Eastern Indian State Research Articles

Assessing the Disparities of Per-capita Electricity Consumption in North-Eastern States of India Using Gini Index and Lorenz Curve

Electricity is the basic need for individuals, households and industries. It is used for everyday life activities by the households, agricultural activities, commercial buildings and industries. The per capita electricity consumption is a proxy indicator growth and development status of a region. All the north eastern states consume per-capita electricity lesser than the national average except Sikkim. The per capita consumption of electricity by Nagaland, Assam and Manipur is nearly just one-third of the national average. Notably, these three north eastern states consume just 40 percent of per capita electricity compared to the highest consumer state Meghalaya. The present study is an evaluation of the per-capita electricity consumption trend and inequality amongst the north-eastern states of India using Gini coefficient and Lorenz curve for two different time periods i.e. 2007 and 2017. We find that Tripura’s annual linear growth rate of per-capita electricity consumption is the highest (3 percent) while that of Meghalaya is the least (1 percent) and the other five states are growing equally at the rate of 2 percent. The Gini coefficient is found to be decreasing from 0.137 in 2007 to 0.122 in 2017. We conclude that the level of inequality is reducing among north eastern states of India though the per-capita consumption of electricity is less than the national average.

Rapid Evaluation and Validation Method of Above Ground Forest Biomass Estimation Using Optical Remote Sensing in Tundi Reserved Forest Area, India

Optical remote sensing data are freely available on a global scale. However, the satellite image processing and analysis for quick, accurate, and precise forest above ground biomass (AGB) evaluation are still challenging and difficult. This paper is aimed to develop a novel method for precise, accurate, and quick evaluation of the forest AGB from optical remote sensing data. Typically, the ground forest AGB was calculated using an empirical model from ground data for biophysical parameters such as tree density, height, and diameter at breast height (DBH) collected from the field at different elevation strata. The ground fraction of vegetation cover (FVC) in each ground sample location was calculated. Then, the fraction of vegetation cover (FVC) from optical remote sensing imagery was calculated. In the first stage of method implementation, the relation model between the ground FVC and ground forest AGB was developed. In the second stage, the relational model was established between image FVC and ground FVC. Finally, both models were fused to derive the relational model between image FVC and forest AGB. The validation of the developed method was demonstrated utilizing Sentinel-2 imagery as test data and the Tundi reserved forest area located in the Dhanbad district of Jharkhand state in eastern India was used as the test site. The result from the developed model was ground validated and also compared with the result from a previously developed crown projected area (CPA)-based forest AGB estimation approach. The results from the developed approach demonstrated superior capabilities in precision compared to the CPA-based method. The average forest AGB estimation of the test site obtained by this approach revealed 463 tons per hectare, which matches the previous estimate from this test site.

Sequence analysis of Indian SARS-CoV-2 isolates shows a stronger interaction of mutant receptor-binding domain with ACE2

ObjectiveSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected the whole world, including Odisha, a state in eastern India. Many people have migrated to the state from different countries as well as other states during this SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The aim of this study was to analyse the receptor-binding domain (RBD) sequence of the spike protein from isolates collected from throat swab samples of COVID-19-positive patients and further to assess the RBD affinity for angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) of different species, including humans. MethodsWhole-genome sequencing for 35 clinical SARS-CoV-2 isolates from COVID-19-positive patients was performed by ARTIC amplicon-based sequencing. Sequence analysis and phylogenetic analysis were performed for the spike region and the RBD region of all isolates. The interaction between the RBD and ACE2 of five different species was also analysed. ResultsThe spike region of 32 isolates showed one or multiple alterations in nucleotide bases in comparison with the Wuhan reference strain. One of the identified mutations, at position 1204 (Ref A, RMRC 22 C), in the RBD coding region of the spike protein showed stronger binding affinity for human ACE2. Furthermore, RBDs of all the Indian isolates showed binding affinity for ACE2 of different species. ConclusionAs mutant RBD showed stronger interaction with human ACE2, it could potentially result in higher infectivity. The binding affinity of the RBDs for ACE2 of all five species studied suggests that the virus can infect a wide variety of animals, which could also act as natural reservoir for SARS-CoV-2.

