Mizoram Research Articles

Urban Local Body in Mizoram: A Study and Analysis of The First Lunglei Municipal Council (LMC) Election

The present paper aims to examine the origins of the Urban Local Body (ULB) in the state of Mizoram. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of the development and electoral processes pertaining to the Urban Local Body (ULB) in the state. The research further examines a comparative analysis of voting behaviour in various rural local body elections and the first Lunglei Municipal Council (LMC) election. Additionally, the paper examines the electoral performance of major political parties in the first Lunglei Municipal Council (LMC) election.

Site Characterization In Champhai Town Area Of Mizoram State In Northeast India: Geological And Geophysical Studies

The Mizoram state of northeast region (NER), India located in close proximity to Indo-Burma subduction zone, recently experienced an earthquake swarm; eight severely felt earthquakes (Mw 5.0–5.9) occurred during April–October, 2020 around Champhai town that caused damages to several buildings and ground cracks with maximum reported MSK intensity VIII. The largest event Mw 5.9, at depth 15 km, occurred on April 16 (ISC catalog). The present study deals with site characterization of the Champhai town area by geological and geophysical investigations. The geological investigation involves detailed mapping of the lithounits, and the geophysical investigation includes shallow (down to 30 m) shear wave velocity (Vs 30) and site amplification (SA) measurements in an about 50 sq km area in the town. Some 23 sites are selected for Vs 30 measurements using the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Wave (MASW) technique. The observed Vs 30 ranges from 200 m/s to 1060 m/s classifying the area into three categories: Class-B (hard rock), class-C (soft rock), and class-D (stiff soil) as per National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) guidelines. Geologically, the class B and C sites are represented by arenaceous and argillaceous Tertiary rocks, respectively, whereas the class D is represented by the Quaternary sediments. Site amplification (SA) studies, on the other hand, are carried out by making ambient noise surveys at some 52 selected stations using a digital seismograph. The ambient noise data are analyzed by the Nakamura method of H/V spectral ratio. The overall variation of peak amplification of the sites ranges from 1.26 to 6.65. A good correlation is obtained; the observed Vs 30 and site amplification (SA) maps are fairly comparable with the detailed geological or lithounit map. These maps are much useful for seismic hazard microzonation of the town area to mitigate seismic hazard-risk

Mortality among HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative People Who Inject Drugs in Mizoram, Northeast India: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study (2007-2021).

Background: HIV and drug overdose continue to be the leading causes of death among people who inject drugs (PWID). Mizoram, a small state in the northeast of India, has the highest prevalence of HIV in India and a high HIV prevalence among PWID. Objective: To estimate the mortality among HIV-positive and HIV-negative PWID and to describe its associated factors. Methods: Cross-sectional datasets from the 2007-2021 Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) data comprising 14626 PWID were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the factors associated with mortality among HIV-negative and HIV-positive PWID after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Results: Mortality among HIV-negative PWID declined by 59% between 2007 and 2021. The mortality rate among HIV-positive PWID also declined by 41% between 2007 and 2021. The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that being divorced/separated/widowed (AOR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.03-1.94) remained positively associated with mortality among HIV-positive PWID. Mortality among HIV-negative PWID remained positively associated with ages of 24-34 years (AOR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.29-1.84) and above 35 years (AOR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.52-2.86), being divorced/separated/widowed (AOR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.02-1.61), and the sharing of needles/syringes (AOR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.34-2.00). Mortality among HIV-negative PWID was negatively associated with being married (AOR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.57-0.90), being employed (AOR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.64-0.94), and having a monthly income. Conclusions: The mortality rate among HIV-negative and HIV-positive PWID declined significantly between 2007 and 2021 in Mizoram. To further reduce mortality among PWID, interventions should target those sharing needles/syringes, those above 24 years of age, and unmarried participants.

A preliminary assessment of the bat fauna (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of Murlen National Park, Mizoram, India: distribution, morphology, and echolocation

As part of a faunal documentation work in Murlen National Park in Mizoram, two field surveys were conducted in the park area and its immediate periphery which resulted in capture of 39 individuals of bats. Based on these captures and a previous published record, 14 bat species belonging to nine genera and three families were recorded from the study area. Despite lesser sampling coverage and shorter duration of the surveys, uncommon and little-known species like Arielulus circumdatus, Kerivoula cf. hardwickii, Myotis annectans, Myotis montivagus, and Mirostrellus joffrei were recorded, thereby highlighting the rich assemblage of chiropteran fauna and also the need for effective protection of the area. Based on the collected samples, five species—Rhinolophus affinis, R. perniger, Myotis annectans, Pipistrellus javanicus, and Mirostrellus joffrei—are first recorded from Mizoram state. The echolocation call structures of four of the recorded species from the study area are also presented. We have also provided an updated checklist of the bat fauna of Mizoram state comprising 35 species of five families.

