Eastern States Research Articles

Enhancing Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Surveillance in New Jersey: Optimized Collection of Culiseta Melanura.

Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) causes the most clinically severe neuroinvasive arboviral disease in the United States. The virus is endemic in eastern and Gulf Coast states and the Great Lakes region, causing cases annually. To detect EEEV circulation in its enzootic cycle before the virus infects humans and other mammals, mosquito control agencies in New Jersey have conducted mosquito surveillance using a series of permanent wooden resting box sites since 1975. We conducted 2 field studies, 1 evaluating resting traps and 1 evaluating efficacy of CO2 lures, to optimize collection of Culiseta melanura, the primary enzootic vector of EEEV. Resulting mosquito samples were subjected to molecular analysis to determine EEEV infection rates. Corrugated plastic boxes trapped more bloodfed Cs. melanura than other resting trap types (resting boxes, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] resting traps, or fiber pots) and were similar to resting boxes in total number of female Cs. melanura caught. Further, non-baited CDC light traps were more successful in trapping host-seeking Cs. melanura than those baited with dry ice, a CO2 lure. The EEEV RNA was identified in Cs. melanura, Aedes vexans, Anopheles quadrimaculatus, and Uranotaenia sapphirina. Our findings indicate that corrugated plastic boxes and non-CO2 baited traps could improve detection of Cs. melanura. Mosquito control agencies are encouraged to periodically assess their surveillance strategy for EEEV.

Genetic polymorphism and frequency study at 15 short tandem repeat loci in the North and East Indian populations for use in personal identification and applications in India

Allele frequency is a crucial factor in estimating the weight of evidence (WoE) for an individual’s involvement in a DNA sample. To determine the allele and genotype frequencies within the populations of the northern and eastern states of India, 15 short tandem repeats (STRs) were used, including Penta E, CSF1PO, D18S51, D7S820, D21S11, TH01, D3S1358, Vwa, FGA, TPOX, D8S1179, D16S539, D13S317, Penta D, and D5S818. The study involved 509 randomly selected individuals, analyzed using the PowerPlex 16 System Kit. Various statistical parameters of forensic significance were calculated using Forensic Statistic Analysis Toolbox (FORSTAT) software, including the typical paternity index (TPI), power of exclusion (PE), matching probability (MP), power of discrimination (PD), polymorphism information content (PIC), and observed (Hobs) and expected heterozygosities (Hexp). The analysis revealed a maximum allele frequency of 0.4282 at TPOX, with a minimum frequency of 0.0009 observed at different loci. FGA was found to be the most polymorphic loci among the 15 loci analyzed in the North and East Indian populations. Furthermore, no divergence from the Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was observed. The results serve as a valuable source of information for establishing a DNA database for North and East Indian populations, providing essential information for population genetics studies and forensic casework in India.

Влияние культурных особенностей на развитие социально-трудовых отношений и практику корпоративного обучения в странах Ближневосточного региона

The presented work examines the peculiarities of social and labor relations, approaches to the organization of personnel training and development in the Middle East and their conditionality with cultural and religious aspects of objective social reality. Despite the fact that the countries of the Middle East region have the largest and most diversified economies, there is practically no data or research results in the literature regarding strategies and practices of corporate training and personnel development in companies in these countries. The article notes that business owners are usually strongly influenced by national culture, which itself is strongly influenced by religion. Arab culture plays an important role in the formation of the organizational structure and decision-making in the organizations of the States of the region. Most senior executives in large private sector organizations tend to be citizens of the country, but they often act as managers, and day-to-day operations are run by expatriates. Citizens of Middle Eastern states do not adhere to the work ethic recognized in the West. It is concluded that, despite the high degree of awareness of the importance of corporate training and workforce development programs, the sphere of social and labor relations, personnel policy and principles of personnel management in companies in the region have their own characteristics due to the influence of religion and culture.

The 2023 report of the MJA-Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: sustainability needed in Australia's health care sector.