An Empirical Analysis of Household Expenditure on Engineering Education in Odisha

There are limited studies on household expenditure on higher education in India, and understanding the factors determining household investment in engineering education is almost absent. However, with the increasing presence of private sector, it is important to examine the changing pattern and determinants of household expenditure on higher education, which would help to formulate evidence-based policies in India. In this context, this article analyses the variability of household expenditure on engineering education and its relationship with socio-economic and institutional factors, using the data collected through a student survey in Odisha, an eastern state of India. We find that, on average, a household spends around 30 per cent of its annual income per child for an engineering degree. The study confirms the presence of a pro-male bias in household expenditure on engineering education, and interestingly, an additional preference is observed among poor households. Robust ordinary least squares (OLS) results show that students enrolled in private engineering colleges have spent significantly more than those enrolled in public-funded institutions. Contrary to the established literature, students belonging to lower socio-economic groups are shown to have spent more on non-fee items than forward social groups, though they have spent relatively less on fees.

A Preliminary Microscopical Study of Honey Pollen of Two North Eastern States of India

The present study is a firsthand attempt to decipher the pollen pictures of honey samples from two north- eastern states of India for their botanical origin and geographical source through Melissopalynology. The samples for this study were collected from Sairang Village, Mizoram and Wokha Village, Nagaland respectively maintaining an aseptic condition to avoid any contamination. The study revealed the nature of honey samples, unifloral or multifloral type and their frequencies in each sample. Upon analyses, the samples were also categorized based on the frequencies of the different morphotypes present in the samples which in turn indicated the partial vegetational picture of that area. The botanical origin has been indicated as far as possible of the samples, but it could not be possible to identify the geographical source of origin because of complete absence of any detailed published work on vegetational pictures of these states. The aim of this study is to characterisation and categorisation of honey samples for labelling their quality and quantity of the pollen content in honey samples along with their possible origin could be efficiently utilized for upliftment of financial status of the rural inhabitants of states.

Scrub typhus associated acute kidney injury: An emerging health problem in Odisha, India.

