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India is the tenth most polluted nation in the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2022 assessment. Approximately 1.67 million deaths are caused by lung, cardiovascular, stroke, and chronic pulmonary obstruction worldwide (WHO 2024). In 2019, 1.36% of GDP was reported to be lost because of air pollution and related issues. The results presented in this article demonstrate the efficacy of UBREATHE RAIN. Ambient (outside), untested enclosure (reception), and tested enclosure (breathing lounge with 3 Ubreathe Rain) were the 3 test venues that were found based on proximity and interaction to the stubble burning site. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded as the highest sub-index of pollutants involved (CO, PM, SO 2 , NO 2, and O 3 ) through grab sampling. Throughout the studies, the AQI in the tested enclosure was ~ 35% lower than that in the ambient environment and ~ 30% lower in the untested enclosure. Statistical analysis also supported this finding, as the p-value remains < 5% throughout (p-value ≈ 2%). Additionally, temperature and relative humidity changes were examined and demonstrated to represent significantly less of a challenge to the effectiveness of the proposed technology. The experiment’s duration and demographics may have limited the given results and their importance.

Background Anti-malarial drug resistance continues to be a leading threat to malaria control efforts and calls for continued monitoring of waning efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). Artesunate + sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (AS + SP) is used for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in India. However, resistance against AS + SP is emerged in northeastern states. Therefore, artemether–lumefantrine (AL) is the recommended first line treatment for falciparum malaria in north eastern states. This study investigates the therapeutic efficacy and safety of AL for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in three malaria-endemic states in India. The data generated through this study will benefit the immediate implementation of second-line ACT as and when required. Methods This was a one-arm prospective evaluation of clinical and parasitological responses for uncomplicated falciparum malaria using WHO protocol. Patients diagnosed with uncomplicated mono P. falciparum infection were administered six-dose regimen of AL over 3 days and subsequent follow-up was carried out up to 28 days. Molecular markers msp - 1 and msp -2 were used to differentiate recrudescence and re-infection and K13 propeller gene was amplified and sequenced covering the codon 450–680. Results A total of 402 eligible patients were enrolled in the study from all four sites. Overall, adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) was 98 % without PCR correction and 99 % with PCR correction. At three study sites, ACPR rates were 100 %, while at Bastar, cure rate was 92.5 % on day 28. No early treatment failure was found. The PCR-corrected endpoint finding confirmed that one late clinical failure (LCF) and two late parasitological failures (LPF) were recrudescences. The PCR corrected cure rate was 96.5 %. The mean fever clearance time was 27.2 h ± 8.2 (24–48 h) and the mean parasite clearance time was 30.1 h ± 11.0 (24–72 h). Additionally, no adverse event was recorded. Analysis of total 186 samples revealed a mutation in the k13 gene along with non-synonymous mutation at codon M579T in three (1.6 %) samples. Conclusion AL is an efficacious drug for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria. However, regular monitoring of AL is required in view of malaria elimination initiatives, which will be largely dependent on therapeutic interventions, regular surveillance and targeted vector control.

The Higher and Tethys Himalayan region of NW-Himalaya is less explored from the natural radioactivity mapping assessment, though geologically and tectonically, this region is still active. The concentration of primordial radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40  K) in rock samples of the Manali-Leh Highway region of the Himalayas is determined in the present study using the HPGe detector. The radiological hazard parameters are also estimated in terms of radium equivalent activity (Ra eq ), annual effective dose ( E in and E out ), hazard indices ( H in , H ex , H α , and H γ ), and gamma absorbed dose rate. SEM–EDS analysis was used to understand the mineralogical composition of the rocks. The activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40  K radionuclides varies from 1.4 ± 0.9 to 25.3 ± 1.2, 0.7 ± 0.5 to 59.6 ± 1.6, and BDL (below detection limit) to 830.3 ± 45.7 Bq kg −1 , with an average value of 13.0 ± 1.0, 21.7 ± 1.0, and 243.7 ± 25.2 Bq kg −1 , respectively. The average of Ra eq in the study region lies within the safe limit of 370 Bq kg −1 . The hazard indices have values < 1, indicating no radiological hazards to the population from the rocks. The annual effective dose also has values less than the global average value. This study revealed that the rocks of the Higher Himalayan region have a higher concentration of natural radioactivity, while the Tethys Himalayan rocks have lower concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40  K radionuclides. The origin of rocks from different lithologies may be the reason for the natural radioactivity variation. The average concentrations of primordial radionuclides in the region are within the world average indicating that the rocks of the region are safe to be used for different purposes.

The concentration of natural radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K) in the fifty soil samples around the Khetri copper belt is measured using an HPGe detector. The values of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K are found to be lying in the range of 5.2 ± 0.3 to 27.5 ± 0.6 Bq kg −1 , 12.9 ± 0.4 to 38.8 ± 1.3 Bq kg −1 , and 113.3 ± 27.8 to 308.5 ± 31.2 Bq kg −1 respectively. The radium equivalent activity ranged from 38.63 to 93.35 Bq kg −1 with a mean value of 56.21 Bq kg −1 . The values of absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose, and annual gonadal dose rate are also estimated, which comes out to be less than their corresponding world average values. Hazard indices (internal and external) and level indices (alpha and gamma) are also observed to be less than unity. The soil of the study area can be considered safe for people living there because of its low radiological risk.

