The value and limitations of using predetermined criteria in decision making for maternal-fetal interventions

Maternal-fetal interventions—such as prenatal fetal myelomeningocele (MMC) repair—are at the forefront of clinical innovation within maternal-fetal medicine, pediatric surgery, and neonatology. Many centers determine eligibility for innovative procedures using pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria based on seminal studies, for example, the “Management of Myelomeningocele Study” for prenatal MMC repair. What if a person's clinical presentation does not conform to predetermined criteria for maternal-fetal intervention? Does changing criteria on a case-by-case basis (i.e., ad hoc) constitute an innovation in practice and flexible personalized care or transgression of commonly held standards with potential negative consequences? We outline principle-based, bioethically justified answers to these questions using fetal MMC repair as an example. We pay special attention to the historical origins of inclusion and exclusion criteria, risks and benefits to the pregnant person and the fetus, and team dynamics. We include recommendations for maternal-fetal centers facing these questions.     

Water quality index evaluation for major rivers in Gujarat

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Water quality index (WQI) is used for representing the overall water quality in the form of a number to qualify its use for domestic, irrigation,...     

Assessment of Uncertainties in Modelling Land Use Change with an Integrated Cellular Automata–Markov Chain Model

Environmental Modeling & Assessment - Uncertainty in future land use change modelling is crucial to study as it may result in varying spatial characteristics and features of the model. An...     

How sustainable are forestry clean development mechanism projects?—A review of the selected projects from India

This paper analyses social, economic and ecological issues affecting sustainability of the four selected forestry clean development mechanism (CDM) projects from India. Data from the group discussions and stakeholder interviews suggest that three out of the four projects are economically unsustainable for local people because of high opportunity cost of land and labour, and delayed and low benefits. The average opportunity cost of the land is 20000, 12000 and 9000 INR/ha/year in case of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, India projects respectively, which is unlikely to be met through projected carbon revenues and other benefits. A significant number of farmers have already withdrawn their private lands in Haryana and Tamil Nadu projects. Very few of them have undertaken plantations on the private lands in the Himachal project. All the four projects have undertaken block plantations of predominantly fast growing species such as Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus hybrid), Casuarina (Casuarina equisettifolia) and Ailanthus (Ailanthus excelsa) for high growth and quick returns, which could have adverse social and ecological impacts over long term. There are social and institutional issues such as low participation of local communities, weak or non existing community institutions, inflexible design and rigid CDM rules, which affect sustainability of these projects. It has implications for other carbon forestry programmes such as Green India Mission and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) being rolled out at a large scale in the country. The rationale and significance of these programmes needs to be objectively reexamined in context of the issues affecting CDM projects.     

Arsenic contamination of the environment: a new perspective from central-east India

This paper reports a regional contamination of the environment in central-east India that does not share geology or boundary with the Bengal Delta Plain. About 30,000 people residing in 30 villages and towns are directly exposed to arsenic and more than 200,000 people are "at risk." Complete geographical extent of this contamination is being established, and this newly reported contaminated area could be quite large. This paper further reports that the mechanisms involved in arsenic mobilisation are complex and the two theories of arsenic mobilisation, i.e., pyrite oxidation and oxyhydroxides reduction, do not fully explain the high levels of arsenic contamination. This paper also proposes the "oxidation-reduction theory" for arsenic mobilisation where the arsenic originates from the arsenopyrite oxidation and the arsenic thus mobilised forms the minerals and gets reduced underground in favourable Eh conditions. The stoppage of water withdrawal from the contaminated sources did not result in lowering of arsenic levels as expected according to the heavy groundwater extraction theory (pyrite oxidation theory). Cases of arsenicosis in the region are on the rise and the switchover to less contaminated water has not reversed the arsenicosis progression in the affected persons even after 2 years. Surface water of the rivers is also being contaminated because of the probable dislocation of contaminated groundwater due to the heavy rains in monsoon season, which indicates that the river water could be a major carrier of arsenic in dissolved or adsorbed forms that may be a cause of contamination of the delta plains.     

Nanotechnology innovations,industrial applications and patents

Nanotechnology can be defined as the use of nanomaterials for human benefit. Nanomaterials have unique properties due to their physical and chemical characteristics at the nanoscale (10^?9 nm). Nowadays, nanotechnology is providing new products in all industrial sectors. This article reviews innovations in fields such as biomedical, diagnosis of diseases, therapeutics, agriculture and food, nanofertilizers, oil, gas, textile and cosmeceuticals and packaging. Recent trends of patents and scholarly publications in nanotechnology are also discussed.     