The MJA-Lancet Countdown on health and climate change in Australia was established in 2017 and produced its first national assessment in 2018 and annual updates in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. It examines five broad domains: health hazards, exposures and impacts; adaptation, planning and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co-benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement. In this, the sixth report of the MJA-Lancet Countdown, we track progress on an extensive suite of indicators across these five domains, accessing and presenting the latest data and further refining and developing our analyses. Our results highlight the health and economic costs of inaction on health and climate change. A series of major flood events across the four eastern states of Australia in 2022 was the main contributor to insured losses from climate-related catastrophes of $7.168 billion - the highest amount on record. The floods also directly caused 23 deaths and resulted in the displacement of tens of thousands of people. High red meat and processed meat consumption and insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables accounted for about half of the 87 166 diet-related deaths in Australia in 2021. Correction of this imbalance would both save lives and reduce the heavy carbon footprint associated with meat production. We find signs of progress on health and climate change. Importantly, the Australian Government released Australia's first National Health and Climate Strategy, and the Government of Western Australia is preparing a Health Sector Adaptation Plan. We also find increasing action on, and engagement with, health and climate change at a community level, with the number of electric vehicle sales almost doubling in 2022 compared with 2021, and with a 65% increase in coverage of health and climate change in the media in 2022 compared with 2021. Overall, the urgency of substantial enhancements in Australia's mitigation and adaptation responses to the enormous health and climate change challenge cannot be overstated. Australia's energy system, and its health care sector, currently emit an unreasonable and unjust proportion of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As the Lancet Countdown enters its second and most critical phase in the leadup to 2030, the depth and breadth of our assessment of health and climate change will be augmented to increasingly examine Australia in its regional context, and to better measure and track key issues in Australia such as mental health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing.

Gender Equity in Deanship of the Central and Eastern European Law Schools

AbstractThe paper aims to analyze the scope of female leadership (deanship) at public and non-public law faculties in selected countries from the region of Central and Eastern Europe: Poland, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Montenegro. The paper will explore the engagement of women in the administration of law schools operating within public (and non-public) schools (universities) across the region in the latest years. The paper aims to show the number of female deanships at law faculties in the analyzed states. This analysis will be based on statistical data obtained from the available public sources (including national databases as well as the European Union resources) providing the number of female deans and vice-deans appointed or elected by the academia at all higher education institutions within the country. The initial hypothesis states that gender inequality has been present in the deanship of analyzed law schools and reflects general trends in gender equality in Europe. Comprehensive analysis of the central and eastern European states will allow formulating the key conclusions and answering the following research questions concerning the differences in the numbers of women on the key positions within the law faculties in terms of public versus non-public institutions and in the light of the general gender equality trends in the continent. The research methods used for the analysis include a dogmatic method, statistical method as well as comparative method.

Between Peace and Conflict: The Middle East After the Abraham Accords

In 2020, four Arab states - Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Morocco - took their first steps toward normalizing relations with Israel with the active US support. This research is an attempt to identify the main incentives which made the Arab states act the way they did, as well as to analyze the situation of the Palestinians amidst the strengthening of relations between Israel and the Arab world. The author also examines how the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began on October 7, 2023, has affected the established diplomatic, economic, and military ties between the Jewish state and the Arab countries which signed the Abraham Accords. The study concludes that one of the main incentives for Arab states to normalize relations with Israel is the desire to deepen military and technical cooperation with the U.S. At the same time, it would be far-fetched to consider the normalization of relations between the four states and Israel as a step toward regional stabilization, given the reaction of the Palestinians and other Middle Eastern states to the agreements embraced. The reaction reflects the failure to find a common approach to the Middle East peace process as well as the fact that there is no region-widely shared view on shaping a new regional architecture. In this context, it is worth highlighting the situation of the Palestinians, for whom these agreements were a stab in the back and created unfavorable conditions for the establishment of a full-fledged state of Palestine. The study also emphasizes that the future of the “Abraham Accords” and the possibility of their expansion will depend on the development of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as on the readiness of the parties to reach a long-term peaceful settlement. The continuation of the conflict in Gaza would seriously undermine Israel’s image in the Arab world and would certainly undermine the fundamental principles of the Abraham Accords, which would diminish the importance of these agreements. This study offers a valuable perspective on the complex and dynamic relationships in the Middle East region and contributes to understanding the motives and consequences of recent geopolitical changes.