The spin-tensor decomposition is employed to construct a new interaction, named CKHeN, for 0 p -shell. This new interaction is used to calculate the ekective single-particle energies of π 0 p 1/2 and π 0 p 1/2 orbitals in Li isotopes, and the level structures of 7,8,9 Li isotopes. The calculated level structures are found in good agreement with experimental data.

The presence of underlying uranium deposits may contaminate the upper soil of a region. We have carried out a detailed investigation of radionuclides (Ra, Th, and K) present in the soil around the reported uranium deposit site in the Sikar district of Rajasthan, India. Measurements are carried out using the state-of-the-art gamma-ray spectroscopy (HPGe detector) technique. The specific activity of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K are found in the range of 9.5 ± 0.5–50.6 ± 1.0 Bq kg −1 , 11.0 ± 0.4–83.2 ± 1.5 Bq kg −1 , and 177 ± 13–753 ± 47 Bq kg −1 with the mean values of 17.8 ± 7.5 Bq kg −1 , 22.6 ± 13.4 Bq kg −1 , and 393 ± 76 Bq kg −1 respectively. The average value of Ra Eq. activity is 80.4 Bq kg −1 , below the recommended limit of 370 Bq kg −1 . For radiological implications in the study area, the indoor and outdoor absorbed dose rates and age-dependent annual effective dose are estimated, which are also found below their prescribed safe limit values. The mean value of other hazard indices (H in and H ex ) and level indices (I α and I γ ) are less than unity. Our study shows that the underlying uranium deposits do not contaminate the soil of the studied area and the soil is safe to use for various purposes.

In this work, radioactivity investigations of soil samples from neutral and agricultural sites in Punjab (India) have been carried out to study the impact of land use patterns. Analyzing soil samples radiological, mineralogical, and physicochemical attributes has employed state-of-the-art techniques. The mean activity concentration of 238 U/ 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K, 235 U, and 137 Cs, measured using a carbon fiber endcap p-type HPGe detector, in neutral land was observed as 58.03, 83.95, 445.18, 2.83, and 1.16 Bq kg −1 , respectively. However, in vegetation land, it was found to be 40.07, 64.68, 596.74, 2.26, and 1.90 Bq kg −1 , respectively. In the detailed activity analysis, radium equivalent (Ra eq ) radioactivity is in the safe prescribed limit of 370 Bq kg −1 for all investigated soil samples. However, the dosimetric investigations revealed that the outdoor absorbed gamma dose rate (96.08 nGy h −1 ) and consequent annual effective dose rate (0.12 mSv y −1 ) for neutral land and the gamma dose rate (82.46 nGy h −1 ) and subsequent annual effective dose rate (0.10 mSv y −1 ) for vegetation land marginally exceeded the global average. The soil’s physicochemical parameters (pH, EC, and porosity) from both sites were measured, and their correlations with radionuclides were analyzed. Various heavy metals of health concern, namely, chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn), were also evaluated in soil samples using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Ecological Risk Index (RI) revealed that vegetation land was more anthropogenically contaminated than neutral land, with maximum contamination from Hg and As.

High purity germanium (HPGe) detectors are deployed globally for gamma-radiation spectroscopy due to their superior energy resolution. In this work, the essential characteristics of n and p-type HPGe detectors, such as energy resolution, efficiency, minimum detectable activity (MDA), and peak shape were studied for the purpose of characterization and performance optimization. The results are obtained for various source-detector configurations in a wide energy range of 40–1408 keV using gamma sources, such as 109 Cd, 57 Co, 137 Cs, 54 Mn, 65 Zn, 60 Co, and 152 Eu. Scanning (distance, lateral, and radial) of the detectors was performed using different gamma sources to understand the orientation of the crystal with its active volume and counting efficiency and to characterize the geometry in detail. The ambient background around the n-type HPGe was reduced using Pb-shielding. As a result, an 85.85% suppression was observed in the mean integral window of 40–2700 keV. The characterization and performance tests of the detectors convincingly suggest that both the detectors can be deployed for environmental radioactivity explorations.

This study represents the findings of the measurement of natural radioactivity in soil and water samples collected from the upper Himalayas region along the Manali–Leh Highway. The activity concentration values of terrestrial radionuclides in soil samples are measured using an n-type HPGe detector. The radiological hazards are also estimated through the evaluation of radium equivalent activity (R eq ), external and internal hazard index (H ex , H in ), alpha index (I α ), gamma index (I γ ), air absorbed dose, and indoor and outdoor effective dose. The level of Uranium in surface and ground water samples collected from the region is determined using the LED Fluorimetry technique. Annual effective dose, radiological and chemical toxicity risk, and hazards quotient due to the presence of uranium in water samples are also calculated. The values of these parameters are compared with permissible limits.

This work presents the results from the characterization of a Position-Sensitive Planar Germanium (PSPGe) detector. The PSPGe detector is a double-sided orthogonal strip detector consisting of 10x10 electrical segmentation along the horizontal and vertical directions. The characterization was performed using the coincidence setup between the PSPGe detector and the well-characterized scanning system employing the positron annihilation correlation principle. The scanning system consists of a Position Sensitive Detector (PSD) and 22 Na positron source. The main objective of this study is to deploy PSPGe detector for future decay experiments at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), Germany. The measurements have been performed to find the depth of gamma-ray interaction in the planar segmented detector. The 2-Dimensional image obtained from the PSD has been used to find the depth of gamma-ray interaction in the planar strip detector using pulse shape analysis. In addition, the sensitivity of PSPGe detector has been investigated by calculating the rise-time from pulse shapes for the front and back strips of the detector.