Experimental investigation of performance and emissions of a VCR diesel engine fuelled with <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-butanol diesel blends under varying engine parameters

The continuous rise in the cost of fossil fuels as well as in environmental pollution has attracted research in the area of clean alternative fuels for improving the performance and emissions of internal combustion (IC) engines. In the present work, n-butanol is treated as a bio-fuel and investigations have been made to evaluate the feasibility of replacing diesel with a suitable n-butanol-diesel blend. In the current research, an experimental investigation was carried out on a variable compression ratio CI engine with n-butanol-diesel blends (10–25% by volume) to determine the optimum blending ratio and optimum operating parameters of the engine for reduced emissions. The best results of performance and emissions were observed for 20% n-butanol-diesel blend (B20) at a higher compression ratio as compared to diesel while keeping the other parameters unchanged. The observed deterioration in engine performance was within tolerable limits. The reductions in smoke, nitrogen oxides (NO _x ), and carbon monoxide (CO) were observed up to 56.52, 17.19, and 30.43%, respectively, for B20 in comparison to diesel at rated power. However, carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrocarbons (HC) were found to be higher by 17.58 and 15.78%, respectively, for B20. It is concluded that n-butanol-diesel blend would be a potential fuel to control emissions from diesel engines.

Open image in new window

Graphical abstract ?

     

Microalgae growth using high-strength wastewater followed by anaerobic co-digestion

Integration of algal biofuel production to wastewater anaerobic digestion infrastructure has the potential to increase biogas production, decrease high and variable internal nitrogen loads, and improve sludge digestibility and dewaterability. In this research, two species of microalgae, Spirulina platensis and Chlorella sp., were grown on sludge centrate and a centrate and nitrified wastewater effluent mixture. Harvested algae were co-digested with waste activated sludge (WAS) at varying ratios. High-growth (6.8 g m(-2) x d(-1)), nitrogen (36.5 g m(-3) x d(-1)), and phosphorus (6.5 g m(-3) x d(-1)) uptake rates were achieved with Chlorella on centrate. No growth was observed with S. platensis under the same conditions; however, both organisms grew well on the centrate and effluent mixture. Co-digestion of algae with WAS improved volatile solids reduction. Although co-digestion with S. platensis improved biosolids dewaterability, Chlorella had a slight negative effect on dewaterability compared to WAS alone. The efficiency of energy conversion from photons to biogas generated from Chlorella was estimated at 1.4%.     

Influence of aspect and location of stands on biodiversity in a Sal mixed broadleaved forest in Kumaun central Himalaya

In the present study total 21 forest stands on different aspects and locations (Hill base, mid slope and ridge top) on the slope were studied to assess the importance of these two parameters in supporting species regeneration and biodiversity in a mixed broadleaved forest between 380 and 850 m elevation in the Kumauau Himalayan region. A total of 36 tree species were recorded in the forest. In all aspects the tree, sapling and shrub richness was higher at hill base stands in comparison to mid slope and ridge top stand. Maximum tree richness (average across all aspects) was 9.7 and shrub richness was 9.3. Higher richness at hill base may be attributed to more soil moisture and deeper soils which accumulate the hill base where the slope steepness declines. The tree richness was higher in the northern aspect whereas southern aspect was more suitable for the shrub species. From the present study it becomes evident that the base of the hills can support higher biodiversity and are instrumental in supporting regeneration of several tree and shrub species in sal mixed broadleaved forest.     

Analysis of Long-term Energy and Carbon Emission Scenarios for India

In the coming years India faces greatchallenges in energy and environment. Thepath of development chosen by India, uponwhich lies the future growth of energy andemission trajectories, would be greatlyinfluenced by technological developmentsboth within and outside the country,economic cooperation between countries, andglobal cooperation in limiting greenhousegas emissions. This paper discusses theintegrated modeling system used fordeveloping and analyzing the long-termtrajectories and presents results for thescenarios developed. In the context ofongoing market reforms two scenarios –accelerated and decelerated reforms – aredeveloped depicting fast and slow progressin energy sector reforms compared toexpectations in the baseline scenario.Accelerated market reforms would spurimprovements in technological efficiencies.Reforms would lower investment risks inIndia, thereby stimulating increased levelsof foreign direct investment. On the otherhand in decelerated reform scenarioeconomic growth is lower than that in thebase case, there is low access to capital,and technological improvements lag behindthose in the base case. In another scenariowe assume specific policy interventions forpenetration of renewable technologies overthe baseline scenario, for promotion andaccelerated deployment of renewable energytechnologies over and above the baselineassumptions. A scenario with carbon(c) constraints has also been developed and theresults discussed.