Tamil Nadu Research Articles

Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice of blood donation among paramedical students of a medical college in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Blood donation is an essential global need far outweighs the available supply, rendering it a scarce and valuable resource. Within India, blood transfusion services hold significant importance and constitute a crucial aspect of the national health-care framework. Voluntary Non-Remunerated Blood Donation (VNRBD) is deemed the safest among the various ways of donating blood. The student population of educational institutions across the country, particularly those who are young and physically fit, represents one of the most promising sources of blood donations. The aim of the study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and donation practices of medical college students and motivate them to embrace voluntary blood donation as a regular habit. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Department of Allied Health Science at Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, conducted a questionnaire survey from March 2023 to October 2023. Two thousand and two hundred forty students were invited to participate, with 2331 ultimately willing to partake. The gathered data underwent analysis using the SPSS Statistics software, version 20, with a significance level fixed at a P = 5%. RESULTS: The study included 2331 participants, comprising 840 males (36%) and 1491 females (64%). The age range of the participants was between 17 and 25 years, with a mean age of 18.9 ± 1.3 years. Out of 2331 participants, the majority (66.7%) showed sufficient knowledge with 9 or more correct answers, while the rest (33.2%) showed below-average knowledge. CONCLUSION: The Tamil Nadu Health Professions Colleges possess the potential to make a noteworthy impact on the promotion of blood donation. According to a recent survey, students express a keen interest in donating blood if a camp is organized on the campus. By organizing awareness campaigns and conducting informative sessions, the colleges can inspire and motivate more students to donate blood, thereby playing a vital role in saving lives.

Incidence of Various Types of Bleeding Disorders Associated with Canine Vector Borne Diseases in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Background: Animals with various stages of bleeding tendencies are often presented with obvious blood loss and life threatening complications, although some animals are relatively stable, showing only minimal clinical signs. Canine vector-borne diseases and associated bleeding disorders are commonly encountered in routine practice with high morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis, therapeutic outcome and management of bleeding disorders have always been challenging. The objective is to study the incidence of various types of bleeding disorders with their clinical features in CVBD in the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Methods: During the study period (2018-2020) a total of 76, 051 dogs were presented to the Madras Veterinary College Teaching Hospital, Chennai. Sixteen thousand five hundred and twenty nine (16529) dogs were presented with signs of bleeding disorders. Dogs affected with vector borne diseases had various stages of bleeding tendencies (1593 dogs) were subjected to detailed clinical, haematological, biochemical and coagulation profile assessments. Under each etiological group, the dogs were further divided into three groups based on various stages bleeding disorders in order to evaluate the clinicopathological changes in dogs. Result: The observed incidence of bleeding disorders due to canine vector borne diseases in this study were Babesiosis 41.87 per cent, Ehrlichiosis 52.7 per cent and hepatozoonosis 5.5 per cent. The incidence of Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis and H. canis in the study population was found to be 5.2 per cent, 4.04 per cent and 0.53 per cent. Dogs due to E. canis, 51 per cent had anaemia and thrombocytopenia, 26.1 per cent had pancytopenia and 22.9 per cent had pancytopenia and DIC. Dogs due to B. gibsoni, 47.7 per cent had anaemia and thrombocytopenia, 28.5 per cent had pancytopenia and 23.8 per cent had pancytopenia and DIC.

Piloting Pulse Producer Support System Through ICT Enabled Services for Enhanced Climate Resilience

Background: In peninsular India, the frequency of climate-related risks is significantly lowering agricultural productivity and farmers’ standard of living. Reducing losses in the agriculture sector requires precise and timely weather information, weather based advisories on crop production, protection and post-harvest. Disseminating agromet advisories directly to the farmers using ICT tools allows farmers to adopt appropriate corrective measures, minimize loss and ensure climate resilient agriculture. In this sense, the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University established an Automated Agromet Advisory Web cum Mobile App (TNAU-AAS) in 2018, which sends location, crop and stage specific agromet advisories directly to farmers’ mobile App. Methods: TNAU-AAS App was evaluated in pulse crops as “Piloting pulse produce support system through ICT enabled services” between 2019 and 2021 in three TNAU centers under three different eco systems namely irrigated (Coimbatore), rice fallow (Aduthurai) and rainfed (Kovilpatti). Pulse growing farmers were registered in this smartphone application for agromet advisory based response farming. Result: The TNAU-AAS App had delivered approximately 10-12 advisories to each farmer, tailored to their unique crop and stage during the cropping period. Survey results inferred that the farmers received timely notifications on their mobile phones, 2-3 days in advance, which assisted them in preplanning. Occurrences of pests and diseases were well aligned (68-83%) with TNAU- AAS recommendations and the climate vulnerability of non AAS farmers is more than AAS farmer. According to partial budget analysis, the irrigated, rice fallow and rainfed black gram farmers have gained Rs. 2800, Rs. 2300 and Rs. 1900 per ha, respectively. It is concluded that the ICT-enabled agromet advisory system guarantees timely alerts, boosts labor and land productivity, lowers input loss and shields crops from weather-induced pests and diseases as well as climatic variability risk.

