THE BEST OF SCIENCE IN 2019 Popular stories THE BEST OF SCIENCE IN 2019 Popular Stories
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Mathematician Two Dr Neena Gupta Bengaluru scientists shines as the shine on the list of youngest Shanti 2019 Padma Swarup Bhatnagar awardees awardee
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“High blood Welcome AJIT, pressure? a ‘Made in India’ It could be in Microprocessor the air! 15 18 21
Researchers discover a new Alternatives to Watch what you eat: species of vine stubble burning not 1 in 5 deaths due snake from the only possible but to poor diet, reveals Western Ghats that profitable, shows study dates back study 26 million years
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Hearing out IISc Develops the deaf: IISc Cutting Pesticide India’s first e-mode researchers design Costs in Cotton Gallium-Nitride a smar phone- Farms Power Transistor based therapy and hearing aid Two Bengaluru scientists shine on the list of 2019 Padma awardees
6 Prof Rohini M. Godbole and Prof Sharada Srinivasan, ratio and compositional analysis in fingerprinting and two Bengaluru-based scientists, were among those studying the art history of sculptures. conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri award Prof Srinivasan is a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic announced yesterday by the Ministry of Home Society of Great Britain and World Academy of Art and Affairs, Government of India. Prof Rohini Godbole is a Science. She is also a recipient of the Dr Kalpana Professor at the Centre for High Energy Physics, Chawla State Award for Women Scientists 2011, Indian Institute of Science. Prof Sharada Srinivasan is a besides many national and international recognitions. Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies She is also an acclaimed performer of Bharatanatyam. (NIAS), Bengaluru. We wish them both hearty congratulations! The Padma awards namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri are one of the highest civilian honours in the country awarded for notable contributions in various disciplines. These awards are announced on the eve of Republic Day and are conferred by the President of India with a certificate signed by the President and a medallion. This year, 94 persons have received the Padma Shri for their ‘distinguished service’ in respective fields. Prof Rohini Godbole is a particle physicist best known for her work at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Her work on high energy photons could form the basis for the next generation of particle colliders, used to study the fabric and composition of the Universe. She is a part of the International Detector Advisory Group for the International Linear Collider (ILC) at CERN, which monitors the design and working of the ILC detector. For the past three decades, her work has resulted in more than 300 research publications. She is a member of the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel, USA, and a recipient of many national and international awards, besides being the fellow of all three prestigious science academies in India. Prof Godbole is also the Chairperson of the ‘Panel for Women in Science’ initiative of the Indian Academy of Sciences. She is very vocal about gender equity in scientific careers and has jointly edited the book Lilavati’s Daughters, a biographical essay collection on Indian women scientists. She is also a renowned science communicator who enjoys talking about physics and delivering talks to students, researchers and scientists. Prof Sharada Srinivasan is a renowned archaeologist who specialises in the scientific study of art, archaeology, archaeometallurgy, and culture. Her significant contributions include archaeometric characterisation of bronzes using lead isotope analysis and archaeometallurgical studies on ancient mining and metallurgy in southern India. Research Matters has previously covered her work on the disappearing ancient Indian metallurgical traditions, the sophisticated high-tin bronze metallurgy in the Iron Age from Tamil Nadu and the usefulness of lead isotope
7 Arunita Banerjee
Mathematician DR NEENA GUPTA shines as the youngest Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awardee
8 Dr Neena Gupta, Associate Professor at the Theoretical Statistics and Mathematics Unit of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, has been The cancellation problem asks that if you have awarded the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize 2019, cylinders over two geometric structures, and they in the field of Mathematical Sciences. This prize, one have similar forms, can one conclude that the original base structures have similar forms?” of the most prestigious awards in the country for explains Dr Gupta. research in Science, honours scientists for significant and cumulative contribution to their area of research. Dr Gupta, the youngest person in Mathematical Sciences to receive this award till date, has been Another problem solved by Dr. Gupta was posed by recognised for her contributions to affine algebraic Masayoshi Miyanishi, who is now revered as a father geometry, especially in proposing a solution to the figure among the present affine algebraic geometers. Zariski Cancellation Problem. During the later half of the 20th century and early 21st Elated about winning the award, Dr. Gupta attributes century, eminent mathematicians have tried to work her success to her strong conceptual foundation and out a solution for the Zariski Cancellation Problem. This the guidance of her teachers. particular problem had remained open for about 70 years, before Dr. Gupta finally provided a complete solution to it in positive characteristic, in 2014. Behind a successful person, there are many people, not just one. You need support from the whole system. My parents were very keen on “I knew this problem right from my PhD days, getting me higher education. My PhD supervisor, but I never imagined that I will be able to solve Prof Amartya Kumar Dutta, has been very it,” she says, pleasantly surprised. The solutions encouraging. Also, I am fortunate to have a very provided by Dr Gupta have given both insights supportive husband and in-laws,” she shares in and inspiration to young researchers as they can an interview with Research Matters. initiate research into other associated conjectures, which remain open.