Acute kidney injury associated with scrub typhus is an emerging health problem in the tropics including India. This study intended to find out the incidence, clinical outcome, cytokine response and genotypes of Orientia tsutsugamushi associated with AKI patients in Odisha, a state in eastern India. Acute febrile illness or history of acute fever with various degrees of kidney involvement admitted to SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack were included in the study. A detailed demographic characteristics and clinical features were recorded with pre-tested questionnaire at the time of admission. Scrub Typhus was detected by 'IgM ELISA' test (OD > 0.5) and PCR. Routine urine, haematological and biochemical tests were performed. Genotyping of the Orientia tsutsugamushi was done using 56-kDa gene for Orientia species and phylogenetic tree by neighbor-joining method. The plasma level of the IFN-γ (pro-inflammatory cytokine) and IL10 (anti-inflammatory) were measured by commercially available ELISA kit. The statistical analysis was performed using Graph Pad Prism software (version 4). Out of 140 acute febrile illness or history of acute febrile illness patients with AKI admitted to hospital, 32.14% were confirmed to be scrub typhus positive; eschar was seen in 17.8% of them. Of the total scrub typhus positive cases, 24.4% were having multi organ dysfunction. Majority of the AKI patients (60%) were in the "failure" category under RIFLE criteria. The mortality rate was 20.0%. Risk of dialysis requirement and mortality increases with RIFLE classification. "Karp" was the predominant circulating genotype. IFN-γ and IL10 level was high among the scrub typhus associated AKI patients. The study shows a high incidence of scrub typhus associated AKI and high case fatality rate. Hence, emphasis should be given on differential diagnosis. RIFLE classification is applicable with increment risk of dialysis requirement and death. An in-depth study is required to determine the role of O. tsutsugamuchi KARP strain and INF-γ/ IL-10 in disease severity so as to identify a prognostic marker.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Eastern India: A Hospital Based Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: The prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency is common (around 40%) in people older than 65 years of age and in people who are strict vegetarians. The major sources of Viamin B12 are meat, fish, dairy products and fortified cereals. Aim: To study the prevalence and common types of presentations of vitamin B12 deficiency among 20-80 years aged, non-vegetarian people attending a tertiary care hospital in a state of Eastern India. Materials and Methods: This hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted at IPGME&R and SSKM Hospital between July 2018 to December 2019. Serum samples were collected from 478 adult patients presenting with different symptoms like pallor, fatigue, numbness and tingling sensation in limbs, memory loss, alopecia etc., which may be related to vitamin B12 deficiency. These samples were screened for serum vitamin B12 level by chemiluminescence method in ADVIA, Centaur CP (SIEMENS). Data were analysed statistically by graph pad prism 8 software. Significance of the difference between means were detected using Student’s unpaired t-test and calculating the p-value (p-value <0.05 were considered as significant). Results: Among 184 females, 50 (27.17%) were found to be Vitamin B12 deficient (VBD). Among them, 18 (36%) had mild deficiency (serum vitamin B12 level 201-220 pmol/L), 22 (44%) had moderate (serum vitamin B12 level 150-200 pmol/L) and 10 (20%) had severe deficiency (serum vitamin B12 level <150 pmol/L). A total of 35 (70%) of the VBD females were of <50 years of age. Among 294 males, 83 (28.23%) were found to be VBD. Among them, 34 (41%) had mild deficiency (serum vitamin B12 level 201-220 pmol/L), 36 (43%) had moderate (serum vitamin B12 level 150-200 pmol/L) and 13 (16%) had severe deficiency (serum vitamin B12 level <150 pmol/L). Total 43 (51.8%) of VBD male persons were of <50 years age. Among VBD female patients, 24 (48%) had neuropathy and among VBD male patients, 54 (65%) had neuropathy. Conclusion: So, it can be concluded that if regular screening is done for serum vitamin B12 in symptomatic patients irrespective of age, a number of problems can be reduced or cured by diagnosing VBD patients and treating them with vitamin B12 either by dietary modification or medicinal supplementation.

Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine in preventing infection and disease severity: a case-control study from an Eastern State of India.

Effectiveness of corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccines used in India is unexplored and need to be substantiated. The present case-control study was planned to elicit the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing infection and disease severity in the general population of Bihar, India. This case-control study was conducted among people aged ≥45 years during April to June 2021. The cases were the COVID-19 patients admitted or visited All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, Bihar, India, and were contacted directly. The controls were the individuals tested negative for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) at the Virology laboratory, AIIMS-Patna and contacted telephonically for collection of relevant information. The vaccine effectiveness (VE) was calculated by using the formula (VE = 1 - odds ratio). The adjusted VE for partial and full vaccination were estimated to be 52.0% (95% confidence interval (CI) 39.0-63.0%) and 83.0% (95% CI 73.0-89.0%) respectively for preventing SARS CoV-2 infection. The sub-group analyses of the cases have shown that the length of hospital stays (LOS) (partially vaccinated: 9 days vs. unvaccinated: 12 days; P = 0.028) and the severity of the disease (fully vaccinated: 30.3% vs. partially vaccinated: 51.3% and unvaccinated: 54.1%; P = 0.035) were significantly low among vaccinated compared to unvaccinated individuals. To conclude, four out of every five fully vaccinated individuals are estimated to be protected from contracting SARS CoV-2 infection. Vaccination lowered LOS and chances of development of severe disease.

Clinical Profile and Immediate Outcome of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Associated with COVID-19: A Multicentric Study.

