A Revolution Long Turned Brown

The article contains a critical assessment of the agriculture-centric proposals included in the first Budget (2004) of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government of India. The article explores the root cause of the on-going agricultural crisis in the country and argues that despite the declared pro-agricultural stance taken by the incumbent regime, the measures proposed in the budget fail miserably in addressing the real issues. Hence they are unlikely to be successful in lessening the plight of the thousands of distressed farmers of this agro-based country. The real solution, it is argued, lies in going Organic

A study among the Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Non-Gestational Diabetes Mellitus pregnant women highlighting the variations in lipid parameters attending ante natal clinics at Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

Background: Wide variation in the lipid profile in pregnancy is quite common. Exaggerated changes in insulin and lipid levels in women with GDM during pregnancy, lead to significant alterations in lipid levels in comparison to normal pregnancy. Lipid metabolism during pregnancy has a significant role to play in the aetiology and pathogenesis of GDM as is indicated by various studies previously.Methods: A hospital-based case control study was conducted at Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha in the Department of Endocrinology. The sample size was 100 pregnant women. Study period was of one year from June 2018 to June 2019. In women of both the groups, i.e., with GDM and without GDM the mean age of presentation were 20-25 yrs. Out of the 100 cases, we took 50 patients of GDM in the cases group and 50 patients of non GDM pregnant women as control group. Fasting lipid profile was sent to the hospital laboratory analyzed by Tinder’s methods. The results thus obtained were analyzed using student ‘t’ test for statistical significance using SPSS version 20.Results: There was no statistical difference in age and parity between control and case group. Triglyceride (cases- 286.4±77.60 mg/dl) (controls-166±26mg/dl), total cholesterol (cases-256.5±41.7 mg/dl) (controls - 202.5±20.18mg/dl), VLDL (cases-53.4±13.2 mg/dl) (controls-46.6±13.1mg/dl) showed statistically significant values (p value0.5) among GDM and non GDM group. Lipid profile was performed predominately in women in II trimester.Conclusions: In comparison to non GDM women, it was observed that serum triglyceride, total cholesterol and VLDL level are significantly higher in woman with GDM. Whether lipid profile can be used as a predictor for gestational diabetes mellitus in future needs further research

An iterative scheme for finite horizon model reduction of continuous-time linear time-varying systems

In this paper, we obtain the functional derivatives of a finite horizon error norm between a full-order and a reduced-order continuous-time linear time-varying (LTV) system. Based on the functional derivatives, first-order necessary conditions for optimality of the error norm are derived, and a projection-based iterative scheme for model reduction is proposed. The iterative scheme upon convergence produces reduced-order models satisfying the optimality conditions. Finally, through a numerical example, we demonstrate the better performance of the proposed model reduction scheme in comparison to the finite horizon balanced truncation algorithm for continuous-time LTV systems

Subconjunctival and Orbital (Twin) Cysticercosis in a Child

This article is a Photo Essay and does not include an Abstract

Making the international trading system work for climate change : assessing the options

The adoption of the Paris Agreement in December 2015, its rapid entry into force in November 2016 following ratification by a critical mass of countries, and subsequent adoption of a detailed rulebook for its implementation in December 2018 in Katowice – ushered in a new era of international cooperation on climate change. If the 2°C goal is to be achieved, massive improvements in energy efficiency, a substantial scale-up in renewable energy production, and enhanced access to clean energy technologies will be required. This calls for unprecedented efforts across all areas of socioeconomic activity, and thus also depends on support from other international regimes. The issues of policy and regime coherence assume particular importance vis-à-vis the international trading system, given that trade has an important role to play towards achievement of the Paris goals – both directly and indirectly. The significant surge in WTO disputes pertaining to climate change and clean energy over the past several years is indicative of the tensions that are brewing at the interface between national climate policies and measures, on the one hand, and international legal regimes pertaining to trade, on the other. With the increasing importance of national measures following the adoption of the Paris Agreement, synergies and conflicts can be expected to change over time. Leaving the fate of climate-related actions to the WTO dispute settlement system is an option that is associated with risks and uncertainty, and could lead to a chilling effect on investment in the sector. That explains the importance of exploring the various ways in which trade policies and frameworks can create a more favourable environment for advancing the objectives of the Paris Agreement and their implementation. Based on an extensive literature review and a series of interviews with policymakers, trade law experts, and other stakeholders, and our own analysis, we have identified a set of options for improved alignment of the trade and climate regimes. These include general options addressing the link between trade and climate change, as well as options specifically related to border carbon adjustments (BCAs) and fossil fuel subsidies. Each of the proposed policy options is analysed with a focus on their political feasibility in the short term. In addition, where possible, we examine factors that may increase the utility and desirability of options, including their potential for reducing legal uncertainty. Based on this analysis, the article concludes with a set of recommendations for future policy reform

