Human Trial

Groundwater arsenic (As) has affected millions of people globally distributed over 20 countries. In parts of West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh alone, over 100 million people are at risk, but supply of As-free water is grossly inadequate. Attempts to remove As by using orthodox medicines have mostly been unsuccessful. A potentized homeopathic remedy, Arsenicum Album-30, was administered to a group of As affected people and thereafter the As contents in their urine and blood were periodically determined. The activities of various toxicity marker enzymes and compounds in the blood, namely aspartate amino transferase, alanine amino transferase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione, were also periodically monitored up to 3 months. The results are highly encouraging and suggest that the drug can alleviate As poisoning in humans

Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in COVID-19: study protocol for a global registry of women with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy and their neonates, understanding natural history to guide treatment and prevention

ntroduction Previous novel COVID-19 pandemics, SARS and middle east respiratory syndrome observed an association of infection in pregnancy with preterm delivery, stillbirth and increased maternal mortality. COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, is the largest pandemic in living memory. Rapid accrual of robust case data on women in pregnancy and their babies affected by suspected COVID-19 or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection will inform clinical management and preventative strategies in the current pandemic and future outbreaks. Methods and analysis The pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in COVID-19 (PAN-COVID) registry are an observational study collecting focused data on outcomes of pregnant mothers who have had suspected COVID-19 in pregnancy or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and their neonates via a web-portal. Among the women recruited to the PAN-COVID registry, the study will evaluate the incidence of: (1) miscarriage and pregnancy loss, (2) fetal growth restriction and stillbirth, (3) preterm delivery, (4) vertical transmission (suspected or confirmed) and early onset neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection. Data will be centre based and collected on individual women and their babies. Verbal consent will be obtained, to reduce face-to-face contact in the pandemic while allowing identifiable data collection for linkage. Statistical analysis of the data will be carried out on a pseudonymised data set by the study statistician. Regular reports will be distributed to collaborators on the study research questions. Ethics and dissemination This study has received research ethics approval in the UK. For international centres, evidence of appropriate local approval will be required to participate, prior to entry of data to the database. The reports will be published regularly. The outputs of the study will be regularly disseminated to participants and collaborators on the study website (https://pan-covid.org) and social media channels as well as dissemination to scientific meetings and journals