An Analysis on Link of Maternal Lipid Profile and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Case Control Study of 120 Women

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus GDM is a clinical condition, or disease, wherein, a marked reduction in the sensitivity of insulin, during pregnancy, is attributed to the metabolic disturbance that occurs widespread. Although, information on the association among dyslipidaemia and GDM remains uncertain till date. The main objective of the present investigation is to detect any correlation between lipid profile of GDM subjects and healthy control women,using biochemical indicators. METHODS: A careful clinical case study was performed, involving a total of 120 subjects, comprising two distinct groups. Group I includes 60 pregnant women, those were recently detected as GDM cases. Group ll covers healthy control subjects collected from Open Patients unit and Registry of Diabetic Unit of Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Institute Medical science and Hospital, Perambalur, Tamil Nadu. Both groups' subjects were bifurcated, based on their age groups, and found to be 25 to 45 years. Estimation of glycemic condition, in prior and post fasting was performed, using an analyzer appropriately. Similarly, maternal lipid profile for both groups was also determined. Moreover, HbAl c, an important biochemical indicator was also detected for both groups of subjects with respect to their age, using HPLC technique. Received data were pooled and a statistical analysis was performed, using Student t test to identify the significance difference or association between GDM group and healthy subjects, in specific, on the maternal lipid profile. FINDING: Analysis showed that there is a significant difference observed in the maternal lipid profile of GDM group, when compared with healthy subjects. The P value of Very Low Lipid protein VLDL, low density lipoprotein LDL, High density lipoprotein HDL was found to be 0.01, 0.028, and 0.038 respectively. Whereas, p value for HbAl c was recorded as 0.02, and found significant difference at 0.01 percent level. Interestingly, no difference was observed in the limit of FG, and Triglycerides limit, and were reported as p _0.28, and p- 0.316 respectively. A marked difference was also detected among the 30 to 35 yrs age group. INTERPRETATION: Present investigation elucidated that there is a strong correlation between GDM subjects and dyslipidemia. Further, this study strengthened and promised that elevated maternal lipid profile is highly linked with GDM condition.

Effect of Different Spacing Level and Growth Stages of Chekkurmanis (Sauropus androgynus L.) on Plant Growth

Background: Chekkurmanis, is a shrubby glabrous perennial green leafy vegetable, extensively grown in warm humid tropics. It is called as “Multivitamin / Multigreen” plant. Micronutrient deficiency has spread all over the world and it is termed as “Hidden Hunger”. In this regard, chekkurmanis is the chief source of many minerals and nutrients is help to eradicate these deficiencies. The yield enhancement and improvement on plant growth characters could be manipulated by adopting optimized cultural practices, especially plant spacing and stage of harvest. With the background, present study was taken up to examine the variations in morphologically; under different spacing’s in relation to different growth stages were assessed and discussed. Methods: The research study was carried during 2019-2020. The healthy rooted cuttings collected from Orchard, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The research trial consisted of two factors different spacing’s (Factor I) and specific days interval (Factor II). Result: Based on the results, it can be suggested that growth characters i.e. plant height, number of branches, number of leaves per plant and petiole length parameters were significantly higher under closer spacing at 180 days after planting (S1D3). While, Maximum leaf length, leaf breadth and plant spread were recorded under wider spacing at 180 days after planting (S5D3).