Resource building and classification of Mizo folk songs

Abstract Folk culture represents the social, ethnic, and traditional livelihood of people belonging to a certain tribe or community and is important in keeping their culture and tradition alive. The Mizo people are a Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group, native to the Indian state of Mizoram and neighboring regions of Northeast India. Mizo folk culture is an amalgamation of festivity, celebration, liveliness, kinship, brotherhood, and merriment, and above all, preserves the ethnicity of this tribal community that is fundamentally entrenched. Unfortunately, the Mizos are fast giving up their old customs and adopting the new mode of life that is greatly influenced by the western culture. This makes it all the more crucial to preserve the intangible cultural heritage of this ethnic tribe whose folk cultures are vanishing day by day. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first attempt at preservation and classification of Mizo folk songs. The first part of this paper presents a literature survey on preservation, analysis, and classification of folk songs. The second part presents the methodology for preliminary classification of Mizo folk songs. Three categories of Mizo folk songs—Hunting chants (Hlado), Children’s songs (Pawnto hla), and Elderly songs (Pi pu zai)—are used in this study. A total of 29 acoustic features are used. A long short-term memory network using custom attention layer has been proposed for classification, whose results are compared with four supervised models (Support Vector Machines, K-Nearest Neighbor, Naive Baye’s, and Ensemble). Experimental results from the proposed model are promising, with an implication of scope for future research in acoustic analysis and classification of Mizo folk songs using recent unsupervised methods.

Nutritional composition and anti-nutritional properties of wild edible fruits of northeast India

Forageable fruits are an untapped wealth of nutrients and minerals, and huge numbers are found in the vast wilderness of northeast India, including the hilly state of Mizoram. However, their nutritional properties still need to be explored. Hence, the present study was carried to assess the nutritional and anti-nutritional aspects along with the mineral contents of seven selected wild edible fruits, viz. jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri), false mangosteen (Garcinia xanthocymus), mulberry (Morus nigra), thereju (Prunus jenkinsiii), wild raspberry (Rubus treutleri) and wild ber (Zizyphus mauritiana) to uncover their immense nutritional values, which could solidify their promising potential for an alternate source of nutrition and increase their economic importance. The research demonstrates that Garcinia xanthocymus contains significant amount of total sugars, reducing sugars, and vitamin E. Artocarpus heterophyllus exhibited higher levels of non-reducing sugar, total soluble solids, chlorophyll, carbohydrate and starch. Citrus jambhiri is rich in moisture, vitamin C, acidity, N, and P. Prunus jenkinsii has high anthocyanin, total carotenoid, K and Mn. Rubus treutleri is a rich source of crude fibre, Mg, Na, Co, Cu, and Fe. Ziziphus mauritiana has higher protein. The Morus nigra has higher fat, energy, Ca, and Zn. These findings suggest that all examined wild edible fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals, which makes them vital in combating malnutrition and highlights their potential for use in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical sectors in futuristic research works. The outcomes of this present study will provide a database about the nutritional composition, potential health benefits, and economic values of these fruits and raise public consciousness about the conservation and enrichment of biodiversity.

FOREST AND ITS RESOURCES IN PRE-COLONIAL MIZORAM

Northeastern Indias Mizoram state is landlocked and surrounded by Bangladesh on the west and Myanmar on the east and south. It shares boundaries with Manipur and Assam to the north, and with Tripura to some extent to the west. The hill forests are an essential resource that indigenous groups rely on for their way of life. Because of the biomass these trees produced and the occasional removal of those woods for farming, Mizorams livelihoods were formerly totally depended on those forests. More precisely, jhuming was the only source of income for the pre-colonial Lushai civilization, with some hunting and gathering providing additional support. Thus, forest land is a pivot around which the peoples lives revolve their hunting, festivals, farming, and migration patterns all center on the area they own. People in traditional societies rely heavily on wild plants for sustenance, medicine, and leisure. That was especially true during the pre-colonial era, when the majority of items used were made of vegetative materials that could be found in the nearby forest. The sociocultural resource domain appeared to be limitless to the early inhabitants. There was not much competition for space because of the incredibly low population density.