Experiences of menstrual restrictions: Freedom lost and never regained

Among numerous issues that make experiences during menstruation an impediment to gender equity, restrictions on daily activities is a concern about limiting individual freedom. Studies of menstrual restrictions have identified the arrays of “dos-and-don'ts”, but what remained missing was a detailed exploration into its origin, nature, correlates and the reasons behind their uncanny consistency over time. This paper, using primary survey of 1200 married young adults in two eastern states in India, adds to the existing literature by identifying the nature of restrictions, the changes in its contour with marriage and their internalization. Classifying restrictions in three broad categories, (restrictions on self, restrictions over household activities and restrictions over worship), the paper finds that nearly all woman are barred from performing rituals. While marriage increases the restrictions on women's agency to eat, go out, sleep in usual home or have sexual activities, it reduces the restrictions on household chores (cooking, serving). Strikingly, restrictions on herself do not alter with education or menstrual literacy. However, fitting logistic regression models over subsamples of hygienic menstrual product-users, finds restrictions are higher for backward classes and those who incorrectly define menstruation. Astonishingly, women do not find menstrual restrictions to be subduing and is reluctant in aspiring for changing community's perception, letting this thrive through generations. They only aspire for better menstrual products. This study shows that a holistic policy should target ‘changing perceptions’ rather than ‘changing protections’, to usher in a menstrual experience with freedom. Educating girls and their elderly care-givers (mothers, grandmothers or mothers-in-law) about this physiological process, giving them a space to discuss and fight the concept of impurity of their bodies can actually gift them a better living experience for sure.

Tracing histoplasmosis genomic epidemiology and species occurrence across the USA

ABSTRACT Histoplasmosis is an endemic mycosis in North America frequently reported along the Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys, although autochthonous cases occur in non-endemic areas. In the United States, the disease is provoked by two genetically distinct clades of Histoplasma capsulatum sensu lato, Histoplasma mississippiense (Nam1) and H. ohiense (Nam2). To bridge the molecular epidemiological gap, we genotyped 93 Histoplasma isolates (62 novel genomes) including clinical, environmental, and veterinarian samples from a broader geographical range by whole-genome sequencing, followed by evolutionary and species niche modelling analyses. We show that histoplasmosis is caused by two major lineages, H. ohiense and H. mississippiense; with sporadic cases caused by H. suramericanum in California and Texas. While H. ohiense is prevalent in eastern states, H. mississipiense was found to be prevalent in the central and western portions of the United States, but also geographically overlapping in some areas suggesting that these species might co-occur. Species Niche Modelling revealed that H. ohiense thrives in places with warmer and drier conditions, while H. mississippiense is endemic to areas with cooler temperatures and more precipitation. In addition, we predicted multiple areas of secondary contact zones where the two species co-occur, potentially facilitating gene exchange and hybridization. This study provides the most comprehensive understanding of the genomic epidemiology of histoplasmosis in the USA and lays a blueprint for the study of invasive fungal diseases.

A Grave Concern: Water-Intensive Crops and Subsidized Electricity Amplifying Groundwater Depletion in India

This study investigates the consequences of agricultural activities on groundwater depletion, with a specific focus on the overproduction of water-intensive crops. Addressing this existing research gap, this study challenges the prevailing notion that groundwater depletion reduces agricultural activity. Instead, our study reveals a significant relationship between intensified cropping practices, particularly the production of water-intensive crops (Paddy, Sugarcane and Wheat) and the depletion of groundwater. Further, we identify how subsidized electricity helps to accelerate groundwater depletion. Therefore, we use variables related to groundwater and agricultural practices for the period 2004–2020. In doing so, we find that the Northern states of India are most vulnerable in terms of groundwater depletion (PNB: 59.92, SGD: 106.3), followed by southern, central, western, eastern and northeastern states. Additionally, the regression results suggest that our main variables, magnitude of electricity consumption in agriculture and irrigation intensity of water-intensive crops, have a positive and significant impact on groundwater depletion. In fact, our study found that other variables such as cropping intensity (CI), state population (SP), agriculture credit (AC) and total electric pumps (TP) are also significant and positively associated with groundwater depletion while the magnitude of annual rainfall (AR) shows a negative impact on groundwater depletion. Based on the findings, this study presents an alternative perspective that underscores the contribution of ineffective government policies in regulating subsidize electricity and the cultivation of water-intensive crops, leading to the exploitation of groundwater resources in Indian states with regional variations. These findings emphasize the critical and immediate need for effective regulations on the production of water-intensive crops to address this pressing issue.