Introduction:Following an asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic coronavirus disease (COVID-19), otherwise healthy children may develop serious manifestations in the form of cardiac, neurological, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and dermatologic dysfunction. Many such cases were being observed in Odisha, an eastern state of India, and have been reported from different health-care facilities. We related these unexplained serious manifestations to multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19 (MIS-C) and planned this study.Methods:This retrospective observational study was carried out at the following three tertiary care centers: Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar; MKCG Medical College, Berhampur; and Jagannath Hospital, Bhubaneswar. The study population included all children aged from 1 month to 18 years admitted to the hospitals with MIS-C according to the WHO diagnostic criteria. All the data were analyzed by SPSS software.Results:A total of 21 children were included in our study. Majority of the cases were male (76.2%), and the predominant age group was 6–10 years (47.6%). Common symptoms and signs in our observation included fever, pain abdomen, seizure, and hypotension. Most of these cases were positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus antibody (80.95%). Response to immunotherapy was dramatic. Mortality (9%) of our study was higher than 1.8%–3% from that of Western literature. None of our patients had coronary abnormality, while two patients had mild cardiac dysfunction at discharge comparable to that of other studies.Conclusion:MIS-C following exposure to COVID-19 infection in children is a clinical syndrome, which needs early suspicion and appropriate intervention to prevent mortality.

Role of media in disaster preparedness: some case studies from calamity prone Odisha

Odisha is a natural disaster prone state. Its geographical location contributes a lot for the disasters. The eastern Indian state has a 480 Kilometre long coastline. The Bay of Bengal which is the house of cyclonic storms is the major contributor for the calamities in the state. From time immemorial till today Odisha has been facing hundreds of calamities in the form of cyclones, floods and famines. It is a regular phenomenon that in the period of September to December every year Odisha faces varieties of cyclones. These affect human life, properties and agriculture to the maximum extent. After the super cyclone of 1999 the government became sensitive so also the media. In these two decades Odisha media has played a vital role in creating awareness about the disasters and helped people in displacement and rehabilitation. In recent pasts media helped the Government in reaching the “Zero Casualty” target. The role of media not only limited to this, even post-disasters it followed the condition of people and their lives. The researcher takes some case studies of different disasters and their handling by media. Also tries to find out the people’s perception about media in disaster preparedness and management.

Emerging threat of bluetongue in Eastern and North-Eastern Indian states

Albeit bluetongue (BT) in India is endemic to southern and western parts, eastern and north-eastern parts of the country didn't experience any outbreak or reported active disease. However, sero-epidemiology indicates bluetongue virus (BTV) is in circulation in animals and vectors of eastern and north-eastern states of India. Moreover, in recent years BTV has been isolated from sheep, Culicoides midges and goat from this region that substantiate the notion. All the epidemiological components of BT, viz. susceptible hosts, suitable climatic conditions for propagation of vectors, competent vectors are present that pose emerging disease threat in eastern and north-eastern parts of India. Hence, further surveillance and preparedness are recommended to avoid future BT outbreak, if any.

Experience with Burn Prevention Program in North Eastern India

Burn injuries are one of the most devastating of all injuries and a major global public health concern. Though burn injuries cause lots of morbidity and mortality in India, community-based interventions in the forms of multi-strategic and multi-focused preventive programs are however lacking. This study, undertaken in the North Eastern Indian state of Assam, aims at reducing the incidence of burn accidents, morbidity and mortality of burn injuries through focused attention towards sensitizing the community with well-structured preventive program. Participatory community seminars, use of print, electronic and social media and lectures and demonstrations in schools were the tools used in the preventive programs. Analysis of inpatient and outpatient records of burn injured patients treated in the burn unit and scoring system in school education program and social media participants helped in assessment of the impact of Burn Preventive Programs (BPP). For convenience of assessment, comparative analysis of the results in early (Block I) and later part (Block II) of the study period was made. Results showed significant reduction of percentage of patients reporting from the areas where BPP was implemented. There was also reduction in %TBSA burn in majority patients in Block II in comparison to Block I. Water was used to extinguish fire in 48.9% patients in Block I and 78.0% patients in Block II. Water was also used to cool burn wounds by 52.3% patients in Block I, and 83.4% patients in Block II. While 80.9% people made inappropriate topical application on the wounds in Block I, only 34.6% did so in Block II. Increased awareness amongst general people was reflected by increased percentage of patients reporting to burn unit within 7 hours of injury and significant reduction of firecracker burns from 21.9% (Block I) to 7.8% (Block II). Similarly, improved awareness amongst the students was evident from the improved scoring by majority students and reduction in burns amongst them in the later part of Block II. The results indicate that BPP has got positive impact in the society.

