• Mycobiology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2012

Very few studies have addressed the phylogenetic diversity of fungi from Northeast India under the Eastern Himalayan range. In the present study, an attempt has been made to study the phylogenetic diversity of culturable soil fungi along the altitudinal gradients of eastern Himalayas. Soil samples from 24 m above sea level to 2,000 m above sea level altitudes of North-East India were collected to investigate soil micro-fungal community structure and diversity. Molecular characterization of the isolates was done by PCR amplification of 18S rDNA using universal primers. Phylogenetic analysis using BLAST revealed variation in the distribution and richness of different fungal biodiversity over a wide range of altitudes. A total of 107 isolates were characterized belonging to the phyla Ascomycota and Zygomycota, corresponding to seven orders (Eurotiales, Hypocreales, Calosphaeriales, Capnodiales, Pleosporales, Mucorales, and Mortierellales) and Incertae sedis. The characterized isolates were analysed for richness, evenness and diversity indices. Fungal diversity had significant correlation with soil physico-chemical parameters and the altitude. Eurotiales and Hypocreales were most diverse and abundant group of fungi along the entire altitudinal stretch. Species of Penicillium (D=1.44) and Aspergillus (D=1.288) were found to have highest diversity index followed by Talaromyces (D=1.26) and Fusarium (D=1.26). Fungal distribution showed negative correlation with altitude and soil moisture content. Soil temperature, pH, humidity and ambient temperature showed positive correlation with fungal distribution.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5371-5374
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• 2012

The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence and type of tobacco use among adolescents and also the reasons for the initiation of tobacco use amongst them. It was conducted in ten randomly selected schools in the Kannur district of Kerala state, India. A total of 3,000 school children participated. The study observed an overall prevalence of 5.5%. The prevalence observed among boys was 12% and none of the girls were tobacco users. Association between father's and friend's tobacco habits were observed.

• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.5-27
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• 2013

The purpose of the study is to assess the professional inclination, academic and social background, family status and their occupation, gender distribution, choice of work, and their perceptions of aspirant LIS students. The study examined the various career choice factors and sources of motivation that influence the students of LIS profession. The data has been collected from the 251 LIS students' enrolled five prominent universities of North India. The results indicate that majority of female students join the LIS profession because of employment opportunities. Most of the respondents are from rural areas, hails to middle class families and their educational background in Arts/Humanities and Social Science subjects. Majority of the respondents choose the LIS profession as primary career because for the better employment possibilities. The study recommends the public awareness about the LIS profession in India.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.885-899
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• 2012

This study investigates the competitiveness of the clothing and textile industry in North Korea, compare to those of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam from 1993 to 2010; in addition, it explores the potential cooperation between South Korea and North Korea. First, a revealed comparative advantage (RCA) was used to investigate the competitive performance of clothing and textile industry in North Korea. The results reveal that North Korea and Viet Nam had superior comparative advantages from 1993 to 2010. Second, in order to investigate the factors that affect the competitive performance, depth interviews based on Porter's Diamond of Competitive Advantage were designed and completed by government officers and practitioners working in the clothing and textile industry field. The results show that cheap labor, the stable demand of South Korea and China for basic products, lack of supporting and related industries, and organizational power highly influence the competitive performance of clothing and textile in North Korea. This result provides insight into the potential and limitations of the clothing and textile business. In addition, this study provides a better understanding of the effects of inter-Korean economic cooperation in socialist states.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.6185-6187
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• 2013

Cervical cancer has emerged as a major public health problem in Lucknow and New York in the $21^{st}$ century. Cancer genetic studies are essential to identify/stratify disease-susceptible individuals in a population-based cohort. Sample size homogeneity and North Indian caste in female urology genetic-studies are significant issues in meaningful interpretation of data. A review of scientific literature using Pubmed database was conducted, including an assessment of cervical cancer genetic studies conducted as part of the author's doctoral dissertation at a premier Lucknow-based medical research Institute. Sample size numbers and caste criteria in the North Indian cohort ($N{\leq}400$ subjects) were evaluated with homogeneity in the sample cohort data set(s). Subgroup caste-stratification of North Indian cohort is equally essential, for instance, Brahmin (e.g. Pandey), Vaishya (e.g. Mittal), Rajput (e.g. Singh) and Kshudra (e.g. Yadav) during the conception and design of genetics-based studies. Sample size homogeneity in histopathologically confirmed case and control numbers and caste-based stratification in a North Indian cohort is essential in single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) studies in cervical cancer susceptible populations to draw more definitive conclusions.

• Journal of National Security and Military Science
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• s.5
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• pp.173-202
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• 2007

After successful nuclear tests Pakistan launched a more severe surprise attack toward India than before. It is highly possible that North Korea will adopt this Pakistan military strategy if it is armed with nuclear weapons. The North Korean forces armed, with nuclear bombs could make double its war capability through strengthening aggressive force structure and come into effect on blocking reinforcement of the US forces at the initial phase of war time. Therefore we may regard that Pyongyang's nuclear arming is a major one of various factors which increase possibility of waging a conventional warfare or a nuclear war. North Korea's high self-confidence after nuclear arming will heighten tension on the Korean Peninsula via aggressive military threat or terror toward South Korea, and endeavor to accomplish its political purpose via low-intensity conflicts. For instance, nuclear arming of the Pyongyang regime enforces the North Korean forces to invade the Northern Limit Line(NLL), provoke naval battles at the West Sea, and occupy one or two among the Five Islands at the West Sea. In that case, the South Korean forces will be faced with a serious dilemma. In order to recapture the islands, Seoul should be ready for escalating a war. However it is hard to imagine that South Korea fights with North Korea armed with nuclear weapons. This paper concludes that the Pyongyang regime after nuclear arming strongly tends to occupy superiority of military strategy and wage military provocations on the Korean Peninsula.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.278-289
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• 2015