Flexicurity in the EU28 Countries: A Multiyear Composite Indicator Proposal

This study computes a flexicurity index for the EU28 countries for 2001-2019 following the European Commission’s four components of flexicurity model. The index allows the ex-post assessment of flexicurity efforts and efficiency. Following the computation of the index, we compare its values against the theoretical flexicurity typologies and against other empirical flexicurity groupings to assess their (dis)similarities. Even though Northern and Western countries generally have higher flexicurity scores than Southern and Eastern states, the study shows some countries deviate from their theoretical performance. Thus, some of the Continental and Mediterranean countries have flexicurity values like those of the Nordic group. Moreover, the flexicurity regimes are not static as the theoretical typology suggests: while Denmark and France are always in the top performers’ group, other countries change their performance throughout the 2001-2019 period. The flexicurity index correlates highly with empirical country groupings in the literature. The highest correlation is with country groupings using the European Commission’s four components of flexicurity model, followed by the Golden Danish Triangle, and lastly, the Wilthagen and Tros’ flexicurity matrix. In the end, we compare EU countries’ performance in the flexicurity index scores with their performance in selected employment and unemployment rates, labor productivity, and poverty rates. Results suggest that higher flexicurity performance correlates generally with better labor market and social outcomes, the highest correlations being in the case of labor productivity rates.

Malaysian Science Teachers’ Tech-infused Instruction and Assessment Strategies

Science education consistently displays unique traits shaped by evolving educational landscapes, as well as global trends and developments. Despite global enthusiasm for technology in education, there is a notable dearth of studies on Malaysian science teachers' skills in integrating instructional technology. Studies in this region seldom delve deeply into the use of specific Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools and web platforms in teaching and assessment, indicating a significant gap in the literature on technology integration in Malaysian science classrooms. This paper presents a study carried out involving a survey of 36 science teachers across 16 secondary schools in a district in Kelantan, one of the eastern states in Malaysia. It aimed to achieve the following research objectives: 1) To examine science teachers’ use of digital tools and technology in lesson planning and the development of educational materials; 2) To investigate science teachers’ incorporation of technology into their science instruction; and 3) To determine how technology is integrated into the science assessment and reporting process. The findings reveal a high level of digital resourcefulness among teachers, contrasting with prior studies that indicated minimal technological integration in Malaysian classrooms. Teachers predominantly relied on web resources like YouTube and online textbooks for lesson planning, while Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides were frequently used in instruction. Google Classroom and Quizizz were identified as the most common platforms in science assessments. The findings highlight a significant shift in technology usage, advocating for continued professional development, collaborative networks, and policy reforms to further integrate technology into science education. It also suggests that future studies should focus on more specific aspects of technology use, aiming to enhance its impact on teaching methodologies and curriculum alignment, thus making a significant contribution to the discourse on instructional technology in Malaysian science education.

A microeconometrics approach to gendered perspective of empowerment through agricultural decision-making in Rural Odisha, India

Discrimination against women in agricultural decision-making is a major threat to the empowerment of women in many developing countries where agriculture is not only the major source of livelihood, at times the only source of livelihood. It hampers their socio-economic status as well as the overall economic development of the country. The objective of this paper is to understand the gendered perspective of agricultural decision-making in one of the eastern states of India, i.e., Odisha by analysing the primary data collected through a structured schedule from 996 agrarian households. This paper, by using multinomial logit model, concludes that land ownership exclusively by females raises their decision-making power with respect to all agricultural activities in the household. Joint ownership of land by both men and women and the use of modern technology in farm activities also raise the agrarian decision-making power of the females. Further, the decision-making power of women is more among the socially marginalised and economically deprived categories. This calls for institutional arrangements to ensure land ownership by the female members and their economic empowerment by providing them better wages and livelihood.

