Estimation of soil erosion risk within a small mountainous sub-watershed in Kerala,India,using Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation(RUSLE) and geo-information technology

A comprehensive methodology that integrates Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation （RUSLE） model and Geographic Information System （GIS） techniques was adopted to determine the soil erosion vulner- ability of a forested mountainous sub-watershed in Kerala, India. The spatial pattern of annual soil erosion rate was obtained by integrating geo-environmental variables in a raster based GIS method. GIS data layers including, rainfall erosivity （R）, soil erodability （K）, slope length and steepness （LS）, cover management （C） and conservation practice （P） factors were computed to determine their effects on average annual soil loss in the area. The resultant map of annual soil erosion shows a maximum soil loss of 17.73 t h-1 y i with a close relation to grass land areas, degraded forests and deciduous forests on the steep side-slopes （with high LS ）. The spatial erosion maps generated with RUSLE method and GIS can serve as effective inputs in deriving strategies for land planning and management in the environmentally sensitive mountainous areas.

Characterization of partial melting events in garnet-cordierite gneiss from the Kerala Khondalite Belt,India

Phase equilibria modelling coupled with U–Pb zircon and monazite ages of garnet–cordierite gneiss from Vallikodu Kottayam in the Kerala Khondalite Belt,southern India are presented here.The results suggest that the area attained peak P–T conditions of^900
C at 7.5–8 kbar,followed by decompression to 3.5–5 kbar and cooling to 450–480
C,preserving signatures of the partial melting event in the field of high to ultra-high temperature metamorphism.Melt reintegration models suggest that up to 35%granitic melt could have been produced during metamorphism at^950
C.The U–Pb age data from zircons(~1.0–~0.7 Ga)and chemical ages from monazites(~540 Ma and^941 Ma)reflect a complex tectonometamorphic evolution of the terrain.The^941 Ma age reported from these monazites indicate a Tonian ultra-high temperature event,linked to juvenile magmatism/deformation episodes reported from the Southern Granulite Terrane and associated fragments in Rodinia,which were subsequently overprinted by the Cambrian(~540 Ma)tectonothermal episode.

Tuberculosis Treatment Completion for Tribal Patients in Kerala: Needs Constant Push!

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) incidence among tribal patients is high owing to their social and geographic vulnerability. Ensuring adherence to TB treatment among them remains a challenging task as it is dependent on socio-cultural and environmental factors. Objective: 1) To know the individuals’ perception of TB disease and anti-TB treatment;2) To explore the personal, social, family and cultural factors influencing on patient’s treatment adherence;3) To identify the challenges faced by health care providers in delivering services to the tribal population. Material and Methods: A descriptive qualitative study conducted among tribal patients (n = 16) and health providers (n = 6) of Manathavady TB unit, Wayanad District of Kerala. The data were collected through in-depth interviews (IDIs), audio-recorded in Malayalam, transcribed verbatim and translated into English. Transcripts were analysed using manual descriptive content analysis. Results: Most of the patients were oriented about the importance of completing TB treatment though lacked awareness about its causation. The supportive attitude of the community further encouraged them to continue TB treatment. However, substance abuse emerged as the biggest challenge to treatment adherence particularly among males. While accessibility to the health system, animal confrontation, and disaster risk emerged as barriers owing to the geographic landscape of the community, health services were found to be acceptable, available and affordable to all the patients. No stigma or discrimination was perceived by the patients at family, community and health system level. However, their beliefs in herbal medicines and conduct of certain rituals delayed them for seeking care. The personal commitment of the health care staff helped the TB patients to adhere better with the treatment thereby yielding best results. Conclusion: The TB treatment adherence among the tribal population was satisfactory due to personal, social and health system support. However, alcoholism and geographic vulnerability were perceived as the challenges in ensuring treatment adherence.

Chinese Brands at the Crossroad？ Demand State in Kerala Markets

Globalization and liberalization offer competitive openings for several world brands to the Indian markets. Bestowed with growing disposable incomes, Kerala consumers exhibit wide diversity in their buying habits. Apparently, the emerging fascination for imported brands impels distributers to leave enough space to shelf more ＂made in China＂ brands in their showrooms. The substantial increase in consumers＇ demand for imported goods with considerable attraction for ＂made in China＂ products inspired this study to explore the demand state for various types of Chinese products in the Indian regional markets. Divided into two stages, at first, with a primary survey, the study explores the consumers＇ perception towards selected five vastly available consumer durables such as electrical appliances, handicrafts, stationeries, toys and builds wares. Later, the demand matrix developed from the primary data defines the types of demand prevailing for each category of＂made in China＂ products based on their popularity and consumption in Kerala markets.