Comprehensive landslide prediction mapping using bivariate statistical models of Mizoram state of Northeast India

ABSTRACT Landslides in the state of Mizoram result in damage to life and properties annually. The study focuses on landslide susceptibility zones by frequency ratio (FR), evidential belief function (EBF) and index of entropy (IOE) models. A total of 1,486 landslide points were used to build a relationship between 16 factors and landslide occurrences. The results reveal 14.44%, 19.64% and 3.55% of the area as very high susceptible zones in FR, EBF and IOE models, respectively. The AUC results support the adoption of the EBF model in land use planning and decision-making processes to enhance natural resource management and mitigate landslide risks in Mizoram.

Molecular Characterization of Class II Newcastle Disease Virus from Field Outbreaks in Mizoram, India

Background: Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly contagious and economically important disease affecting poultry of all ages. The causative agent, class II NDV strains are frequently virulent and are classified into at least 21 distinct genotypes with several sub-genotypes. The circulating strains of NDV from mainland India are identified as genotype XIII, whereas emergence of a new genotype XXII has been reported recently from North East Region of India. Methods: A total of 25 poultry farms comprising a total population of 2165 birds were studied for field outbreaks of ND. Detailed post-mortem examination was conducted on a total of 121 dead birds and field outbreaks were confirmed by the detection of the F gene in tissue samples by reverse transcription PCR. Deduced amino acid sequence analysis of fusion proteins and phylogenetic analysis based on complete F gene were carried out to understand the molecular epidemiology of the circulating NDV strains. Result: This study has confirmed severe NDV outbreaks in the vaccinated flock, from Mizoram state of India. The three isolates from the outbreaks revealed the presence of the multi-basic amino acid residues at the fusion protein cleavage site (112RRQKRF117) identified as characteristic of velogenic strain. The phylogenetic analysis based on the complete F gene has characterized the isolates belonging to newly identified genotype XXII and subgroup XXII.2. The evolutionary evidence of this new genotype of NDV in the unique ecosystem of NER, India, warrants detailed studies for better understanding of the variant.

Treatment regimens and survival among patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma from Mizo tribal population in northeast India – a single centre, retrospective cohort study

Patients with early-stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are treated using a single-modality approach that involves either surgery (S) or radiotherapy (RT). Conversely, those with advanced-stage disease are treated using a multi-modality approach incorporating a combination of chemotherapy (CT), RT and S. In addition to behavioural factors, such as alcohol and tobacco use, clinical parameters, such as leukocyte and neutrophil counts and T and N classification, have been linked to the survival of patients with head and neck cancer. This retrospective study was designed to provide insights into the types of treatment (induction chemotherapy [IC], concurrent chemoradiotherapy [CCRT], S and RT) administered to patients with HNSCC in Mizoram, analyse their 2-year outcome, and identify potential factors that may affect the response to treatment. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using patients diagnosed with HNSCC between 2017 and 2020 in Mizoram, northeast India. Data on clinical and demographic factors and treatments provided were collected from medical records from the Mizoram State Cancer Institute, Mizoram. Overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were determined for each factor using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Cox regression analysis was used to identify the factors that affected OS and PFS. Multicollinearity test was performed between the predictors using a variance inflation factor cut-off point of2. A retrospective study was performed on 210 patients with HNSCC who were followed up for a period of 2 years. The findings revealed that hypopharynx was the most affected site, followed by the nasopharynx, oral cavity, oropharynx, and larynx. Regarding treatment regimens, 85/210 (40.5%) of the patients received IC along with CCRT or RT in a sequential manner. Moreover, 86/210 (41.0%) underwent CCRT alone, 22/210 (10.5%) received RT alone and 17/210 (8.1%) underwent surgery followed by adjuvant CCRT or RT. Two-year OS and PFS estimated using the Kaplan-Meier analysis were 78.1% (95% CI=72.4%-84.2%) and 57.4% (95% CI=50.8%-64.8%), respectively. Log-rank test showed that leucocytosis (p=0.015) and neutrophilia (p=0.014) exerted effects on OS, whereas nodal involvement (p=0.005), neutrophilia (p=0.043) and IC (p=0.010) exerted effects on PFS. Multivariate analysis indicated that leucocytosis (p=0.010 [OS], 0.025 [PFS]), neutrophilia (p=0.029, 0.033), cancer site (laryngeal) (p=0.009, 0.028) and nodal involvement (N2) (p=0.020, 0.001) were predictors of poor OS and PFS. OS was better than PFS in HNSCC patients from Mizo population. Multi-modality approach offered survival advantages over single-modality approach. Leucocytosis, neutrophilia, nodal involvement, and cancer sites were associated with poor OS and PFS. More comprehensive research with a larger sample size is needed to confirm the findings from this study. There is no funding for this study.