Prevalence of Noncommunicable Disease (NCDs) risk factors in Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu STEPS Survey (TN STEPS), 2020.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for nearly 75% of all deaths in Tamil Nadu. The government of Tamil Nadu has initiated several strategies to control NCDs under the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Reform Program (TNHSRP). We aimed to estimate the prevalence of NCD risk factors and determine the predictors of diabetes and hypertension, which will be helpful for planning and serve as a baseline for evaluating the impact of interventions. A state-wide representative cross-sectional study was conducted among 18-69-year-old adults in Tamil Nadu in 2020. The study used a multi-stage sampling method to select the calculated sample size of 5780. We adapted the study tools based on WHO's STEPS surveillance methodology. We collected information about sociodemographic factors, NCD risk factors and measured blood pressure and fasting capillary blood glucose. The predictors of diabetes and hypertension were calculated using generalised linear models with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, we could cover 68% (n = 3800) of the intended sample size. Among the eligible individuals surveyed (n = 4128), we had a response rate of 92%. The mean age of the study participants was 42.8 years, and 51% were women. Current tobacco use was prevalent in 40% (95% CI: 33.7-40.0) of men and 7.9% (95% CI: 6.4-9.8) of women. Current consumption of alcohol was prevalent among 39.1% (95% CI: 36.4-42.0) of men. Nearly 28.5% (95% CI: 26.7-30.4) of the study participants were overweight, and 11.4% (95% CI: 10.1-12.7) were obese. The prevalence of hypertension was 33.9% (95% CI: 32.0-35.8), and that of diabetes was 17.6% (95% CI: 16.1-19.2). Older age, men, and obesity were independently associated with diabetes and hypertension. The burden of NCD risk factors like tobacco use, and alcohol use were high among men in the state of Tamil Nadu. The prevalence of other risk factors like physical inactivity, raised blood pressure and raised blood glucose were also high in the state. The state should further emphasise measures that reduce the burden of NCD risk factors. Policy-based and health system-based interventions to control NCDs must be a high priority for the state.

Studies on Pearl Millet-Based Intercropping System under Rainfed Condition of Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India

Aim: The aim of the study is to ascertain the response of pearl millet under intercropping system with pulses and their ability to produce higher yield under intercropping conditions. Study Design: The study was carried out in Randomized block design (RBD). Place and Duration of Study: The field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2023-2024 at Karunya Institute of technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Methodology: The experiment was laid out in randomized block design and replicated thrice. It consisted of eleven treatments comprising of pearl millet as main crop and pulses viz., blackgram, greengram, redgram, cowpea and bengalgram as intercrops. Pulses were intercropped with pearl millet in replacement series of 4:1 and 6:1 row proportion. Results: Significantly higher plant height (186.03cm), dry matter accumulation (7386kg/ha), grain yield (2493 kg/ha) and B:C (2.50) ratio was recorded in pearl millet + blackgram (4:1). Further pearl millet equivalent yield (PMGEY) (2711.1 kg/ha) and Relative Crowding Coefficient (RCC) were higher in pearl millet with blackgram 4:1 ratio and Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) were higher in pearl millet + redgram at a ratio of 4:1. Conclusion: These results confirmed that, pearl millet + blackgram 4:1 intercropping system may be suggested to get greater net return and B: C ratio.

Diversity of Freshwater Turtles Melanochelys trijuga in and Around Sankarapuram Wetland Complex on Kallakurichi District, Tamil Nadu, India

India is one of the most species-rich regions of freshwater turtles in the world, also, they are being collected, for slaughter, eaten, and traded in huge numbers. The scope of this study on Melanochelys trijuga, also known as the Indian Black Turtle, focuses on collecting comprehensive information about the species in India, specifically in Tamil Nadu, with a special emphasis on Sankarapuram.The study aims to address the lack of current data about this turtle species and contribute to the understanding of its taxonomy, distribution, habitat, behavior, and conservation status. Various methods are employed in this study such as visual sighting of habitat to encounter the target animal, and, indirectly through interview-based survey information from local communities. Visual survey was conducted on 20 locations of the sankarapuram study area. On the surveyed 20 locations the tortoise was observed in five locations viz. two Coconut farm, two ordinary well which used for irrigation purpose and a lake side muddy shallow area. Totally 10 individuals were observed in this study period. We had an opportunity to examine the specimens very closely once it comes out behind the open well. The captured specimens were later examined by comparison with the standard key characteristics and manuals in order to identify the specimen and found as Melanochelys trijuga species. In this study we observed both male and female individuals. The individuals are found as adults. The characteristics and ecology information were compared with the existing data in previous record and publications and manuals. Obtained Melanochelys trijuga species was found as Nearly Threatened status in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) category.

