Verbal autopsy instruments for 'causes and circumstances' surrounding drowning deaths in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review.

Background: Understanding the causes and circumstances surrounding drowning events is vital to inform context-specific interventions. Verbal autopsy (VA) instruments have been used to improve the identification of drowning deaths in low-income and middle-income countries. However, the challenges and opportunities of using VA to understand the causes and circumstances surrounding fatal drowning deaths are unknown.

Unlocking the potential of red mud: Advanced strategies for economic optimization and sustainable recovery of critical minerals.

Red mud (RM) is a solid by-product generated in large quantities from the Bayer process in alumina refinery industries. The high pH and heavy metal content pose significant environmental challenges for its management and disposal. This comprehensive review highlights RM's potential as a source of valuable raw materials, focusing on both economic and environmental implications.

Investigating the impact of fly ash contamination on soil microbial diversity: a metagenomic study near Kolaghat Thermal Power Plant, India.

Soil metagenomics using whole genome shotgun sequencing (WGS) uncovers microbial diversity and functionality in soils. This study aimed to explore microbial diversity and functional adaptation in soils exposed to fly ash near the Kolaghat Thermal Power Plant, West Bengal, India, using whole genome shotgun sequencing. Understanding how microbial communities respond to such contamination is essential for developing effective bioremediation strategies.

Optimising participation in a pulmonary rehabilitation programme for people living with chronic respiratory diseases in rural India: a feasibility study.

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) plays a vital role in managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs). However, implementation of this multidisciplinary approach in resource-poor settings may not be sufficient because of referrers' uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of PR, inconvenient timing, travel issues, patients' lack of motivation, and poor family support. The aim was to test the feasibility of a peer-led, professionally assisted community-based PR programme for CRD patients in a rural, low literacy setting.

Extraction and chemical characterization of humic acid produced from lignite coals of arid region of Gujarat, Western India.

In the current study, extraction of humic acid (HAs) from lignite fines of kutch basin of Gujarat (western India) were reported. The extraction was done by International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) method. Several analytical and spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize of extracted HAs.

Strategies for primary HPV test-based cervical cancer screening programme in resource-limited settings in India: Results from a quasi-experimental pragmatic implementation trial.

Background: In order for low and middle income countries (LMIC) to transition to Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) test based cervical cancer screening, a greater understanding of how to implement these evidence based interventions (EBI) among vulnerable populations is needed. This paper documents outcomes of an implementation research on HPV screening among women from tribal, rural, urban slum settings in India.

Methods: A mixed-method, pragmatic, quasi-experimental trial design was used.

The groundwater arsenic contamination in the Bengal Basin-A review in brief.

The presence of arsenic in the groundwater of the densely-populated Bengal Basin evolved as a mass-poisoning agent and is a reason for the misery of millions of people living here. High-level arsenic was detected in the shallow aquifer-tube wells of the basin in the late-20th century. The redox conditions and the biogeochemical activities in the shallow aquifers support the existence of arsenic in its most toxic +3 state.

Predictors for detecting chronic respiratory diseases in community surveys: A pilot cross-sectional survey in four South and South East Asian low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Our previous scoping review revealed limitations and inconsistencies in population surveys of chronic respiratory disease. Informed by this review, we piloted a cross-sectional survey of adults in four South/South-East Asian low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) to assess survey feasibility and identify variables that predicted asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: We administered relevant translations of the BOLD-1 questionnaire with additional questions from ECRHS-II, performed spirometry and arranged specialist clinical review for a sub-group to confirm the diagnosis.

Development of an educational intervention to reduce the burden of adult chronic lung disease in rural India: Inputs from a qualitative study.

Background: Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) are major causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide with a substantial burden of the disease being borne by the low and middle income countries (LMICs). Interventions to change health behaviour which aim to improve the quality of life and reduce disease burden due to CRD require knowledge of the problem and factors influencing such behaviour. Our study sought to appreciate the lived experiences of people with CRD, their understanding of the disease and its risk factors, and usual practice of health behaviour in a rural low-literate community in southern India.

Comparative spectroscopic analysis, performance and emissions evaluation of Madhuca longifolia and Jatropha curcas produced biodiesel.

In order to fulfil the growing need to replace fossil fuels, investigations exploring the production of biodiesel from agricultural biomass have gained attention. In this study, biodiesels were produced from Madhuca longifolia and Jatropha curcas by means of pre-treatment followed by a two-step acid-base homogeneous catalyst method. These biodiesels were blended with diesel at different percentages.

Left atrial appendage occlusion for ischemic stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation: clinical expert opinion and consensus statement for the Asian-Pacific region.

Purpose: To develop a consensus statement for left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) in Asian-Pacific patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) at risk of ischemic stroke. The need for such a region-specific consensus was indicated by the relative paucity of clinical evidence for LAAO and oral anticoagulation therapy obtained in Asian-Pacific populations and the specific stroke and bleeding characteristics of this population.

Methods: Consensus was developed by discussion and evaluation of available evidence and expert opinions during a 2-day meeting attended by clinical experts from the Asian-Pacific regions.

Evaluation of the performance of zirconia-multiwalled carbon nanotube nanoheterostructures in adsorbing As(III) from potable water from the perspective of physical chemistry and chemical physics with a special emphasis on approximate site energy distribution.

In this study, the performance of zirconia-multiwalled carbon-nanotube nanoheterostructure in adsorbing the highly toxic water-contaminant As(III) from water has been probed from the perspective of physical chemistry and chemical physics. The adsorbent found extremely efficient in adsorbing As(III) from potable water. Moreover, its ability to oxidize As(III) to As(V) in the aqueous solution has been evinced by the XPS studies.

Mobile technology and cancer screening: Lessons from rural India.

Background: Rates of cervical and oral cancer in India are unacceptably high. Survival from these cancers is poor, largely due to late presentation and a lack of early diagnosis and screening programmes. Mobile Health ('mHealth') shows promise as a means of supporting screening activity, particularly in rural and remote communities where the required information infrastructure is lacking.

Suitability Assessment of Surface Water Quality with Reference to Drinking, Irrigation and Fish Culture: A Human Health Risk Perspective.

A multi-purpose Water Quality Index (WQI) was developed to assess the suitability of surface water for drinking, fish-culture, as well as irrigation in Durgapur industrial city, India. WQI was calculated for 48 sampling locations, where 2.08%, 4.

Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography - Need for a Better Gold Standard?

Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) has come a long way as establishing itself as a feasible, safe, effective, relatively cheaper non-invasive technique to detect population suffering from coronary artery disease (CAD) and following up patients post revascuralization. Besides these DSE is commonly used to diagnose low gradient, low flow true severe aortic stenosis (AS); differentiating it from pseudo- AS and to follow up patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP). Various non-invasive techniques have different sensitivity and specificity to accurately judge a viable myocardium and to accurately detect the improvement in regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA) post-revascularization, leading to an overall increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).