Characterization of Acidity in Acid Sulphate Soils of Kerala

The acidity characteristics of acid sulphate soils of Kuttanad, Kerala, were studied in detail by collecting surface, profile and subsurface soil samples from 20 locations of six soil series viz., Ambalapuzha, Purakkad, Thotapally, Thuravur, Kallara and - Thakazhi that belonged to acid sulphate soils. The soils were extremely acidic showing a range of pH （H：O） varying from 2.5 to 5.2. Lowest pH was recorded by Thakazhi series and the highest by Thotapally. The potential acidity of soils ranged from 14.71 cmol.kg-1 to 110.5 cmol-kg1 with Thakazhi series showing the highest value. The contribution of hydrolytic acidity to potential acidity ranged from 70.2% to 97.2%. In all soil series, exchangeable A13＋ was greater than exchangeable H~. A significant correlation was observed among pH （KCI）, pH （H20） and pH （CaCI2） in all series.

A checklist of polypores of Kerala state,India

A literature-based checklist of polypores reported from Kerala State,India is deduced.Altogether 148 species of polypores under 8 families belonging to 68 genera are recorded.The checklist is prepared after reviewing all the available literature and most of them have been published during the last two decades.The geographical distribution of polypores is presented districts wise,including all the 14 districts of Kerala state.The family Polyporaceae has the highest number of species(80),followed by Hymenochaetaceae(37),Fomitopsidaceae(9),Meripilaceae(7),Ganodermataceae(7),Meruliaceae(5),Schizoporaceae(2)and Phanerochaetaceae with a single species.The genus Trametes had the highest representation with 16 species followed by Lentinus and Phellinus with 13 species each.There is no comprehensive studies have been undertaken on the diversity,distribution and functional attributes of polypore fungi in Kerala parts of Western Ghats,which undoubtedly hosting the highest mycodiversity This list is inconclusive and covers only a part of the actual diversity of polypores in Kerala as most of the forest areas are unexplored for the polypore diversity documentation.

Stakeholders' satisfaction assessment in heritage conservation: Case study of a project performance model for Thiruvananthapuram Fort Area, Kerala, India

Stakeholder satisfaction is an important factor in determining the success of urban heritage conservation projects.This research attempts to propose a model for assessing stakeholder satisfaction and project significant factors that need to be considered when determining the performance of a conservation project,taking the Thiruvananthapuram Fort Area,India as a case example.The study employed a mixed-method approach of using expert consultations,physical surveys,and statistical analysis in the development of the model.Factors influencing the outcome of an urban heritage conservation project were listed from the literature and further refined through expert discussions to be utilized for the stakeholder survey.A questionnaire survey is administered within a heritage-sensitive urban area to identify the present state of heritage buildings and the living conditions of the stakeholders pertaining to the six aspects that determine the outcome of an urban heritage conservation project.The overall satisfaction of the stakeholder group was modelled using ordinal logistic regression against the various factors to arrive at factors that positively and negatively influenced them.The model assessed that the satisfaction of the stakeholders who were a part of the historic site was highly influenced by their economic needs and the project's economic sustainability over other factors in the model.Urban economy consolidation,a known mechanism of improving an area's economic sustainability negatively affected the stakeholders'satisfaction.The results indicate that the factors under the social aspect were not significant determinants for the stakeholders of this urban heritage conservation project.The methodology developed in this study can aid researchers and planners in identifying factors determining the outcome of an urban heritage conservation project while planning for development within a heritage-sensitive urban area.