Status, distribution and research gaps of rodents (Mammalia: Rodentia) in North-Eastern States of India

In North Eastern states of India (NE India) there are almost 65% of mammal species of the country but baseline information on small mammals, particularly rodents, for the region is scanty. Present study recorded a total of 59 species of rodents from the NE India out of 100 species reported from Indian Subcontinent. The list contains all the valid taxonomic names and their distribution in the states of NE India. Additionally, five species has been added to the checklist of rodents in India. The list provided 59 species belonging to 30 genera under 5 families of 7 subfamilies. Among them Muridae was recorded to be with highest number of species (31 species), followed by Sciuridae with 22 species, Cricetidae with three species, while Spalacidae and Hystricidae have recorded only two species in each group. Among the eight states of NE India the highest number of species was recorded from Arunachal Pradesh (76 %) and the lowest, from Tripura (22%). Two Threatened, three Near Threatened, two Not Listed and six Data Deficient species have been listed from the present work with four endemic species from this region. The findings of this study indicated the requirements for intensive and extensive surveys in the north-eastern States of India and taxonomic revisions of many species.

Ethnic variation and the relevance of homozygous RNF 213 p.R4810.K variant in the phenotype of Indian Moya moya disease.

Polymorphisms in Ring Finger Protein 213 (RNF 213) gene have been detected to confer genetic susceptibility to Moya moya disease (MMD) in the East Asian population. We investigated the frequency of RNF 213 gene polymorphism and its association with MMD phenotypes in the Indian population. A case-control study for RNF 213 polymorphism involving 65 MMD patients, 75 parents, and 120 controls were performed. A total of 21 SNPs were screened, of which 17 SNPs were monomorphic. Allelic and genotypic frequency of all polymorphic SNPs were assessed and its association with MMD phenotypes was evaluated. The median age of symptom onset was 9 (range 2-17) and 37 years (range 20-58) in paediatric and adult patients respectively. A strong association was observed with RNF 213 rs112735431(p.R4810K) and MMD. Out of 65 patients with MMD, five patients carried the homozygous risk AA genotype. None of the healthy controls carried this homozygous mutation. The mutant allele was detected in MMD patients from Tamil Nadu and North eastern states of India (p = <0.0001). All the patients carrying the mutant allele had an early age of onset (p = <0.0001), higher incidence of bilateral disease (p = <0.002), positive family history (p = 0.03), higher Suzuki angiographic stage (≥3) (p<0.0006) and recurrent neurological events (ischemic strokes and TIAs) (p = <0.009). The homozygous rs112735431(p.R4810K) variant in RNF 213 variant not only predicts the risk for MMD but can also predict the phenotypic variants.

Problem Definition and Community Participation in Environmental Health Interventions: An Exploratory Study of Groundwater Arsenic Remediation

ABSTRACT Arsenic, a known carcinogen, naturally occurs in the groundwater in large parts of West Bengal, a state in eastern India. Communities that depend on groundwater face twice the lifetime mortality risk for cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and developmental disorders. This study, focused on arsenic-affected communities in the state of West Bengal, offers an initial exploration of how local stakeholders construct groundwater arsenic as a health problem. Arsenic remediation interventions involve a host of international, regional, and local stakeholders (public health departments, government engineers, community health workers, consultants, hydrologists, etc.). How an environmental health problem is constructed has implications for who is considered responsible, what causes it, and pertinently, how/whether affected communities participate in addressing the problem. Drawing from a culture-centered approach, this fieldwork-based study offers three distinct yet related problem construction discourses, viz. social/political, technical and personal, in how the problem of arsenic is construed locally, and how such discourses are related to a particular conceptualization of community participation in environmental health.

