A comparative Assessment of Social Safety Net Programs in Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh: Impact on Smallholder Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods

This paper has presented a comparative assessment of impact of major social safety nets (SSN) in Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, by conducting a village based assessment. The study has used the database of selected components of panel household survey data compiled by ICRISAT. This was supplemented by focus group discussions and key informant survey in each of the six villages from AP and MP selected for the assessment: four villages in AP and two villages in MP. The results have suggested that institutionalized government SSN programs like Public Distribution System (PDS), National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAP), Mid-day Meal (school) programme and subsidies on rural infrastructure (inputs on house, toilets) are widespread across the study villages; and these programs have played a vital role in reducing the economic vulnerability and distress in farming specially of agricultural labour households. In comparison to MP, the rural households in AP have been found relying more on the governmental SSN. Contradictory to the objectives of SSN programs, the underprivileged labour class households were least benefited in the study villages. However, in Madhya Pradesh, labour class households were getting more benefits than the other three classes of farm households. According to the study, the MGNREGS has been able to address the needs of poor and vulnerable households in coping with the economic backwardness through achieving employment and food security, economic sustainability, and increased productivity of labour.The program has also led to enhancing the poor and vulnerable households’ asset base and breaking their indept-cycle

Process Documentation Research and Impact of Community-Driven Development Grants Research in Rural India, Socioeconomics Discussion Paper Series 34

In 2011 ICRISAT gave experimental grants to six dryland villages targeted by the “Village Dynamics Studies in South Asia” (VDSA) project. Two villages were located in Telangana state (undivided Andhra Pradesh) and four in Maharashtra state. A grant of USD 7,000 (Rs. 315,000) was given to each villages to assess the role of local governance and institutions on agricultural performance, and to evaluate development pathways. The community was free to decide where and how to use the grant. Using the Process Documentation Research (PDR) framework, this report documents the activities of the ICRISAT-VDSA project team and the community implementation committee in using the grant, and lessons learned in the process. We also estimated the number of beneficiaries and the economic benefits from the grant. In two villages, the annual economic benefits from the grant were almost equal to the total grant expenditure. In five villages, the cumulative benefits over the last four years exceeded the total value of the grant. Unlike other publically-funded projects, large numbers of households from minority and socially weaker sections also benefited. The results suggest that, given the opportunity, local communities can effectively execute local infrastructure development projects through need-based collective action, while lowering the transaction costs of community action. By involving local community members in planning and implementing projects, the village grant provided benefits to a large number of households and generated substantial economic benefits. The experiment provides useful lessons for scaling-out village grants to other project villages, and for rural development agencies in India and elsewhere

Are textbook lungs really normal? A cadaveric study on the anatomical and clinical importance of variations in the major lung fissures, and the incomplete right horizontal fissure.

INTRODUCTION: The lungs have three main fissures: the right oblique fissure (ROF), right horizontal fissure (RHF), and left oblique fissure (LOF). These can be complete, incomplete or absent; quantifying the degree of completeness of these fissures is novel. Standard textbooks often refer to the fissures as complete, but awareness of variation is essential in thoracic surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fissures in 81 pairs of cadaveric lungs were classified. Oblique fissures were measured from lung hila posteriorly to the lung hila anteriorly; and the RHF measured from the ROF to the anteromedial lung edge. The degree of completeness of fissures was expressed as a percentage of the total projected length were they to be complete. The frequency and location of accessory fissures was noted. RESULTS: LOF were complete in 66/81 (81.5%), incomplete in 13/81 (16.0%) and absent in 2/81 (2.47%); ROF were complete in 52/81 (64.2%), incomplete in 29/81 (35.8%) and never absent; RHF were more variable, complete in 18/81 (22.2%), incomplete in 54/81 (66.7%) and absent in 9/81 (11.1%). LOF and ROF were on average 97.1% and 91.6% complete, respectively, being deficient posteriorly at the lung hila. The RHF on average 69.4% complete, being deficient anteromedially. There were accessory fissures in 10 left and 19 right lungs. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a projection of the anatomy thoracic surgeons may encounter at operation, in particular the variable RHF. This knowledge is essential for optimal outcomes in both benign and oncological procedures influenced by the fissures

Fog computing security: a review of current applications and security solutions

Fog computing is a new paradigm that extends the Cloud platform model by providing computing resources on the edges of a network. It can be described as a cloud-like platform having similar data, computation, storage and application services, but is fundamentally different in that it is decentralized. In addition, Fog systems are capable of processing large amounts of data locally, operate on-premise, are fully portable, and can be installed on heterogeneous hardware. These features make the Fog platform highly suitable for time and location-sensitive applications. For example, Internet of Things (IoT) devices are required to quickly process a large amount of data. This wide range of functionality driven applications intensifies many security issues regarding data, virtualization, segregation, network, malware and monitoring. This paper surveys existing literature on Fog computing applications to identify common security gaps. Similar technologies like Edge computing, Cloudlets and Micro-data centres have also been included to provide a holistic review process. The majority of Fog applications are motivated by the desire for functionality and end-user requirements, while the security aspects are often ignored or considered as an afterthought. This paper also determines the impact of those security issues and possible solutions, providing future security-relevant directions to those responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining Fog systems

The plant-based immunomodulator curcumin as a potential candidate for the development of an adjunctive therapy for cerebral malaria

The clinical manifestations of cerebral malaria (CM) are well correlated with underlying major pathophysiological events occurring during an acute malaria infection, the most important of which, is the adherence of parasitized erythrocytes to endothelial cells ultimately leading to sequestration and obstruction of brain capillaries. The consequent reduction in blood flow, leads to cerebral hypoxia, localized inflammation and release of neurotoxic molecules and inflammatory cytokines by the endothelium. The pharmacological regulation of these immunopathological processes by immunomodulatory molecules may potentially benefit the management of this severe complication. Adjunctive therapy of CM patients with an appropriate immunomodulatory compound possessing even moderate anti-malarial activity with the capacity to down regulate excess production of proinflammatory cytokines and expression of adhesion molecules, could potentially reverse cytoadherence, improve survival and prevent neurological sequelae. Current major drug discovery programmes are mainly focused on novel parasite targets and mechanisms of action. However, the discovery of compounds targeting the host remains a largely unexplored but attractive area of drug discovery research for the treatment of CM. This review discusses the properties of the plant immune-modifier curcumin and its potential as an adjunctive therapy for the management of this complication

Anti Inflammatory Studies of Barringtonia acutangula (Linn) Fruits on Wistar Rats.