“Dr. Gupta’s field of research is Commutative Algebra and Affine Algebraic Geometry. Commutative algebra, Till 2019, there have been 547 Bhatnagar awardees, apart from being a beautiful subject, provides a base out of which, only 17 are women. “There needs to over which a vast body of pure mathematics develops, be social awareness so that people start sending their Algebraic Geometry being one of the primary ones. girl child for higher education,” she says in response to A quick recap of high school geometry reminds us of the question about gender disparity in the scientific polynomial equations which govern geometric shapes, community. like x2 + y2 = r2 for a circle or x2/a2 – y2/b2 = 1 for a The thrill of solving problems, based on mathematical hyperbola. But these shapes start getting complicated theories, is her greatest motivation. Ground-breaking when the number of variables and the number and results do not come overnight and are a result of the degrees of the equations involved increase. Affine patience, perseverance and continuity of efforts put Algebraic Geometry, the research area of Dr. Gupta, into scientific research. deals with the understanding of the properties of geometric objects that arise as solutions of systems of polynomial equations. Her natural strength being in Algebra, Dr. Gupta approaches these problems using “Maths is for somebody who can solve the algebraic methods. problems on their own. The pleasure which I get in solving problems in mathematics is much more In the last few years, Dr Gupta has provided solutions than any award,” signs off Dr Gupta. to two open problems, one of which was posed by Oscar Zariski (1899-1986), one of the founders of modern Algebraic Geometry. She describes these open mathematical conjectures as problems which can be easily explained to mathematicians but are very difficult to solve. The ‘Zariski Cancellation Problem’ has intrigued mathematicians around the globe, since a version of it was proposed by O. Zariski in 1949.
9 Arati Halbe
Welcome AJIT, a ‘Made in India’ Microprocessor
Researchers at IIT Bombay develop the country’s first indigenously designed and fabricated microprocessor.
10 India’s electronics market is in its biggest boom ever. AJIT - PACKED WITH FEATURES Fuelled by the demand for electronic devices, it is expected to reach a whopping $400 billion by 2020. Akin to most microprocessors available today, Most of the electronic devices we use are imported; AJIT comes with an arithmetic logic unit that can only a quarter of the devices are produced in the do basic arithmetic and logical operations like country. According to statistics, electronic goods in India addition, subtraction and comparison, and a memory account for more than 10% of total imports, second only management unit that stores and retrieves data from to petroleum products! One electronic equipment that memory. There is also a floating point unit designed is almost always imported is the microprocessor—the to handle calculations with non-integer numbers ‘brain’ of an electronic device. efficiently. For those who would like to program the microprocessor, there is a hardware debugger unit to A microprocessor is an integrated circuit (IC) that help them monitor and control the processor. contains a few millions of transistors (semiconductor- based electronic devices) fused on a semiconductor AJIT’s features can be compared to many of the chip. It is just a few millimetres in dimension and is used microprocessors of its size available in today’s market. in almost every electronic device—from the microwave Unlike the ones used in the desktops like the Intel’s and washing machine in homes to advanced Xeon, AJIT is a medium-sized processor. It can be used supercomputers of a space station. However, inside a set-top box, as a control panel for automation developing and manufacturing a microprocessor is not systems, in a traffic light controller or even robotic easy—it is expensive, risky and needs much skill. Hence, systems. What’s more, the researchers expect that only a handful of companies across the world have AJIT will cost as less as `100 when it is produced en- been able to manufacture and sell microprocessors masse! AJIT can run one instruction per clock cycle and successfully. can operate at clock speeds between 70-120MHz, comparable to its competitors in the market. In an attempt to make a mark in the highly competitive segment of microprocessor manufacturing, engineers The researchers have made the software tools from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT associated with AJIT freely available to everyone. The Bombay) have developed a new microprocessor called processor is also available as a ‘softcore’, where AJIT—the first ever microprocessor to be conceptualised, vendors can buy a license to use the design of the designed, developed and manufactured in India. This microprocessor and fabricate it to use it in their system. innovation could not only reduce the country’s imports The researchers also offer to customise the processor but also make India self-reliant in electronics. for