Constructing Local Sea Level Rise Scenarios for Assessing Possible Impacts and Adaptation Needs: Insights from Coasts of India

Rising seas are one of the crucial impacts of global warming. Rise in the mean sea level may impact coastal communities under an increasingly warming climate. The coastal zones are highly resourceful and dynamic. The coastal zones are facing many natural hazards such as erosion, storm surge, tsunami, coastal flooding and sea level rise. It is projected to have a three-time expansion of density of population in the coastal areas, and 50% of the world’s population will be occupied within the vicinity of 100 km of coastal areas. India has a very long coastline of 7500 km and covers 16.7% of the world’s population and has a very high population growth rate which itself make India highly sensitive to these environmental challenge. Projections of mean global sea level rise (GSLR) provide insufficient information to plan adaptive responses; local decisions require local projections that accommodate different risk tolerances and time frames and that can be linked to storm surge projections. Therefore, in this chapter, the main endeavor is to identify and compare coastal vulnerability to projected future sea level rise. In order to project the sea level rise at local level, a climate- and sea level rise simulator model output based on IPCC AR5 (Special Report on Emission Scenarios) has been employed under different scenarios. The results reveal that sea level for Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Cochin and Mumbai may increase by 1.16, 1.19, 1.34, 1.24 m, respectively, by 2100 under the high-emission business as usual carbon pollution scenario under IPCC AR5 Representative Concentration Pathway. The sea level of west coast tends to rise slightly more than the east coastal areas of India. These estimates have great potential for the coastal regulatory authority and other decision-makers to take precautions with regard to inundations of low-lying areas and to conserve India’s eco-sensitive coastal resources

Gender Mainstreaming in Women SHGs through Seafood Kitchens in Kerala: An Appraisal

An appraisal on the impact of SHGs in gender mainstreaming was undertaken on the seafood kitchen units operating at Pooyya of Thrissur District and Pookode of Wayanadu District in Kerala. Performance assessment of the SHGs, gender analysis, empowerment analysis and economic feasibility analysis were carried out based on socio-economic surveys and personal interviews using pre-tested and structured data collecting protocols with standardized scales and indices involving the members of the SHGs. The quantification of empowerment Index was done based on 8 relevant dimensions constituting it. The male and female counterparts of the families were separately interviewed to assess the gender mainstreaming aspects in terms of equity and equality to resource access, participation profile, decision making aspects, gender need analysis etc. The scales standardized for Empowerment Index’ and ‘Performance Assessment’ for this study have ample potential for future use in other key areas on a sustainable basis. The lacunae identified in computation of Empowerment Index give distinct feedback to authorities to proceed in the right direction. The gender dimension analysis on mainstreaming aspect gives sensitization on crucial issues like women fisher folk’s rights and marketing channels for policies and other interventions on gender. Inter relationships between the variables measured in the study can act as catalytic points for group empowerment on a sustainable basis. The indicative economics worked out for the economic feasibility analysis of the SHGs suggests that, the unit takes three years to break even. A success story was elucidated and documented as a video documentary which can be used as a practical manual and case model for promoting group action for mobilizing SHGs on a sustainable basis

Mainstreaming Gender in the Context of Seaweed Farming SHGs in Ramanathapuram: A Pragmatic Evaluation

A pragmatic examination on the impact of women SHGs in gender mainstreaming was embarked on the 10 seaweed farming SHG units operating at Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu state. An explorative assessment on extent of empowerment, performance level, gender characteristics and economic feasibility analysis was carried out based on socio-economic surveys and personal interviews using pre-tested and structured data gathering protocols with standardized scales and indices. Empowerment Index was quantified based on 8 relevant dimensions constituting it. The male and female counterparts of the families were separately interviewed to evaluate the gender mainstreaming aspects in terms of equity and equality to access to resources, participation profile, decision making aspects, gender need analysis etc. Though majority of activities are male dominated, the female counterparts of the households also have committed role in site selection, seeding, drying, packing etc. The Scales of ‘Performance Assessment’ and ‘Empowerment Index’ developed for this study have upright prospective for future use in other key areas on a sustainable basis. Voids identified in Empowerment Index computation give adequate feedback to authorities to proceed in the accurate direction and to follow apposite changes in strategies of the microenterprise. The gender dimension analysis on mainstreaming aspect gives sensitization on crucial issues like women fisherfolk’s rights and marketing channels for policies and other interventions on gender. The identified interrelationships between the variables an act as catalytic points for group action and empowerment on a maintainable basis. The indicative economics worked out for the economic feasibility analysis of the SHGs advocates that, the unit takes just one year to break even which shows the cost-effectiveness of the seaweed farming enterprise

Aggregation tests identify new gene associations with breast cancer in populations with diverse ancestry