A method for groundwater prospect zonation in data poor areas using remote sensing and GIS:a case study in Kalikavu Panchayath of Malappuram district,Kerala,India

The present study was an attempt to delineate potential groundwater zones in Kalikavu Panchayat of Malappuram district,Kerala,India.The geo-spatial database on geomorphology,landuse,geology,slope and drainage network was generated in a geographic information system(GIS)environment from satellite data,Survey of India topographic sheets and field observations.To understand the movement and occurrence of groundwater,the geology,geomorphology,structural set-up and recharging conditions have to be well understood.In the present study,the potential recharge areas are delineated in terms of geology,geomorphology,land use,slope,drainage pattern,etc.Various thematic data generated were integrated using a heuristic method in the GIS domain to generate maps showing potential groundwater zones.The composite output map scores were reclassified into different zones using a decision rule.The final output map shows different zones of groundwater prospect,viz.,very good(15.57%of the area),good(43.74%),moderate(28.38%)and poor(12.31%).Geomorphic units such as valley plains,valley fills and alluvial terraces were identified as good to excellent prospect zones,while the gently sloping lateritic uplands were identified as good to moderate zones.Steeply sloping hilly terrains underlain by hard rocks were identified as poor groundwater prospect zones.

Land use and land cover changes over a century (1914
2007) in the Neyyar River Basin, Kerala: a remote sensing and GIS approach

Land use and land cover change,perhaps the most significant anthropogenic disturbance to the environment,mainly due to rapid urbanization/industrialization and large scale agricultural activities.In this paper,an attempt has been made to appraise land use/land cover changes over a century(1914
2007)in the Neyyar River Basin(L56 km;Area483.4 km2)in southern Kerala
a biodiversity hot spot in Peninsular India.In this study,digital remote sensing data of the Indian Remote Sensing satellite series I-D(LISS III,2006
2007)on 1:50,000 scale,Survey of India(SOI)toposheet of 1914(1:63,360)and 1967(1:50,000)have been utilized to map various land use/land cover changes.Maps of different periods have been registered and resampled to similar geographic coordinates using ERDAS Imagine 9.0.The most notable changes include decreases in areas of paddy cultivation,mixed crops,scrub lands and evergreen forests,and increases in built-up areas,rubber plantations,dense mixed forests,and water bodies.Further,large scale exploitation of flood plain mud and river sand have reached menacing proportions leading to bank caving and cut offs at channel bends.Conservation of land and water resources forms an important aspect of ecosystem management in the basin.

Migration,Cultural Remittance,and the Social Landscape of Kerala

The social landscape of Kerala—the southwest Indian state—has undergone significant changes in the last century.Migration has been a major factor impelling transformation in different sectors of Kerala society,thereby contributing to the overall development of the state.Among the major destinations of migration from Kerala,the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC)countries continued to be a unique space for more than one reason.Apart from historical and cultural links,the GCC countries have geopolitical as well as economic importance to India,and Kerala in particular.This has naturally attracted several migration-related scholarly investigations.There are several studies and reports pertaining to the impact of the Gulf migration on Kerala’s economy and society.Yet,the cultural impact of the remittance boom on Kerala—which started in the 1970s—has not been subjected to rigorous studies and analysis.Hence,this paper tries to deploy cultural remittance as a category of analysis for understanding the changing social landscape of Kerala—with the emergence of new cultural spaces held out by the Gulf-related songs,home cinema,films,religion,cuisine,dress styles,media,and the diaspora literature.The study mainly delves into the text and context of such cultural artefacts with a view to exploring the contours of‘living Together’in the‘Gulf life-world’in Kerala.

The Trend of Homicides in South Kerala from 2002-2016:A Retrospective Forensic Autopsy-Based Study

Aims:The aim was to analyze the homicide pattern in South Kerala from autopsies conducted between 2002 and 2016.Objectives:Exploring the age and gender distribution of death due to homicide,the type and distribution of injuries according to the region of the body,and trends of homicide.We also tried to study the pattern of defense wounds in homicidal cases and characteristics in dyadic deaths(homicide-suicide).Materials and Methods:It was a retrospective descriptive study.The setting was the Department of Forensic Medicine,State Medico-Legal Institute,Government Medical College(GMC),Thiruvananthapuram.All cases of autopsies with an alleged history of homicide,between 2002 and 2016,done at Mortuary of GMC,Thiruvananthapuram,were included in the study.Records of all cases of an alleged history of homicide from January 1,2002 to December 31,2016 were perused.Results:957 cases were analyzed.The annual incidence of homicide is declining after 2012.Young adult males(31T0 years)are the most common group involved(24.97%).Head injury was the most common cause of death(43.68%).The head was the most common area to be affected in fatal blunt force injuries(49%)while the chest was involved commonly in fatal sharp force injuries(36%).Females were more often the homicide victims in murder-suicides.Husband-wife and fatherchild combination was the most common pairs in dyadic deaths.Conclusion:The characteristics which were associated with the homicides were generally in agreement with the existing forensic literature.The findings encourage examining the motives of homicide and potential sociocultural factors affecting the victims and possibly the assailants.We also found that the murder-suicide cases differed from the homicides requiring a separate domain of understanding and subsequent investigations.