specific applications. AJIT marks the first time in the country’s history where the industry, academia and the government have come together. Prof. Madhav Desai and his team of The design of the processor is modular, and at some extra cost, vendors can get a processor about nine researchers from IIT Bombay have designed design with a feature set suitable for the system and developed the processor entirely at the institute. they are designing”, says Prof. Desai. The project was funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and IIT Bombay. Powai Labs, a Mumbai-based company, has also invested in the venture and will own, market and “THE ‘MADE-IN-INDIA’ ADVANTAGE support the product. “I am thankful to Dr Debashish Prof Desai and his team of students---C. Arun, M. Dutta of MeitY for championing this project and to Sharath, Neha Karanjkar, Piyush Soni, Titto Anbadan, Reapan Tikoo of Powai Labs for supporting the project Ashfaque Ahmed, Aswin Jith, Ch. Kalyani, Nanditha financially and as industry partner,” says Prof Desai Rao---used a tool set called AHIR-V2, that can acknowledging the contributions of the partner convert an algorithm to hardware and which was institutions. developed completely at IIT Bombay to design the microprocessor circuit. Prof Desai mentioned that many fruitful discussions with his colleagues in IIT Bombay, Prof V. R. Sule, Prof M. Shojaei-Baghini and Prof M. Maths is for somebody who can solve the Chandorkar helped the project and he acknowledged problems on their own. The pleasure which I get the contribution of H. Jattana, Pooja Dhanker and in solving problems in mathematics is much more Shubham of Semiconductor Labs, Chandigarh towards than any award,” signs off Dr Gupta. fabrication of the processor. In the first stage, AJIT has been manufactured in the
11 government-owned Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), THE CHALLENGES AND THE ROADMAP Chandigarh, with a technology that offers the smallest The feat of building the indigenous microprocessor building block of the size 180 nanometers. The was not without challenges. Prof. Desai had only researchers also plan to commercially manufacture the a small group very talented and passionate but processor using more advanced techniques that inexperienced graduate students, and they worked on provide the smallest building block of size 65 nm or 45 a shoestring budget to ensure a sound design before nm, which is the current state of the art. the processor was fabricated. “The challenge was to structure and partition the design in a way suitable to be implemented in this setup. To enable early testing, Fabricating this using 180nm technology is the we created a computer-based model of the processor first step. Although this may not be the state of that could simulate the functionality of the processor in the art technology, it is enough for most of the detail. This made testing the processor possible, much targeted applications. Using advanced technology before it was fabricated,” recalls Prof. Desai. for large manufacturing quantities—tens of lakhs—would bring the cost per piece down”, It’s not done yet; there are tougher challenges ahead remarks Prof. Desai. for the team to make the processor commercially viable to make this a grand success story. “For AJIT, we need to get more people to use it. Primary tests have indicated that the specifications of the processor match “A processor made in India offers more than just the many in the competition and the new processor would cost benefits. It provides the country with autonomy also be cost-competitive. If the business community at and self-reliance in the electronics sector and reduces large would own this processor, build systems around our dependence on technology imported from other it so that users, as well as supporters, see value in this parts of the world. It also ensures a secure system and can make money from the effort, then this effort with no opportunity for any backdoor entry, thus can remain sustainable”, says Prof. Desai. preventing digital sabotage by other countries or malicious organisations. So far, though we have had The researchers hope that since AJIT compares well Indian teams design complete processors in India, with other imported processors, it could see many no Indian company owns a commercially available early adopters. They also plan to introduce AJIT to the microprocessor product. AJIT hopes to change that academia to expand its reach and provide graduating soon. students a hands-on experience. “We could push the usage of this new microprocessor by introducing it as A home-grown processor is also likely to reduce the a part of the syllabus in engineering colleges. A well- burden of imports. Manufacturers of electronics devices designed single-board computer system could be could benefit from the ready availability and competitive made available at a low cost for students and other price of an Indian device with an added advantage of enthusiasts to experiment with”, suggests Prof. Desai. having the design and support team nearby. If an equipment manufacturer needs any modification or On the government’s part, MeitY has extended its customisation, the design and support team would be funding to enhance the processor and deploy it in accessible. government-initiated projects. SAMEER (Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research), an independent lab under MeitY, Government if India is planning to use AJIT in the receivers being developed Geographical proximity could easily make it for NAVIC or IRNNS (The Indian Regional Navigation possible to get something done in say two weeks Satellite System), an indigenous navigation system for time, instead of three months required otherwise”, the Indian subcontinent. says Prof. Desai.