Legal Complications Relating to Things Outside Commerce: A Overview from Past to Present. Based on the Lottery Case in the State of Mizoram

Abstract: “Res Extra Commercium” is a Roman law doctrine that translates to “things outside commerce”. In State of Bombay v R.M.D. Chamarbaugwala , Justice Das introduced this doctrine into the Indian jurisprudence. The doctrine was introduced to constrict the scope of freedom of trade and commerce, a fundamental right, guaranteed under Article 19(1)(g) of the Indian Constitution. It constricts the scope by excluding certain “immoral” or “noxious” trade activities from the scope of Article 19(1)(g) and thereby, depriving them of Constitutional protection. The doctrine of res extra commercium seeks to exclude certain activities from the ambit of freedom of trade and profession guaranteed under Articles 19(1)(g) and 301 of the Constitution of India. Tracing back the origin of the doctrine to Roman Law has commented to the effect: The res extra commercium doctrine traces its conceptual roots to Roman law. Res in commercio, in Roman law, were things capable of ownership and hence, the subject of property rights, while res extra commercium were things incapable of ownership. In light of this, the doctrine applies to those things that are not objects of commerce i.e., they are extra commercio. In Justinian’s Institutes of Roman Law, only three classes of entity are conceptually treated as res extra commercium:

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the indigenous community of the western region of Mizoram, India

BackgroundPlants have long been utilized as traditional medicines by the inhabitants. However, until recently, the traditional knowledge had not been extensively documented from the hilly state of Mizoram, India. The present study was designed to perform a quantitative analysis of ethnomedicinal plants used by Mizo tribes using quantitative ethnobotanical indices. The study attempts to find new ethnomedicinal plant species that could be a source for the discovery of new drug formulations.MethodsThe information was obtained through extensive and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative indices such as informant consensus factor (ICF), use value (UV), fidelity level (FL), relative frequency of citation (RFC), and relative importance index (RI) were used to quantify the advantages, significance, and coverage of ethnomedicine. All the collected data were analyzed using the ethnobotanyR package in R.ResultsA total of 124 ethnomedicinal plant species, distributed in 112 genera under 60 families, were documented from 206 informants. Herbs (49.19%) were the most dominant growth form, and leaves (49.19%) were the most common plant parts used for the preparation of herbal medicine while decoction (61.21%) was the most popular formulation. Asteraceae (11) were the most common families among the documented species. Digestive disease, burns, cuts, and wounds had the highest ICF value (0.94), and Lepionurus sylvestris had the highest FL (91%). Oroxylum indicum (6.25) was the most commonly utilized ethnomedicinal plant based on UV, RI had the highest value in Blumea lanceolaria (1.12), and O. indicum (0.29) had the highest RFC value. According to the findings, the traditional medicinal plant treatment is still widely used in the research area.ConclusionDocumentation of new ethnomedicinal species and their therapeutic usage will encourage further phytochemical and pharmacological research, potentially leading to the discovery of new drug formulations.

First report of the longhorn beetle, Rosalia (Eurybatus) formosa (Saunders, 1839) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from Mizoram, India

The present paper records Rosalia (Eurybatus) formosa (Saunders, 1839), a cerambycid or longhorn beetle for the first time from the state of Mizoram in northeastern India. The documentation was done on the basis of two specimens that were collected from the District of Champhai, Mizoram. In this communication, photographs, as well as notes on the morphological features of the species are presented.

Its all in the name: Another new Cyrtodactylus Gray (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from northern Mizoram, North-east India.