Assessment of soil erosion in a tropical mountain river basin of the southern Western Ghats,India using RUSLE and GIS

Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation(RUSLE) model coupled with transport limited sediment delivery(TLSD) function was used to predict the longtime average annual soil loss, and to identify the critical erosion-/deposition-prone areas in a tropical mountain river basin, viz., Muthirapuzha River Basin(MRB; area=271.75 km^2), in the southern Western Ghats, India. Mean gross soil erosion in MRB is 14.36 t ha^(-1) yr^(-1), whereas mean net soil erosion(i.e., gross erosion-deposition) is only 3.60 t ha^(-1) yr^(-1)(i.e., roughly 25% of the gross erosion). Majority of the basin area(~86%) experiences only slight erosion(<5 t ha^(-1) yr^(-1)), and nearly 3% of the area functions as depositional environment for the eroded sediments(e.g., the terraces of stream reaches, the gentle plains as well as the foot slopes of the plateau scarps and the terrain with concordant summits). Although mean gross soil erosion rates in the natural vegetation belts are relatively higher, compared to agriculture, settlement/built-up areas and tea plantation, the sediment transport efficiency in agricultural areas and tea plantation is significantly high,reflecting the role of human activities on accelerated soil erosion. In MRB, on a mean basis, 0.42 t of soil organic carbon(SOC) content is being eroded per hectare annually, and SOC loss from the 4th order subbasins shows considerable differences, mainly due to the spatial variability in the gross soil erosion rates among the sub-basins. The quantitative results, on soil erosion and deposition, modelled using RUSLE and TLSD, are expected to be beneficial while formulating comprehensive land management strategies for reducing the extent of soil degradation in tropical mountain river basins.

从“喀科运”到“定县实验”——中印两个另类教育个案对科学发展观的实践阐释

本文描述、分析了中印两个特殊的教育案例,试图证明非正规教育形式对乡村发展与构建社会主义和谐社会的现实意义,以便丰富科学发展观的实践。

中国新农村发展模式之探索

新农村建设不仅要注重经济建设,还要兼顾农村社会的全面发展,做到物质文明与精神文明两手抓,以免陷入只注重效率而忽视人文精神的误区,使得农村发展缺乏后劲。在各种农村建设的模式中,一种是注重物质满足和精神自觉的韩国新村运动,另一种是注重人文关怀和民主参与的印度喀拉拉邦。我国新农村建设吸取了国外经验,并结合实践总结出本土模式。

Dynamics of transmission of COVID-19 cases and household contacts:A prospective cohort study

Objective:To study the transmission dynamics of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)among 101 confirmed cases and their 387 household contacts and to determine risk factors associated with secondary attack among the household contacts.Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted from January 1st 2021 to February 28th 2021,among 101 SARS-CoV-2 cases and 387 household contacts who were followed up for 14 days from the last day of contact with the index case of COVID-19.The dynamics of disease transmission was estimated,and factors affecting transmission risk were analyzed.Besides,the association between various factors and household secondary attack rate was determined.Results:The median incubation period was found to be 5 days,and the observed reproductive number(R)was found to be 1.63(95%CI:1.28-1.98).The mean household secondary attack rate was 40.7%.Contacts with comorbidities like diabetes mellitus,hypertension,dyslipidemia,and hypothyroidism had significantly higher attack rates(P<0.05).Conclusions:As new variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerges,it is crucial to know the trasmission dynamics.This study shows a high secondary attack rate of COVID-19 among household contacts that must be closely monitored.