Democracy In The Dark: Internet Shutdowns In India As A Challenge to Freedom of Speech and Expression

The right to access the internet is intrinsically linked to fundamental rights such as the right to education and the right to privacy under Articles 21A and 21 of the Indian Constitution, respectively. The internet not only enhances the quality of education but also serves as a powerful tool for the free expression of knowledge and ideas. It has been recognized globally as a human right, and adherence to this right is imperative for countries signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Freedom of speech and expression, enshrined in Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, extends to the internet, with reasonable restrictions outlined in Article 19(2). In recent years, internet shutdowns in India have become increasingly common, particularly during periods of civil unrest and protests. While the government has the authority to impose reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech and expression to maintain public order, the arbitrary use of internet shutdowns has become a concerning trend. This paper explores the reasons behind and the consequences of these shutdowns on the right to freedom of speech and expression. The internet is a crucial medium for citizens to communicate, express dissent, and seek support, especially during times of crisis and unrest. Its importance is evident in regions like Jammu and Kashmir and the North Eastern states of India, where prolonged internet shutdowns have isolated affected communities from the rest of the country. The imposition of internet shutdowns as a means to restore peace raises questions about its reasonableness and adherence to constitutional provisions. The paper cites landmark cases, such as Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India, where the Supreme Court emphasized the importance of necessity and proportionality in internet shutdown orders. The lack of accountability mechanisms, combined with normalized shutdowns, has allowed the government to stifle dissent without justifiable cause. To protect fundamental rights and uphold the principles of democracy, judicial activism and a critical evaluation of government actions are essential. The paper concludes that internet shutdowns, as a means of suppressing free speech and expression, often fail to meet the criteria of reasonable restrictions and are, therefore, a violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.

Energy Utilization Efficiency and Entrepreneurial Potential of a Solarbiomass Integrated Drying System

In absence of grid power in most of the production catchments in the North Eastern states of India, coupled with disruptive power situation in areas where it is available, agricultural products are invariably dried under traditional sun drying. Ginger and turmeric with high intrinsic qualities are two major spices produced in a formidable quantity in the region. Truckloads of raw ginger are transported to Delhi and other places, causing huge transit losses. A solar-biomass integrated (IDS) batch drying system was thus designed and developed with a capacity of 100 kg/batch. A compound parabolic solar collector coupled with bio-waste fired combustion and heating assembly was designed and attached to a drying chamber consisting of six trays and a wind turbine on the top to create the necessary draft controlled by butterfly valves and sliding gates. Thin layer drying experiments were carried out for drying of sliced ginger and turmeric. Fluidized bed dryer (FBD), electrical oven (EO) and open sun drying (OSD) were used for comparison. Effective moisture diffusivity in case of turmeric drying was nearly 21% more in comparison to ginger drying. Minimum specific energy consumption (SEC) occurred in IDS, and was 14 and 30 times less compared to FBD and OSD, respectively. Considering total heat available in the plenum chamber and latent heat of vapourization, the IDS showed 36.33% of overall energy utilization efficiency. A run up of 10 years and a break-even of 17.70 % was estimated, reflecting high entrepreneurial possibility of the developed IDS.