A new species of Cyrtodactylus is described from Vairengte town, situated in the Kolasib District of Mizoram State, north-eastern India. The new species is found to be a member of Indo-Burman Cyrtodactylus khasiensis clade based on ND2 gene sequences and morphological parameters, such as number of precloacal pores, mid-ventral scale rows, paravertebral tubercles on the trunk, dorsal tubercle rows, subdigital lamellae on pes and subcaudal scalation, making it the sixth endemic Cyrtodactylus from Mizoram and twenty second from north-east India. Moreover, phylogenetic evidence suggests the new species to be sister to the recently described C. aaronbaueri, and morphological analyses also reveal marginal separation between the two species based on the PCA of infralabials, lamellae on fingers and toes, paravertebral tubercles on the trunk, and dorsal tubercle rows.

Epidemiology of scrub typhus and other rickettsial infections (2018-22) in the hyper-endemic setting of Mizoram, North-East India.

In the past decade, scrub typhus cases have been reported across India, even in regions that had no previous history of the disease. In the North-East Indian state of Mizoram, scrub typhus cases were first recorded only in 2012. However, in the last five years, the state has seen a substantial increase in the scrub typhus and other rickettsial infections. As part of the public health response, the Mizoram Government has integrated screening and line listing of scrub typhus and other rickettsial infections across all its health settings, a first in India. Here we detail the epidemiology of scrub typhus and other rickettsial infections from 2018-2022, systematically recorded across the state of Mizoram. The line-listed data positive for scrub typhus and other rickettsial infections identified by rapid immunochromatographic test and/or Weil-Felix test from 2018-22 was used for the analysis. During this period, 22,914 cases of rickettsial infections were recorded, out of which 19,651 were scrub typhus cases. Aizawl is the worst affected, with 10,580 cases (46.17%). The average incidence of rickettsial infections is 3.54 cases per 1000 persons-year, and the case fatality rate is 0.35. Only ∼2% of the reported scrub typhus cases had eschar. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicate patients with eschar (aOR = 2.5, p<0.05), occupational workers [farmers (aOR:3.9), businessmen (aOR:1.8), construction workers (aOR:17.9); p<0.05], and children (≤10 years) (aOR = 5.4, p<0.05) have higher odds of death due to rickettsial infections. The integration of systematic surveillance and recording of rickettsial diseases across Mizoram has shed important insights into their prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. This study underscores the importance of active surveillance of rickettsial infections across India, as the burden could be substantially higher, and is probably going undetected.

Addition of four invasive alien plant species to state flora of Mizoram, India

Four alien plant species that have been naturalized in the state of Mizoram are reported for the first time as an addition to the state flora. These are Achimenes longiflora DC. &amp; Chrysothemis pulchella (Donn ex Sims) Decne. from Gesneriaceae family and Cuscuta campestris Yunck. &amp; Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw. from Convolvulaceae &amp; Fabaceae families, respectively. The present report of the occurrence of these four invasive alien plant species in the state will allow for early detection, risk assessment, and effective management to mitigate against their potential negative impacts on the native ecosystem and biodiversity.

Wood rotting polyporales from the biodiversity reserves within the Indian subtropical habitat

Identification of fungi to species level is paramount in both basic and applied applications in scientific research. A diverse group of fungi play a crucial role in ecosystem functioning and significantly contribute to the biodiversity of various ecosystems. In the northeastern state of Mizoram, India, the study of wood-inhabiting fungi holds immense potential for uncovering the region's fungal diversity and ecological interactions. The present study investigated the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic identities of different fungal species of polypores isolated from diverse parts of Mizoram, India. Fungal species were collected and identified using a macro and micro-morphological characteristics and molecular approaches. Nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences, along with the internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2), and the 5.8S gene area, were used to identified the collected samples. 23 fungal isolates of polypores were selected for molecular phylogenetic analysis. The 23 species were identified to the species level based on the fungal sequences with known identities in GenBank.The combined approach both morphological and molecular techniques proposed in the study holds the potential to address these challenges and provide a more efficient and accurate way of understanding fungal distribution.