We are hoping that people use AJIT and plan and build equipment using it. We are ready and prepared to support them. We have a seed, and we need people to grow it”, signs off Prof. Desai.
12 Sharat Karekaat
“High blood pressure? It could be in the air!
13 Did you know that the leading cause of death in the world is not wars or famines but cardiovascular diseases? Yes, and worse still, we haven’t fully understood what This increase is equivalent to what we would see causes these ailments. Researchers believe it to be for a three-year increase in age among women, a mix of genetic factors, lifestyle changes, diet and explains Dr Tonne. environmental factors like air pollution, noise and our neighbourhood. In recent years, cases of high blood pressure and hypertension, which directly contribute to Previous studies had shown that women cooking with heart diseases, have increased, and those living in low solid fuels had higher blood pressure. However, the and middle-income countries are the most vulnerable. In results of this study show it to be independent of the 2015, of all 1.1 billion adults with high blood pressure, cooking fuels used. This finding indicates that the effects an estimated 44% lived in South and East Asia and of outdoor air pollution are independent of those of 18% in India. indoor air pollution in those who participated in the study. Previous studies have indicated a positive correlation between blood pressure and long-term exposure to The association of blood pressure with the particulate tiny particulate matter present in the air. However, they matter was found to be weaker for men. The study are limited to high-income countries, and their findings found that 1μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 caused only cannot be extrapolated to low and middle-income 0.52 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure. Dr Tonne countries such as India. In these countries, there are opines that their research might be underestimating this significant differences in the genes, lifestyle and effect on men as it does not consider their exposure to environment compared to high-income countries. A air pollution in their workplace. recent study, published in the journal Epidemiology, While the study considers a wide range of potential aims to fill this gap by examining associations between individual and household factors, the researchers say long-term exposure to ambient particulate air pollution, they cannot rule out the possibility of unmeasured and prevalence of hypertension in adults from peri- contributing factors to the observations. Also, the study urban India. is limited in the sense that the relationship between air pollution and blood pressure has been examined at only one point in time.
In low and middle-income countries, women are exposed to air pollution from the use of biomass cooking fuel in addition to outdoor air pollution. “Ideally, we would like to follow up on the We estimated this exposure using a novel study participants over several years and see model,” says Dr Cathryn Tonne from the how past air pollution exposure influences blood Barcelona Institute for Global Health, who is pressure levels over time,” says Dr Tonne. the lead author of the study.
This positive association between heart disease and The study was conducted as a part of the Cardiovascular air pollution strengthens the urgent need to call for Health Effects of Air Pollution in Andhra Pradesh, public policies aimed at mitigating air pollution. Efforts India (CHAI) project. It examined 5,531 participants made at the central, state and local levels, as well as living across 28 villages around Hyderabad. The in private-sector, can contribute enormously in making participants were surveyed to determine their lifestyles, a difference in public health and thus contribute to a socioeconomic status, and household aspects like the better nation. type of cooking fuel generally used. The researchers then measured the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of participants and estimated their exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The study found that the annual average of ambient PM2.5 around Hyderabad was 33μg/m³—significantly more than the limit of 10μg/m³ set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The results reveal that an increase in 1μg/m3 in this value causes significantly higher systolic blood pressure in women.