Status and prospects of Avocado cultivation in India

Avocado (Persia americana) is a native to tropical America. It was originated in Mexico and Central America, possibly from more than one wild species. The early Spanish explorers recorded its cultivation from Mexico to Peru. Avocado production increased almost 1100 percent as compared to 1961. In India, Avocado was introduced in Bangalore and hill stations like Kallar near Nilgris, Palani hills of  Kodaikanal, Shrevaroy hills of Yercaud, Coorg during 1912 and 1940. Later the seedlings of those varieties spread over humid subtropical region but remain neglected. The avocado cultivation have gained an overwhelming popularity during last one decade due to nutritional properties of the fruits. Presently around 7000 tones of avocados annually and the production is increasing rapidly as more and more areas is being brought under cultivation.   The agro- climatic conditions prevailing in various parts of the country appear to be favorable for bringing more areas under avocado. Recently several varieties belonging to all three horticultural races i.e., West Indian, Guatemalan and Mexican have been introduced in India. Some varieties such as  Arka Supreme, Arka Ravi and TKD-1 were  released by CHES(IIHR), Chettalli (Coorg)  and HRS station Thayangudusai (TN). These research centres are maintaining large number of accession of avocado germplasm. CHES (IIHR), Chettalli standardized the cleft grafting method for multiplication of avocado.  Avocado is planted at a distance of 5 to 8 meters depending on the vigour of variety and growth habit.  In general, young avocado trees are given N, P2O5 and K2O in the proportion of 1:1:1 and older trees in the proportion of 2:1:2 . Both A & B types are  planted in the orchards for proper pollination and sufficient number of pollinators should be encouraged by keeping honey bee boxes.  The studies conducted at CHES, Chettalli revealed that Apis cerena was the major pollinator followed by Apis florea, Tetragonula sp. and ants. Avocado plants seedlings start bearing five to six years after planting while grafted plants start yielding in 3-4 years. Harvesting is done manually  and bruising and exposing fruits to direct sunlight is  avoided. The yield ranges from 100 to 500 fruits per tree. The peak harvest time is different in different region. Presently, there is very little  organized marketing system for avocado in India  as the production is small and production areas are scattered. Avocados are mostly produced in Coorg, Chikmagalur, Shivamogga, Kodaikanal, Lower Palani hills, Kallar and Wayanad. The demand of avocado is manly in metro cities like Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi,Pune and Ahmadabad.  A large quality of avocado and avocado products are being imported in the country to fulfil the demand. Avocado is mainly used fresh, in sandwich filling or in salads.. Several products of avocado i.e. Arka avocado chutney, Arka avocado bread spread, Spray dried avocado powder have been developed by ICAR-IIHR, Bangalore.  The cultivation area is rapidly growing in  Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil    Nadu, North Eastern States etc. of the country. The seminars, workshops, field days, awareness programmes, demonstrations etc. conducted by ICAR-IIHR, Bangalore  during last one  decade played a vital role in popularization of avocado in the country.  Visualizing the demand and rising popularity of avocado at domestic and international level, there is good scope of Avocado cultivation in India. There is need to provide suitable technological backup to fulfil the requirement of growers, processing industry and consumers

Net carbon sequestration implications of intensified timber harvest in Northeastern U.S. forests

AbstractU.S. forests, particularly in the eastern states, provide an important offset to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Some have proposed that forest‐based natural climate solutions can be strengthened via a number of strategies, including increases in the production of forest biomass energy. We used output from a forest dynamics model (SORTIE‐ND) in combination with a GHG accounting tool (ForGATE) to estimate the carbon consequences of current and intensified timber harvest regimes in the Northeastern United States. We considered a range of carbon pools including forest ecosystem pools, forest product pools, and waste pools, along with different scenarios of feedstock production for biomass energy. The business‐as‐usual (BAU) scenario, which represents current harvest practices derived from the analysis of U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis data, sequestered more net CO2 equivalents than any of the intensified harvest and feedstock utilization scenarios over the next decade, the most important time period for combatting climate change. Increasing the intensity of timber harvest increased total emissions and reduced landscape average forest carbon stocks, resulting in reduced net carbon sequestration relative to current harvest regimes. Net carbon sequestration “parity points,” where the regional cumulative net carbon sequestration from alternate intensified harvest scenarios converge with and then exceed the BAU baseline, ranged from 12 to 40 years. A “no harvest” scenario provides an estimate of an upper bound on forest carbon sequestration in the region given the expected successional dynamics of the region's forests but ignores leakage. Regional net carbon sequestration is primarily influenced by (1) the harvest regime and amount of forest biomass removal, (2) the degree to which bioenergy displaces fossil fuel use, and (3) the proportion of biomass diverted to energy feedstocks versus wood products.

Parental awareness and attitudes towards prevention of respiratory syncytial virus in infants and young children in Australia.