A LOGISTIC REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY: A CASE STUDY OF AIZAWL DISTRICT OF MIZORAM, INDIA

In this paper, we examine poverty in the state of Mizoram, India by taking the case of Aizawl district based on the method of Alkire-Foster counting approach. We also assess the determinants of such poverty using binary logistic regression model by considering household characteristics such as dependency ratio, age, education of the household head, household size and size of agricultural landholdings as explanatory variables. We found that 28.4 percent of the population is MPI poor (i.e. headcount ratio) with a 38.2 percent intensity of poverty (A). The overall MPI in the study area is 0.10. The findings of the study are very close to the findings of Alkire et.al (2015), who estimated the headcount ratio, intensity of poverty, and MPI to be 30.8 percent, 45.1 percent, and 0.139 respectively based on the National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3). The estimated logistic regression also showed that the household size, dependency ratio, age of the household head, and education level of the household head were significant determinants of poverty in the study area. The findings of this study agree with those of previous studies such as Datt (1998) Al-Saleh (2000), Ajakaiye and Adeyeye, (2002), Osowole, Asif (2007), Babu, &amp; Sanyal (2009), etc. However, the size of agricultural landholdings is not a significant determinant of multidimensional poverty in the study area, which is contrary to the findings of Hashmi, et.al. (2008) and Babu, et.al. (2019). KEYWORDS: Multidimensional Poverty, Alkire-Foster Method, Determinants of Poverty, Binary Logistic Regression.

Probabilistic seismic hazard and risk assessment of Mizoram, North East India

This paper presents seismic hazard and risk assessment for the state of Mizoram based on a classical probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and event-based probabilistic seismic risk analysis. For the seismic hazard estimation, analysis has been performed considering the areal source model, fault zone polygon, and smoothed gridded seismicity model. The earthquake activity rates for these source zones and smoothed gridded seismicity sources are estimated from the homogenized and declustered earthquake catalogue. The logic tree framework is applied in the seismic source models and Ground Motion Prediction equations (GMPEs) to account for the epistemic uncertainties. Five Next-generation attenuation (NGA) GMPEs for the active shallow region and three GMPEs for the Indo-Burma subduction zone have been used to evaluate the hazard at the reference rock condition (Vs30 ​= ​760 ​m/s). Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) and Spectral Acceleration (SA) at 0.2 s and 1s are estimated for each eight districts headquarters of Mizoram for a 2% and 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years. The hazard curves and Uniform Hazard Spectra (UHS) are also presented. For seismic risk analysis, building exposure data are based on digitized building footprint and 2011 Housing Census data of India. All the buildings are classified into three classes, and seismic vulnerability functions are assigned to each building class. The area per building class is assigned from the digitized footprint. Building replacement costs per square meter have been chosen based on expert input and values identified from past study. Lastly, the study conducted a seismic risk analysis using the Open Quake-engine's probabilistic event-based methodology to estimate risk metrics at the district level, such as average annual losses and probability curves for loss exceedance. The study's findings provide valuable insights into the most high-risk areas, the building construction types that are most vulnerable to seismic activity, and the anticipated economic losses in the state of Mizoram. These results can serve as a guide for local government authorities in developing future city plans and implementing earthquake risk mitigation strategies.

HIV and its associated factors among people who inject drugs in Mizoram, Northeast India.

To estimate the prevalence and associated factors with the human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Mizoram, Northeast India. The data source for the analysis was the 2019-2020 Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) survey from 2695 PWID registered for the Targeted Intervention (TI) services. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the factors associated with HIV among PWID after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, injection, and sexual behaviours. 21.19% of the participants tested positive for HIV and the prevalence of HIV among male and female participants were 19.5% and 38.6%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that female (AOR 1.74; 95% CI 1.26-2.41), 35 years or older (AOR 1.45; 95% CI 1.06-1.99), married (AOR 1.41; 95% CI1.08-1.83), divorced/separated/widowed (AOR 2.12; 95% CI 1.59-2.82) and sharing of needle/syringe (AOR 1.62; 95% CI 1.30-2.00) were all positively associated with HIV infection. We also found that concomitant alcohol use was reduced by 35% (AOR 0.65; 95% CI 0.51-0.82) among HIV positive PWID, and HIV infection was also reduced by 46% (AOR 0.54; 95% CI 0.44-0.67) among those PWID who use a condom with a regular partner. The findings of this study suggested that there is a high prevalence of HIV among PWID with 1 in 5 PWID reported to have HIV. HIV among PWID was significantly higher among those over 35 years of age, females and divorced/separated/widowed participants. Needle/syringe sharing behaviour is an important determinant of HIV infection. The high prevalence of HIV among PWID population is multifactorial. To reduce HIV among PWID in Mizoram, interventions should target those sharing needles/syringes, females, especially those over 35 years of age and unmarried participants.