Indigenous strains of Trichoderma species isolated from rhizosphere soils of Tea gardens of Assam, north eastern state of India were assessed for in vitro antagonism against two important tea fungal pathogens namely Pestalotia theae and Fusarium solani. A potent antagonist against both tea pathogenic fungi, designated as SDRLIN1, was selected and identified as Trichoderma viride. The strain also showed substantial antifungal activity against five standard phytopathogenic fungi. Culture filtrate collected from stationary growth phase of the antagonist demonstrated a significantly higher degree of inhibitory activity against all the test fungi, demonstrating the presence of an optimal blend of extracellular antifungal metabolites. Moreover, quantitative enzyme assay of exponential and stationary culture filtrates revealed that the activity of cellulase, ${\beta}$-1,3-glucanase, pectinase, and amylase was highest in the exponential phase, whereas the activity of proteases and chitinase was noted highest in the stationary phase. Morphological changes such as hyphal swelling and distortion were also observed in the fungal pathogen grown on potato dextrose agar containing stationary phase culture filtrate. Moreover, the antifungal activity of the filtrate was significantly reduced but not entirely after heat or proteinase K treatment, demonstrating substantial role of certain unknown thermostable antifungal compound(s) in the inhibitory activity.

• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2015

A new macroscopic riverine red algal species, Lemanea manipurensis sp. nov. (Batrachospermales) is described from Manipur in northeast India. It has a sparsely branched, pseudoparenchymatous thallus with a single, central axial filament that lacks cortical filaments. Spermatangia occur generally in isolated, low and indistinct patches or form an almost continuous ring around the axis. Carposporophytes project into the hollow thallus cavity without an ostiole. The most striking morphological feature is the carposporophyte with very short gonimoblast filaments having cylindrical, narrow and sparsely branched sterile filaments, the terminal cell of each branch with a single, large, elongate carpospore. The widely distributed L. fluviatilis has spherical carpospores in long branched chains. Phylogenetic analysis of rbcL sequence data and comparison with other Batrachospermales clearly show that our specimens do not align with other species of Lemanea and Paralemanea investigated thus far. Five specific names attributed in previous literature (1973-2014) to Lemanea from Manipur, L. australis, L. catenata, L. fluviatilis, L. mamillosa, and L. torulosa are rejected until critical anatomical and molecular evidence is available for specimens from the Manipur river systems. Taxa referable to Paralemanea were not confirmed for India in this study. In view of the high demand for food and medical uses of L. manipurensis in northeast India, conservation measures are needed for its long term survival. The present paper constitutes the first combined morphological / molecular study on a freshwater red alga from India.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1105-1109
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• 2012

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women in India and the disease burden is increasing annually. The lack of awareness initiatives, structured screening, and affordable treatment facilities continue to result in poor survival. We present a breast cancer survival scenario, in urban population in India, where standardised care is distributed equitably and free of charge through an employees' healthcare scheme. We studied 99 patients who were treated at our hospital during the period 2005 to 2010 and our follow-up rates were 95.95%. Patients received evidence-based standardised care in line with the tertiary cancer centre in Mumbai. One-, three- and five-year survival rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier method. Socio-demographic, reproductive and tumor factors, relevant to survival, were analysed. Mortality hazard ratios (HR) were calculated using Cox proportional hazard method. Survival in this series was compared to that in registries across India and discrepancies were discussed. Patients mean age was 56 years, mean tumor size was 3.2 cms, 85% of the tumors belonged to T1 and T2 stages, and 45% of the patients belonged to the composite stages I and IIA. Overall 5-year survival was 74.9%. Patients who presented with large-sized tumors (HR 3.06; 95% CI 0.4-9.0), higher composite stage (HR 1.91; 0.55-6.58) and undergone mastectomy (HR 2.94; 0.63-13.62) had a higher risk of mortality than women who had higher levels of education (HR 0.25; 0.05-1.16), although none of these results reached the significant statistical level. We observed 25% better survival compared to other Indian populations. Our results are comparable to those from the European Union and North America, owing to early presentation, equitable access to standardised free healthcare and complete follow-up ensured under the scheme. This emphasises that equitable and affordable delivery of standardised healthcare can translate into early presentation and better survival in India.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6965-6969
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• 2013

Background: Tobacco consumption has been identified as the single biggest cause of inequality in morbidity and mortality. Understanding pattern of socioeconomic equalities in tobacco consumption in India will help in designing targeted public health control measures. Materials and Methods: Nationally representative data from the India Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) conducted in 2009-2010 was analyzed. The survey provided information on 69,030 respondents aged 15 years and above. Data were analyzed according to regions for estimating prevalence of current tobacco consumption (both smoking and smokeless) across wealth quintiles. Multiple logistic regression analysis predicted the impact of socioeconomic determinants on both forms of current tobacco consumption adjusting for other socio-demographic variables. Results: Trends of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption across wealth quintiles were significant in different regions of India. Higher prevalence of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption was observed in the medium wealth quintiles. Risk of tobacco consumption among the poorest compared to the richest quintile was 1.6 times higher for smoking and 3.1 times higher for smokeless forms. Declining odds ratios of both forms of tobacco consumption with rising education were visible across regions. Poverty was a strong predictor in north and south Indian region for smoking and in all regions for smokeless tobacco use. Conclusions: Poverty and poor education are strong risk factors for both forms of tobacco consumption in India. Public health policies, therefore, need to be targeted towards the poor and uneducated.