To assess parental awareness of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the level of acceptance of future RSV prevention strategies. A cross-sectional online survey was implemented targeting "future" and "current" parents of children aged ≤5 years in Australia. From 1992 eligible participants, two non-mutually exclusive subgroups were formed: "current" parents (N = 1931) and "pregnant/planning" parents (N = 464: 403 also "current" parents and 61 "future" parents). Participants were predominantly (86.6%) aged 25-39 years and 68.5% with university education. The majority (89.6% current; 78.7% future) had heard of RSV. Of those, 64.2% (current) and 50.0% (future) were aware that pneumonia is associated with RSV; 71.8% (current) and 52.1% (future) were aware that bronchiolitis is associated with RSV. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, Australian-born parents (aOR = 2.47 [95% CI: 1.48-4.12]), living in the eastern states (e.g., New South Wales: aOR = 6.15 [95% CI:2.10-18.04]), with a university-level education (aOR = 2.61 [95% CI:1.38-4.94]) and being a current parent (aOR = 12.26 [95% CI:2.82-53.28]) were associated with higher RSV awareness. There was a high level of acceptance for maternal vaccines (future: 79.3%) and infant immunisation (all: 81.7%). While RSV awareness and immunisation acceptance were high, there was limited knowledge of severity of RSV, especially in future parents. Education campaigns need to be developed to increase RSV knowledge.

Inefficiency Analysis of Tax Efforts in Special Category States of India: Evidence from a Stochastic Frontier Model

The current article examines the tax efforts of India’s main mountainous states that have been accorded special category status by the National Development Council. These states have been under persistent budgetary pressure and are partially reliant on central funds in the form of grants in ‘aid’ and other central transfers. The present article employs the Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) model to assess ‘tax effort’ of special category states. The model results implied that ‘tax effort’ rises with increase in the share of secondary sector, revenue expenditure and road infrastructure. Further, the level of debt lowers ‘tax effort’, whereas the introduction of FRBM and Goods and Service Tax Regime (GST) has raised the inefficiency in own tax mobilization. On the basis of tax effort index, computed through John Drew (JLMS) methodology, this study also indicates that Assam, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir are in a far better position in tax efforts score compared to the north eastern special category states. JEL Codes: H2, H21, H22, H71

Investigation of physical properties of bamboo dust with marble powder filled ceramic composites: Sustainable approach for ceramic tiles manufacturing

The suggested bamboo and marble dust ceramic systems can be credited with superior qualities. It has a significant impact on the makeup of the crystalline phase. This study unquestionably sets the road for the effective use of bamboo dust and offers insightful information regarding the use of other bamboo dust waste. The present study provided a novel way to construct the ceramic tile by employing bamboo dust to partially replace marble powder as raw material to utilize bamboo dust from the North Eastern States fully. X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscope were used to characterize the impacts of bamboo dust on the various ingredient composition percentages on the chemistry, mineral phase, and morphology of the ceramic tiles made from bamboo dust. The effects of bamboo dust content on macro, microscopic-scale, and surface structures were extensively examined. Results showed that at 1145 °C, the rupture modulus of a sample containing 8% bamboo dust and 4% marble powder reached 41.94 N/mm2, while a sample with 0% bamboo dust and 12% marble powder reached 26.26 N/mm2. Additionally, it exceeds the specifications for ceramic tiles for its equivalent water absorption capacity, loss of ignition, and linear shrinkage, which were 9.47%, 13.68%, and 3.66%, respectively.

Implications of climate change mitigation and socioeconomic development on the U.S. electric power sector

Climate change poses a global challenge, and the electric power sector, as a major greenhouse gas contributor, plays a central role in tackling and curbing its effects. Despite significant research on global and national future pathways, there is a need for further exploration into the application of Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) and Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) to understand sub-national impacts on the electric power sector. This study employs the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM-USA) to analyze how climate change mitigation and socioeconomic development interact in the U.S. electric power sector at the state level. We developed four scenarios covering different levels of decarbonization efforts and socioeconomic development. Our research findings reveal a prevailing trend towards a less carbon-intensive U.S. electric sector, propelled by an expanding presence of natural gas and renewable energies in the energy mix. Such capital turnover leads to a significant reduction of overall CO2 emissions from the electric sector, albeit at a higher lifetime cost in particularly eastern states. The mitigation efforts also lead to overall decreased water withdrawal and increased water consumption in the electric sector, however, disparities in state-level responses are observed. While population growth predominantly shapes electricity generation, unique state-level electrification potential yields indirect population-electricity dynamics. The spatially heterogeneous response suggests complex trade-offs associated with reconciling climate mitigation objectives with local electricity demand and resource constraints. In sum, this research equips policymakers and stakeholders with invaluable insights to formulate mitigation strategies that align with the objective of the U.S. electric sector, both at a national and international level, while also catering to the unique characteristics of each state.