“Disruptive lesser loyalties” in contemporary India

Arjun Srinivas challenges arguments that democracy exacerbates divisions in India. He writes that a crucial distinction needs to be made between the expression of cultural identities and secessionist tendencies

Prediction of the outcome of a Twenty-20 Cricket Match : A Machine Learning Approach

Twenty20 cricket, sometimes written Twenty-20, and often abbreviated to T20, is a short form of cricket. In a Twenty20 game the two teams of 11 players have a single innings each, which is restricted to a maximum of 20 overs. This version of cricket is especially unpredictable and is one of the reasons it has gained popularity over recent times. However, in this paper we try four different machine learning approaches for predicting the results of T20 Cricket Matches. Specifically we take in to account: previous performance statistics of the players involved in the competing teams, ratings of players obtained from reputed cricket statistics websites, clustering the players' with similar performance statistics and propose a novel method using an ELO based approach to rate players. We compare the performances of each of these feature engineering approaches by using different ML algorithms, including logistic regression, support vector machines, bayes network, decision tree, random forest.Comment: Machine Learning Applications, Sports, Cricket Outcome Predictio

Risks and responses in rural India : implications for local climate change adaptation action

To highlight the dynamic reality of adaptation to climate change risks and responses, this detailed study focuses on livelihood transitions in South India. The research examines to what extent multi-scalar adaptation interventions affect local risk and response behaviour. Lack of water due to erratic rainfall and declining ground water levels were the most significant risks. Practices of adjustment are increasingly being challenged by growing climate variability and longer-term manifestations of climate change. While certain strategies do improve household wellbeing in the short run, there is low evidence to suggest an increase in adaptive capacity to deal with climatic risks in the future

Medial and Lateral Entorhinal Cortex Differentially Excite Deep versus Superficial CA1 Pyramidal Neurons

Although hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons (PNs) were thought to comprise a uniform population, recent evidence supports two distinct sublayers along the radial axis, with deep neurons more likely to form place cells than superficial neurons. CA1 PNs also differ along the transverse axis with regard to direct inputs from entorhinal cortex (EC), with medial EC (MEC) providing spatial information to PNs toward CA2 (proximal CA1) and lateral EC (LEC) providing non-spatial information to PNs toward subiculum (distal CA1). We demonstrate that the two inputs differentially activate the radial sublayers and that this difference reverses along the transverse axis, with MEC preferentially targeting deep PNs in proximal CA1 and LEC preferentially exciting superficial PNs in distal CA1. This differential excitation reflects differences in dendritic spine numbers. Our results reveal a heterogeneity in EC-CA1 connectivity that may help explain differential roles of CA1 PNs in spatial and non-spatial learning and memory

Livelihood vulnerability and adaptation in Kolar District, Karnataka, India : mapping risks and responses short report

This work was carried out under the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA), with financial support from the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DfID) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada.During March and April 2016, ASSAR India’s researchers from the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) conducted 18 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) in nine villages in Kolar District, Karnataka. The FGDs were gender-differentiated and ensured representation from different income groups, castes, and religions. We undertook three activities during each FGD: - A timeline exercise to chart biophysical, livelihoods, socio-economic, institutional and political changes from 1970 onwards. - Risk and response mapping. - An institutional mapping exercise to chart key actors and flows of information and credit

The Effect of Psychological Distance on Willingness to Engage in Ideologically Based Violence

Research on the cognitive and decision-making processes of individuals who choose to engage in ideologically based violence is vital. Our research examines how abstract and concrete construal mindsets affect likelihood to engage in ideologically based violence. Construal Level Theory (CLT) states that an abstract mindset (high-level construal), as opposed to a concrete mindset (low-level construal), is associated with a greater likelihood of engaging in goal-oriented, value-motivated behaviors. Assuming that ideologically based violence is goal-oriented, we hypothesized that high-level construal should result in an increased likelihood of engaging in ideologically based violence. In the pilot study we developed and tested 24 vignettes covering controversial topics and assessed them on features such as relatability, emotional impact, and capacity to elicit a violent reaction. The ten most impactful vignettes were selected for use in the primary investigations. The two primary investigations examined the effect of high- and low-level construal manipulations on self-reported likelihood of engaging in ideologically based violence. Self-reported willingness was measured through an ideological violence assessment. Data trends implied that participants were engaged in the study, as they reported a higher willingness to engage in ideologically based violence when they had a higher passion for the vignette's social issue topic. Our results did not indicate a significant relationship between construal manipulations and level of passion for a topic