THE TRADE SYSTEM AND CLIMATE ACTION: WAYS FORWARD UNDER THE PARIS AGREEMENT

The Paris Agreement has established a new international framework for the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 2020 onwards. Climate policy will be based on national contributions to mitigation, adaptation, and financial, technological, and capacity-building support. At the international level, regular reviews of national efforts will help strengthen transparency and are expected to drive national ambitions to meet the goal of keeping the global average temperature increase below two degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. In order to achieve success, this new regime needs support from other policy regimes. The trade policy agenda is among the most important because trade liberalization can, on the one hand, promote the uptake of climate-friendly goods and services and foster the deployment of clean technologies; however, on the other hand, national climate policy measures can collide with trade rules due to conflicting principles and priorities. This article reviews the interactions between climate and trade policy by providing an overview of the two regimes, focusing on legal and political dimensions. In particular, we assess the interactions between the climate regime’s policy measures with the trade regime of the WTO, as well as aspects that emerge from RTAs. We focus on the question of how the international trade regime could support efforts in tackling climate change

The Form and Substance of International Cooperation on Border Carbon Adjustments

The European Union's (EU) proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) underscores that the introduction of climate-motivated trade measures is no longer just a matter of academic debate. With countries ramping up domestic climate action at different speeds and levels of ambition, the likelihood of other countries following the EU's lead and adopting a border carbon adjustment (BCA) of their own will only increase. International cooperation can help avoid a fragmented landscape of varying BCA designs, mitigate concerns about trade protectionism, and ensure that the further development of BCAs leads to stronger global action on climate change. Some countries have begun to show an interest in pursuing international cooperation involving joint trade measures through “climate clubs.” Yet such international cooperation also raises new questions concerning the legal form, the forum through which cooperation should be pursued, and the (normative) substance of any international agreement on BCAs. The answers to these questions matter not only for the development and implementation of BCAs, but may also affect the future trajectory of the international legal regime for climate change and trade

Designing border carbon adjustments for enhanced climate action

The Paris Agreement advances a heterogeneous approach to international climate cooperation. Such an approach may be undermined by leakage—the displacement of emissions from states with more to less stringent climate policy constraints. Border carbon adjustments (BCAs) offer a promising response to leakage, but they also raise concerns about their compatibility with international trade law. This Article provides a comprehensive analysis of border carbon adjustments and proposes a way to design them that balances legal, administrative, and environmental considerations

Diagnostic dilemmas of squamous differentiation in prostate carcinoma case report and review of the literature

We report a case of pure squamous cell carcinoma involving the prostate and urinary bladder and describe the diagnostic dilemmas that we faced in trying to determine its origin. The patient was diagnosed ten years ago with prostatic adenocarcinoma treated with radioactive seed implantation. During the last year he also underwent a TURP procedure for urinary obstruction complicated by multiple infections. Postsurgery, the patient developed colo-urethral fistula and decision to perform cystprostatectomy was taken. Excision illustrated a tumor mass replacing the entire prostate that microscopically proved to be squamous cell carcinoma. The challenge that we encountered was to determine its origin, the possibilities being divergent differentiation from adenocarcinoma post radiation therapy, de novo neoplasm or urothelial carcinoma with extensive squamous differentiation. Our literature review showed also that the etiology of prostatic squamous carcinoma is still unclear. We present our approach in an attempt to solve this dilemma