Prevalence of polymyxin-resistant bacterial strains in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Polymyxins, the cationic lipopeptide antibiotics, are the last line of therapeutics against the MDR Gram-negative bacterial (GNB) pathogens. Unfortunately, the rising cases of polymyxin-resistant strains from across the globe have adversely impacted their utility. While the molecular mechanisms responsible for developing polymyxin resistance (PolR) are largely understood, the prevalence of PolR strains in India has not been investigated systematically. The current study was undertaken to primarily determine the prevalence of PolR strains in India. Moreover, the extent of the spread of mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes among the GNB strains in India was also determined. A systematic search for articles using the relevant inclusion and exclusion criteria was performed in the applicable databases for the period January 2015 to December 2023. The included 41 studies were subjected to a meta-analysis using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (V4.0). Publication biases were assessed using funnel plots and Egger's regression analysis. Considering a total of 41 studies including 24 589 bacterial isolates the present meta-analysis found the rate of PolR bacteria in India to be at 15.0% (95% CI: 11.2 to 19.8). Among the Indian States, Tamil Nadu topped with the highest prevalence of PolR at 28.3%. Investigating the contribution of the mcr genes, it was observed that among the PolR strains, 8.4% (95% CI: 4.8 to 14.3) were mcr positive. The study determined the prevalence of PolR strains in India at 15.0%, which is higher than that of the global average at 10%. The study also determined that 8.4% of the PolR strains carried the mcr genes. The mcr-positive strains reported from India could be an underestimation of the actual numbers due to the non-inclusion of mcr screening in many previous studies. This study provides insight into the state of the PolR situation in India, which may be useful to develop a monitoring strategy to contain the spread of such strains and preserve the efficacy of the polymyxins.

Predicting nitrous oxide contaminants in Cauvery basin using region-based convolutional neural network

Nitrous oxide (N2O) in riverbeds affects hydrological processes by contributing to the greenhouse effect, indicating poor water quality, disrupting biogeochemical cycling, and linking to eutrophication. Elevated N2O levels signal environmental issues, impacting aquatic life and necessitating precise forecasting for effective environmental management and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Precisely forecasting nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from riverbeds is paramount for effective environmental management, given its significant potency as a greenhouse gas. This study focuses on the difficulties related to spatial feature extraction and modeling accuracy in predicting N2O in riverbeds in Tamil Nadu. To address the obstacles, the research suggests utilizing the Deep Learning Based Prediction of Nitrous Oxide Contaminants (DL-PNOC), which studies the N2O contaminants in water using Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (RCNN) for spatial feature extraction, to predict nitrous oxide contaminants. The study is centered on the Cauvery River Basin located in Tamil Nadu, where the emission of N2O is a matter of environment. The outcomes encompass the specialized N2O contaminant model for riverbeds and the implementation of RCNN achieves precise N2O forecasting. The DL-PNOC approach combines a contaminant model with RCNN deep learning techniques to capture spatial characteristics and predict N2O pollutants accurately. Furthermore, using the River Bed Dynamics Simulator reinforces the dependability of the findings. The DL-PNOC approach has exhibited encouraging results, as evidenced by the following metrics: a high IoU of 88.66%, precision of 88.96%, recall of 90.03%, F1 score of 89.22%, and low RMSE and MAE values of 9.14% and 7.59%, respectively. The findings highlight the efficacy of the DL-PNOC approach in precisely forecasting N2O pollutants in river sediments.

Comparative Analysis of Profitability, Water and Energy Productivity in Curry Leaf Cultivation: Drip vs. Conventional Production Systems in Coimbatore district, India

The aim is to analyze the cost and returns of curry leaf production under different irrigation methods, assess water and energy productivity and draw conclusions regarding the sustainability and profitability of drip irrigation. The study utilizes a sample of 60 respondents from two blocks in Coimbatore district, employing a multi-stage random sampling technique. Primary data was collected through structured questionnaires administered via personal interviews between June and September 2023. Cost concepts were employed to calculate cultivation costs, while water and energy consumption were assessed to determine productivity. This study investigates the economic and environmental implications of adopting drip irrigation over conventional furrow irrigation for curry leaf cultivation in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, India. The results demonstrate that drip irrigation significantly reduces operational costs and improves yields compared to furrow irrigation. Gross and net incomes are substantially higher with drip irrigation, highlighting its economic advantages. Moreover, drip irrigation shows higher water and energy productivity, indicating its potential for resource conservation and sustainability. The results emphasize the importance of governmental support in promoting drip irrigation adoption to enhance water efficiency and facilitate value-added product export. In conclusion, this study highlights the significance of drip irrigation in enhancing profitability, conserving resources and promoting agricultural sustainability in curry leaf cultivation within the Coimbatore region.