比莱--一个不可忽视的南印度小说大家

比莱是印度现代最为驰名的马拉雅拉姆语小说家。他早在1950年代初即已蜚声世界,却未能在中国引起足够关注。他在短篇小说和中长篇小说两个领域均取得了非凡成就。他的长篇小说《芥民》是一部经典之作,已译成多种文字,在世界上产生了巨大的影响。本文着重论述比莱的生平与创作、他在马拉雅拉姆语文学史上的地位、他的长篇小说《芥民》、中篇小说《洁厕工之子》以及短篇小说创作的成就。这是中国第一篇关于这位小说大家的论文。

A Primary Study for Checking the Occurrence of Plant Parasitic Nematodes with the Crop Banana at Agricultural Areas of Palakkad Taluk, India

The reviews on production of banana during the recent years were not a satisfying one with respect to fourth position of Kerala in area of cultivation in India.Among so many factors for this declination,plant parasitic nematodes also found as a major negative factor.Thus the present study tried to prove this predict and conducted a survey in the unexplored rhizosphere region of an important crop banana(Nendran)in Palakkad taluk of Kerala,India during the post monsoon season of 2017.A total of twenty seven samples each were collected from banana rhizosphere soil and roots and processed for this study.The analysis revealed that the most abundant nematode population was Radopholus spp.and most frequently occurred genus was Meloidogyne spp.in the studied banana fields.The major diversity showing area were Elappully panchayath for rhizosphere soil samples and Kannadi panchayath for root samples.Different plant parasitic nematodes such as Aphelenchus spp.,Criconemoides spp.,Dory laimoides spp.,Helicotylenchus spp.,Hoplolaimus spp.,Meloidogyne sp p.,Pratylenchus spp.,Radopholus spp.,Rotylenchulus spp.,Tylenchoryn chus spp.and Tylenchus spp.were observed in both soil and root samples examined.

First record of the halophilic fungus Penicilliopsis clavariiformis from Diospyros paniculata

Penicilliopsis clavariiformis,an ascomycete fungus is reported for the first time from Diospyros paniculata.Conspicuous clavarioid ascomata of P.clavariiformis were found emerging out of fruits and seeds of D.paniculata growing in a sacred grove in Kerala State,India.Based on morphological and molecular evidences,the identity of the fungus was confirmed.

Additional notes on Conchomyces bursiformis(Agaricales),a rare monotypic agaric from India

Ample quantities of a crepidotoid agaric were collected from an evergreen forest in Kerala State,India and subsequent morphological and molecular analysis based on nLSU sequence confirmed it as Conchomyces bursiformis.A reappraisal along with comprehensive description,photographs,and discussion of this rare monotypic agaric is provided.

Unveiling the shadows: a qualitative exploration of barriers to rooftop solar photovoltaic adoption in residential sectors

In the face of global climate change,the urgent shift towards renewable energy sources such as solar power is vital for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fostering a sustainable future,presenting a universal challenge and opportunity for energy policy worldwide.India’s adoption of rooftop solar photovoltaic is pivotal due to its vast solar potential,which aligns with national goals to increase renewable energy capacity,reduce carbon emissions,and achieve energy security.Kerala’s geographical location offers abundant solar potential,making it a prime candidate for the adoption of rooftop solar photovoltaic systems.Coupled with the state’s strong commitment to renewable energy initiatives such as the ambitious“SOURA”(solar subsidy program by the Kerala State Electricity Board)project and various incentives for solar adoption,Kerala stands at the forefront of India’s transition towards sustainable energy solutions.Understanding the barriers to rooftop solar photovoltaic adoption in Kerala is crucial for tailoring ef-fective policies and strategies that address specific hindrances from economic constraints to informational gaps.This study employs a qualitative research method to identify the barriers to rooftop solar photovoltaic adoption among households in Kerala.Through face-to-face interviews with a purposively selected sample of 52 households,the research aims to gain in-depth insights into the multifaceted challenges hindering the widespread adoption of solar energy in residential settings.The findings reveal several key barriers:financial barriers,informational barriers,technical barriers,regulatory barriers,social barriers,and psychological barriers.Sentiment analysis indicates that while there is a predominantly positive attitude towards solar photovoltaic adoption,there are sig-nificant concerns that still need to be addressed.Addressing these barriers with targeted policy interventions and public awareness campaigns could significantly enhance the adoption of rooftop solar photovoltaic systems in Kerala.