Low-frequency variants play an important role in breast cancer (BC) susceptibility. Gene-based methods can increase power by combining multiple variants in the same gene and help identify target genes. We evaluated the potential of gene-based aggregation in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium cohorts including 83,471 cases and 59,199 controls. Low-frequency variants were aggregated for individual genes' coding and regulatory regions. Association results in European ancestry samples were compared to single-marker association results in the same cohort. Gene-based associations were also combined in meta-analysis across individuals with European, Asian, African, and Latin American and Hispanic ancestry. In European ancestry samples, 14 genes were significantly associated (q < 0.05) with BC. Of those, two genes, FMNL3 (P = 6.11 × 10 ) and AC058822.1 (P = 1.47 × 10 ), represent new associations. High FMNL3 expression has previously been linked to poor prognosis in several other cancers. Meta-analysis of samples with diverse ancestry discovered further associations including established candidate genes ESR1 and CBLB. Furthermore, literature review and database query found further support for a biologically plausible link with cancer for genes CBLB, FMNL3, FGFR2, LSP1, MAP3K1, and SRGAP2C. Using extended gene-based aggregation tests including coding and regulatory variation, we report identification of plausible target genes for previously identified single-marker associations with BC as well as the discovery of novel genes implicated in BC development. Including multi ancestral cohorts in this study enabled the identification of otherwise missed disease associations as ESR1 (P = 1.31 × 10 ), demonstrating the importance of diversifying study cohorts. [Abstract copyright: © 2023. The Author(s).

A network analysis to identify mediators of germline-driven differences in breast cancer prognosis

cited By 0Identifying the underlying genetic drivers of the heritability of breast cancer prognosis remains elusive. We adapt a network-based approach to handle underpowered complex datasets to provide new insights into the potential function of germline variants in breast cancer prognosis. This network-based analysis studies similar to 7.3 million variants in 84,457 breast cancer patients in relation to breast cancer survival and confirms the results on 12,381 independent patients. Aggregating the prognostic effects of genetic variants across multiple genes, we identify four gene modules associated with survival in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative and one in ER-positive disease. The modules show biological enrichment for cancer-related processes such as G-alpha signaling, circadian clock, angiogenesis, and Rho-GTPases in apoptosis.Peer reviewe

Genome-wide association study of germline variants and breast cancer-specific mortality

BACKGROUND: We examined the associations between germline variants and breast cancer mortality using a large meta-analysis of women of European ancestry. METHODS: Meta-analyses included summary estimates based on Cox models of twelve datasets using ~10

Sensing Macromolecular Rearrangements in Polymer Networks by Photochromic Crosslinkers

A new family of azobenzene crosslinked brominated vinyl ester (DABA–BrVE) polymer networks was developed that exhibits reversible photochromic and fluorescence properties in which azobenzene serves as a crosslinker as well as a molecular sensor of structural and conformational changes of the surrounding macromolecular segments. The covalently “build-in” azobenzene crosslinker functions as a light emitting group capable of sensing stresses or damages, thereby altering photochromic and fluorescence properties. These reversible processes induced by structural network rearrangements may offer numerous application possibilities ranging from molecular stress sensors or nano-crack detectors in composites and other materials

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Not AvailableThe physicochemical properties of muscle proteins extracted from two different weight groups (500 and 1500 g) of barracuda (Sphyraena jello) are discussed. Solubility of sarcoplasmic protein (SPP) from groups I and II fishes were 107 and 167.18 mg per g, respectively. The myofibrillar protein (MFP) concentration was significantly higher in group II. The concentration of reactive sulphydryl group and Ca2+ ATPase activity of MFP were higher in group II fishes than in group I fishes. Surface hydrophobicity of MFP was noticeably higher for group I fishes compared to the other group. High emulsion activity index (EAI) was noticed for group I fishes. EAI of SPP increased but that of MFP decreased with increase in protein concentration in both the fishes. MFP from group I fishes showed better emulsion stability (ES) and the ES showed concentration-dependent increase in both groups for both SPP and MFP. Foam expansion was higher in group I fishes, but foam volume stability (FVS) of both the groups did not show any significant difference. Viscosity, water holding capacity (WHC) and gel strength (GS) were higher for group I fishes. Electrophoretogram of SPP and MFP of both the groups show difference in band pattern indicating that proteins expressed during various stages of growth vary.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThe effect of iced storage on functional properties viz. solubility, emulsion activity index (EAI), viscosity, foaming, of muscle proteins from fresh water fish Rohu (Labeo rohita) was evaluated. Myofibrillar protein (MFP) solubility showed an increasing trend up to 11 days of storage followed by a decrease. Solubility of sarcoplasmic protein (SPP) showed a decreasing trend through out the storage period. A 44% drop in emulsion activity index (EAI as m2/g) was observed in the case of MFP on storage. MFP showed foam volume stability (FVS) of 94% and a 22% loss in stability was recorded on the 25th day. Viscosity of SPP remained relatively stable through out the duration of study while that of MFP showed an increasing trend during the first week and then decreased. Influence of protein concentration on different functional properties were also studied. The data are discussed in relation to protein conformational changes as indicated by changes in hydrophobicity, and reactive sulphhydryl groups. Reactive sulphhydryl groups increased gradually attaining a maximum on the 6th day and a gradual decline towards the end. Hydrophobicity of myofibrillar fraction showed a decrease till the 11th day and thereafter it increased gradually. K-value was taken as an index of quality which shot-up from 0.2% to 59.80% during the storage of fish in ice.Not Availabl