Poverty and Food Insecurity Disparities and Their Causes in the Eastern Indian State of Odisha

This article discusses the key factors that influence poverty and food insecurity. The study involved 645 households in 4 villages of 2 districts (one developed and one undeveloped) in Odisha, an eastern Indian state. Odisha’s per capita income was taken as the dividing line for the segregation of districts into developed (more than average) and undeveloped (less than average). Poverty and food insecurity composite indices and probit and logit analyses revealed that: (a) in the developed district, education and caste are significant factors in determining the household poverty level, whereas education plays a vital role in the undeveloped district in deciding poverty level; (b) food insecurity is significantly affected by education, caste and assets in the developed district and by education and agriculture as the primary occupation in the undeveloped district; (c) education is derived as the common determinant of poverty as well as food insecurity; and (d) the inference drawn from the results is that, whatever the economy (developed or undeveloped), education was the most significant and common factor in determining both poverty and/or food insecurity at household level of the areas studied. However, it should not be misinterpreted that education is the only indicator that can resolve the complex issues of poverty and food insecurity. Based on area needs, a comprehensive approach with special focus on these significant indicators revealed from this research would be helpful in addressing poverty and food insecurity.

Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Fish Viruses Inhabiting Freshwater Ornamental and Food Fish Species in India: A Survey-Based Study

Molecular screening of viruses through PCR is a fast detection method and several variants of it have been developed to meet the shortcomings of conventional method. Extensive surveillance is an essential tool to have an estimate of circulating potential viruses in Indian aquatic systems. The present study focuses on standardization of semi-quantitative PCR-based diagnostics for eight freshwater fish viral pathogens and documents number of positive incidences after screening 437 numbers of samples during 2017-2020 for suspected fifteen freshwater finfish viral pathogens. Positive samples of Cyprinid herpes virus-2, carp edema virus and viral nervous necrosis virus from different regions of eastern Indian states viz., Odisha, West Bengal and Assam have given a scope of comparative phylogenetic analysis of strain variability in detail. Nevertheless, the study highlights the importance of rendering protection to native cultured fish by preventing their introduction and further spread on a local or national scale to either known or unknown susceptible fish species available in the region, and emphasize upon strengthening surveillance system.

The politics of hopeful citizenship: Women, counterinsurgency and the state in eastern India

Anthropologists have posited that citizenship takes on multiple meanings and forms based on citizens’ everyday engagements with state and non-state actors. This article examines forms of citizenship that materialize vis-à-vis the state. In particular, it deals with new imaginaries of citizenship that emerge through interactions between state actors and poor women in counterinsurgency settings. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the erstwhile Maoist zones of eastern India, I show that, despite knowing the violent face of the state, poor women nevertheless rely on the developmental face of the state to hope for social transformation and imagine better lives and livelihoods. I argue that in doing so they engender an idea of hopeful citizenship.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT AND JOB SATISFACTION OF FACULTY MEMBERS IN PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES

The modern academic world is undergoing a sea-change. There was a time when only government institutions were present to offer education to humankind. Now, a lot of private institutions, in addition to the Government institutions, are serving society. In this world, the role of teachers cannot be ignored. The psychological contract plays a remarkable role in meeting the faculty members' unsaid expectations and management of private universities. The study was conducted with the faculty members of private universities considering the four states of eastern India (Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal) to identify the factors affecting the psychological contract of faculty members and its impact on job satisfaction. Appropriate statistical tools were applied to measure the above. The findings of the research will help the management of the private Universities to decide on the organizational policy.

Women’s Collectives and State-Led Development in West Bengal: Reimagining Selves During Counterinsurgency

This article examines the micropolitics of state-directed women’s collectives in India called self-help groups. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in a setting where development becomes a means of counterinsurgency for the state, it looks at how rural women in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal use these collectives to negotiate with the state and make claims on state actors. The article argues that rural women aspire to new individual selves through their membership of SHG collectives. Women reimagined their selfhoods through their access to the state-sponsored public sphere and building new roles for themselves within it. The argument is presented in conversation with research on self-help groups and microfinance initiatives for rural women, and it builds on work that examines the unintended consequences of such development interventions for women’s lives.