Influence of coir pith application on soil moisture distribution with different irrigation regimes of aerobic rice (Oryza sativa) cultivation under trickle irrigation system

An experiment was conducted during the summers of 2019 and 2020 at the AICRP Water Management field, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu to study the effect of coir pith application on soil moisture distribution of aerobic rice (Oryza sativa L.) with different irrigation regimes. Treatment consisted of 3 irrigation regimes, viz. I1 , Trickle irrigation at 120% Pan Evaporation (PE); I2 , 100% PE, and I3 , 80% PE. Experiment separately, maintained the surface irrigation of IW: CPE 1.20 as control. The well-composed coir pith @375 kg/ha was spread over the raised beds and leveled well with surface soil. Soil samples were collected in vertical and horizontal directions for determining soil moisture by gravimetric method. Soil moisture appropriation was plotted graphically as contour maps used by the surfer. Results revealed that trickle irrigation at 120% PE with coir pith application improved the yield attributes of aerobic rice compared to surface irrigation (IW: CPE 1.20) owing to coir pith’s favourable hydrological and physical properties to hold and spread the water in the raised bed area.

An Overview of Public Expenditure on Health Sector in Tamil Nadu

The state governments spend money on both economic and social services for the community. Education, public health, worker welfare programs, aid and rehabilitation for displaced people, and similar services are examples of social services. The community benefits from these services, and the better and happier the people are, the more advanced these services are. Tamil Nadu is welfare state which understands its responsibility to provide a minimum standard of living to all the citizens. Tamil Nadu is socially and economically a well performing state in the country. From the time of independence, the state has been dedicated in the provision of quality in the health sector. Almost all the political parties who ruled the state known for their rationality. The study period includes six five-year plans from 1991-2017. The health sector expenditure has been on increasing trend during the study period. It shows how far the government was interested towards providing health benefits to its masses. During every five-year plan period Tamil Nadu Government has introduced number of schemes and policy measures towards the health sector. The main focus of the study is an overview about the public expenditure on health from different five-year plan period from 8th five-year to 12th five-year plan. In Tamil Nadu, approved spending was almost always less than actual spending incurred during all plan periods. It concludes that over the period of the plan periods, the total amount spent by the federal and state governments on the health sector has increased steadily.

Seroprevalence of Japanese encephalitis virus in pig populations of Tamil Nadu, India: Exploring the tropical endemic link of virus

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a major cause of encephalitis in Southeast Asia. Tamil Nadu, a state located in the southern part of India, contributes substantially to the national burden of human JE cases every year. However, limited information is available on the epidemiology of JE in pig populations of Tamil Nadu. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess JEV prevalence in pig populations of Tamil Nadu. A total of 710 pigs reared in 118 farms across 10 districts of Tamil Nadu were sampled using multistage cluster random sampling. Serum samples were analyzed for their JEV status using Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). At the animal-level, the apparent JEV seroprevalence was 60.4% (95% CI: 56.8% – 64.0%) and the true seroprevalence was 50.1% (95% CI: 47.0% – 53.2%). The herd-level apparent seroprevalence was 94.1% (95% CI: 88.1% – 97.5%) and the true seroprevalence was 93.3% (95% CI: 89.5% – 96.2%). The intensity of JEV circulation was high in all the districts, with seroprevalence ranging between 43% and 100%. Pigs across all age categories were seropositive and a high overall seroprevalence of 95.2% (95% CI: 76.2% – 99.9%) was recorded in pigs older than 12 months. JEV seropositivity was recorded in all the seasons but the prevalence peaked in the monsoon (67.9%, 95% CI: 61.1% – 74.2%) followed by winter (65.1%, 95%CI: 57.4% – 72.2%) and summer (53.3%, 95% CI: 47.8% – 58.8%) seasons. The results indicate that JEV is endemic in pigs populations of the state and a one health approach is essential with collaborative actions from animal and public health authorities to control JE in Tamil Nadu, India.

Music with Repeated Sprint Training Impacts on Respiratory Rate and Speed Performance of Students with Visual Impairment

Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment, is a medical definition primarily measured based on an individual's better eye visual acuity; in the absence of treatment such as corrective eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment– visual impairment may cause the individual difficulties with normal daily tasks including reading and walking. Visual or vision impairment (VI or VIP) is the partial or total inability of visual perception. To achieve these study fifteen male students with visual impairment (b2)were selected from the, Star Special School in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Their age ranged between 15 to 20 years. These subjects were gone for repeated sprint training on daily 60 minutes morning 6 to 7 am up to eight weeks. The selected respiratory rate assessed with manual method and speed performance assessed with 50 m dash. Pre and post-test data were collected and analyzed using the dependent ‘t’ test, with a confidence level set at 0.05. The findings of the study revealed significant changes in respiratory rate and improvements in speed performance intervention of repeated sprint training.