The study aims to evaluate the anti inflammatory activity of Barringtonia acutangula (Linn) fruit extracts in wistar rats. In this study fruits of Barringtonia acutangula were extracted with ethanol and purified water, these extracts were subjected to preliminary phytochemical analysis to identify their phytoconstituents. The ethanol and aqueous extracts were evaluated in vivo by using acute inflammatory models like; carrageenan induced paw oedema and chronic models like; cotton-pellet induced granuloma and carrageenan induced air-pouch model in rats. The biochemical parameters like reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation and catalase were also estimated as supportive studies. Acute toxicity studies were performed initially in order to ascertain the safety of ethanol and aqueous extracts. The ethanol extract reduced the inflammation more significantly than the aqueous extract in the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema, cotton-pellet induced granuloma and carrageenan induced air-pouch model in rats. The phytochemical investigation of the ethanol fruit extract showed the presence of phytosterols, glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids and carbohydrates. From the present study the ethanolic fruit extract of Barringtonia acutangula exhibited the anti-inflammatory effect by augmenting antioxidant defense system in the inflammation bearing rat, which is largely attributable to the additive or synergistic effect of its constituents.

Anti Inflammatory Studies of Barringtonia acutangula (Linn) Fruits on Wistar Rats.

The study aims to evaluate the anti inflammatory activity of Barringtonia acutangula (Linn) fruit extracts in wistar rats. In this study fruits of Barringtonia acutangula were extracted with ethanol and purified water, these extracts were subjected to preliminary phytochemical analysis to identify their phytoconstituents. The ethanol and aqueous extracts were evaluated in vivo by using acute inflammatory models like; carrageenan induced paw oedema and chronic models like; cotton-pellet induced granuloma and carrageenan induced air-pouch model in rats. The biochemical parameters like reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation and catalase were also estimated as supportive studies. Acute toxicity studies were performed initially in order to ascertain the safety of ethanol and aqueous extracts. The ethanol extract reduced the inflammation more significantly than the aqueous extract in the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema, cotton-pellet induced granuloma and carrageenan induced air-pouch model in rats. The phytochemical investigation of the ethanol fruit extract showed the presence of phytosterols, glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids and carbohydrates. From the present study the ethanolic fruit extract of Barringtonia acutangula exhibited the anti-inflammatory effect by augmenting antioxidant defense system in the inflammation bearing rat, which is largely attributable to the additive or synergistic effect of its constituents.

qPCR-High resolution melt analysis for drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium leprae directly from clinical specimens of leprosy patients

Submitted by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2018-02-27T15:22:06Z No. of bitstreams: 1 philip_suffys2_etal_IOC_2017.pdf: 4892875 bytes, checksum: 3ebc5502e2110a1dca035b58ec6887b3 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2018-02-27T15:53:58Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 philip_suffys2_etal_IOC_2017.pdf: 4892875 bytes, checksum: 3ebc5502e2110a1dca035b58ec6887b3 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-27T15:53:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 philip_suffys2_etal_IOC_2017.pdf: 4892875 bytes, checksum: 3ebc5502e2110a1dca035b58ec6887b3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. Centro Nacional de Referência de Dermatologia Sanitária e Lepra. Uberlândia, MG, Brasil / Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. Faculdade de Medicina. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde. Uberlândia, MG, Brasil / U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Health Resources and Services Administration. Healthcare Systems Bureau. Division National Hansen's Disease Programs. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. Centro Nacional de Referência de Dermatologia Sanitária e Lepra. Uberlândia, MG, Brasil / Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. Faculdade de Medicina. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde. Uberlândia, MG, Brasil / Universidade Federal de Uberlânida. Instituto de Genética e Bioquímica. Uberlândia, MG, Brasil.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Health Resources and Services Administration. Healthcare Systems Bureau. Division National Hansen's Disease Programs. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. Centro Nacional de Referência de Dermatologia Sanitária e Lepra. Uberlândia, MG, Brasil / Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. Faculdade de Medicina. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde. Uberlândia, MG, Brasil.Good Samaritan Society.Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.Colorado State University. Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology. Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.National Institute of Infectious Diseases. Leprosy Research Center. Tokyo, Japan.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular aplicada a Micobactérias. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil / Institute of Tropical Medicine. Mycobacteriology Unit. Antwerp, Belgium.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular aplicada a Micobactérias. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima, Departmento de Biologia. Bauru, São Paulo, Brasil.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Health Resources and Services Administration. Healthcare Systems Bureau. Division National Hansen's Disease Programs. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Health Resources and Services Administration. Healthcare Systems Bureau. Division National Hansen's Disease Programs. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.Real-Time PCR-High Resolution Melting (qPCR-HRM) analysis has been recently described for rapid drug susceptibility testing (DST) of Mycobacterium leprae. The purpose of the current study was to further evaluate the validity, reliability, and accuracy of this assay for M. leprae DST in clinical specimens