Bronchiectasis in India:results from the European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC) and Respiratory Research Network of India Registry

BACKGROUND: Bronchiectasis is a common but neglected chronic lung disease. Most epidemiological data are limited to cohorts from Europe and the USA, with few data from low-income and middle-income countries. We therefore aimed to describe the characteristics, severity of disease, microbiology, and treatment of patients with bronchiectasis in India. METHODS: The Indian bronchiectasis registry is a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study. Adult patients ( 6518 years) with CT-confirmed bronchiectasis were enrolled from 31 centres across India. Patients with bronchiectasis due to cystic fibrosis or traction bronchiectasis associated with another respiratory disorder were excluded. Data were collected at baseline (recruitment) with follow-up visits taking place once per year. Comprehensive clinical data were collected through the European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration registry platform. Underlying aetiology of bronchiectasis, as well as treatment and risk factors for bronchiectasis were analysed in the Indian bronchiectasis registry. Comparisons of demographics were made with published European and US registries, and quality of care was benchmarked against the 2017 European Respiratory Society guidelines. FINDINGS: From June 1, 2015, to Sept 1, 2017, 2195 patients were enrolled. Marked differences were observed between India, Europe, and the USA. Patients in India were younger (median age 56 years [IQR 41-66] vs the European and US registries; p<0\ub70001]) and more likely to be men (1249 [56\ub79%] of 2195). Previous tuberculosis (780 [35\ub75%] of 2195) was the most frequent underlying cause of bronchiectasis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common organism in sputum culture (301 [13\ub77%]) in India. Risk factors for exacerbations included being of the male sex (adjusted incidence rate ratio 1\ub717, 95% CI 1\ub703-1\ub732; p=0\ub7015), P aeruginosa infection (1\ub729, 1\ub710-1\ub750; p=0\ub7001), a history of pulmonary tuberculosis (1\ub720, 1\ub707-1\ub734; p=0\ub7002), modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea score (1\ub732, 1\ub725-1\ub739; p<0\ub70001), daily sputum production (1\ub716, 1\ub703-1\ub730; p=0\ub7013), and radiological severity of disease (1\ub703, 1\ub701-1\ub704; p<0\ub70001). Low adherence to guideline-recommended care was observed; only 388 patients were tested for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and 82 patients had been tested for immunoglobulins. INTERPRETATION: Patients with bronchiectasis in India have more severe disease and have distinct characteristics from those reported in other countries. This study provides a benchmark to improve quality of care for patients with bronchiectasis in India. FUNDING: EU/European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations Innovative Medicines Initiative inhaled Antibiotics in Bronchiectasis and Cystic Fibrosis Consortium, European Respiratory Society, and the British Lung Foundation

Risks and responses in rural India: Implications for local climate change adaptation action

People in drylands face multiple climatic and non-climatic risks and subsequently engage in various response strategies to manage these risks. Research on risk management has typically focussed on a static, location-specific understanding of risk and response. However, empirical evidence suggests that risks and vulnerability vary across space and time. Increasingly, responses traverse multiple locations e.g. people move across rural and urban areas, women move beyond the household/community to earn additional incomes. To highlight this dynamic reality of risks and responses, we study livelihood transitions in South India. We unpack risk and response portfolios across scales – household, community, and sub-national (district) levels – and classify them as coping, adaptive and maladaptive. Our findings emphasise that present responses do not necessarily qualify as climate change adaptation strategies. While certain strategies do improve household wellbeing in the short run, there is relatively lower evidence to suggest an increase in adaptive capacity to deal with climatic risks in the future. These findings point to critical gaps in understanding current risk management and how it can contribute to local adaptation policymaking and implementation. Keywords: Semi-arid, India, Livelihoods, Climate change, Adaptation, Vulnerability, Risk managemen