A Prospective Study on the Outcome After Mass Closure of Post-laparotomy Wound Dehiscence in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India

A Prospective Study on the Outcome After Mass Closure of Post-laparotomy Wound Dehiscence in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India

Coastline and geomorphological deviations using DSAS techniques over the past 5 decades (1972–2022) in Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, India

Coastline and geomorphological deviations using DSAS techniques over the past 5 decades (1972–2022) in Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, India

Diversity and Abundance of Wetland Birds in Udayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary, Tiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu, India

Wetland birds are integral components of wetland ecosystems, providing ecological, economic, cultural, and regulatory benefits. The study conducted from 2021 to 2024 in the Udayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary of Tiruvarur district aimed to assess year-wise species diversity, richness, relative diversity, evenness, density, and relative abundance of wetland birds employing the total count method to estimate the population of wetland birds. A total of 104 bird species belonging 18 orders and 49 families were recorded. During this study, 17 species were migrant, while the remaining 87 birds were resident. Three bird species were classified as Near Threatened, including the Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis), Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanosephalus), and Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster). Additionally, two bird species were classified as Vulnerable, namely the Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga) and River Tern (Sterna hirundo), while 99 bird species were classified as Least Concern. Regarding species diversity in the Udayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary during different years, the highest species diversity was recorded in 2021 (2.75), while the lowest species diversity was observed in 2024 (1.64). In terms of species richness, the maximum richness was observed in 2023 (68), whereas the minimum species richness was recorded in 2022 (29).

Activity Card Sort’s existence and execute in various languages and versions: A scoping review

Background: Activity Card Sort (ACS) measures patient activity participation, especially in older adults. It was developed to evaluate instrumental, social, and leisure activities of low and high demand in various populations. Transferring an ACS tool between diverse settings is challenging due to significant socio-economic, linguistic, and environmental impacts. Hence, to tailor ACS tools to a specific society’s socio-cultural context, comprehension of the accessible validated ACS tools and their psychometric attributes is essential. Objective: This scoping review was conducted to explore the availability of the ACS tool and to summarize the psychometric properties, such as the reliability and validity, of different languages and versions of ACS available worldwide. Materials and methods: A search was performed in PubMed, PsycNET, Cochrane, and Embase. Two independent reviewers conducted the screening process and extracted the data. The total sample included 370 articles, of which 26 studies met the inclusion criteria, providing information on psychometric properties. English and non-English versions (Arabic, Dutch, and Spanish) in different populations were included. Results: Among the 26 studies in this review, most ACS studies used the English version (62.5%). All the reported studies revealed “good” internal consistency, in which the Cronbach’s alpha (α) ranges between 0.61 and 0.91. Test-retest reliability was measured using ICC values ranging from 0.78 to 0.98 for numeric data and Kappa statistics for binary data. Two studies used Kappa statistics to test the reliability, which ranged from 0.48 to 0.85 for all domains, indicating moderate to good reliability. Measures of content validation, face validity, concurrent, convergent, and discriminative validity were also reported. Conclusion: Good psychometric properties were reported. No study is available on the Indian population using the ACS tool. Hence, developing and validating an ACS tool for the Tamil Nadu population is needed.

Betel Vine Marketing in Tamil Nadu, India: Price Spread Analysis

Tamil Nadu is one the leading betel leaf cultivating states in the country. Besides, it faces    significant challenges in producing betel vines due to risk of pests and diseases. These risks have a negative impact on the farm economy. Disease outbreaks can be incredibly concerning and have an impact on a company's profitability. The higher labour costs, pest and disease and natural calamities have made it difficult for farmers to produce their crops. Therefore, it was essential to study the marketing cost, price spread and marketing efficiency of betel vine in Tamil Nadu. The use of a well-structured interview schedule allowed for the collection of information from farmers regarding the cost and return of producing betel vines. From the local marketplaces in Thanjavur District, village traders, commission agents, wholesalers and retailers were chosen. Price spread and marketing efficiency were used to know about the marketing cost and the price received by the farmer. The efficient marketing channel was channel III (Producer → Retailer → Consumer) because it has the lowest price spread of 18.9 per cent which be due to a smaller number of intermediaries. The marketing efficiency in channel III (16.1) was higher than in channel I (10.6)  and channel II (6.3) respectively. Thus, marketing of betel leaf in channel III was more efficient for farmers.