14 Baheerathan M
Researchers discover a new species of vine snake from the Western Ghats that dates back 26 million years
15 Tracing history is a tedious task. We decipher millions of When the researchers studied the evolutionary tree of clues along the way before getting to what we seek. Proahaetulla antiqua, they discovered that this species Sometimes, nature is benevolent and throws up an had diverged from the other vine snakes about 26 entire book of history right in front—a history of not just million years ago. Thus, they are not only a new species a few centuries, but of millions of years! That’s what but also belong to a new genus. They are named after happened when a group of herpetologists bumped the Latin words ‘antiqua’, meaning ‘old or ancient’. The into a vine snake, which they now call Proahaetulla common name suggested for these individuals is antiqua. ‘keeled vine snake’.
In 2011, we came across a vine snake in the “In addition to its high genetic divergence, Agasthyamalai hills that looked very similar to the new genus, Proahaetulla, is different Ahaetulla dispar, a small-sized vine snake in morphologically from closely related species. the region with similar morphological characters. There are differences in the post-ocular scales We immediately recognised it as a new species have serrated keels on dorsal scales, a higher of vine snake but did not realise that it was as number of maxillary teeth, dorsal scales, deeply divergent as it turned out to be,” explains ventral shields and subcaudal shields. They are Dr A.K. Mallik from IISc, who is the lead also longer than others vine snakes, which are author of the study. distributed sympatrically in the Western Ghats” says Dr Mallik about the appearance of the new species. The team of researchers, from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru were attempting to study and The researchers have described the new species from classify snakes in the Western Ghats systematically. two individuals found in the protected habitats of the That’s when they came across Proahaetulla antiqua, Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu which is endemic to the southern Western Ghats. and the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, both What’s more interesting is that it is an ancient species, located in the southern Western Ghats. thought to have evolved around 26 million years ago during the mid-Oligocene.
“Both individuals were found in protected areas, and this species is likely to be restricted to a “We carried out extensive field visits across small range in the southern Western Ghats”, India to collect morphological data, tissue says Dr Mallik. samples and specimens to understand the patterns of distribution and diversification of vine snake species”, says Dr Mallik. The discovery not only helps us know more about the evolution of vine snakes but also the evolutionary history of the Western Ghats, a landmass older than the Himalayas. In a study published in the journal PLOS ONE in In India, the field of herpetology is evolving and we collaboration with researchers from Chennai Snake are now beginning to decipher the diversity and Park, Chennai and Bombay Natural History Society, evolutionary history of reptiles like snakes found here. Mumbai, the team has described the unique features Although the Western Ghats has been one of the most of this snake. The study was funded by the Department explored landscapes since the colonial era, how is it of Biotechnology, Ministry of Environment, Forests and that such an ancient species went unnoticed until now? Climate Change, DBT-IISc Partnership Programme and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. Vine snakes get their names because of their slender bodies and vine-like appearances. While there are similar species in Africa and South America, the Asian vine snakes, distributed throughout Asia, belong to the genus Ahaetulla. In India, there are four species of commonly distributed vine snakes, and another one was discovered in Odisha recently.
16 “One possible reason might be the lack of interest “There are many more species waiting to be in taxonomic studies in general. Systematic discovered before going extinct due to studies need large-scale field surveys and development”, says Dr Mallik. financial support, which are lacking. Secondly, as Proahaetulla is superficially similar to Ahaetulla dispar (Gunther’s vine snake), it is possible that most individuals encountered by The good news is that the new species faces no major others were misidentified as A. dispar,” shares threats at the moment. Dr Mallik. Highly misinterpreted and misunderstood, snakes are both worshipped and threatened across India.
The discovery of an ancient species like Proahaetulla antiqua brings to light the diversity lurking in the country.
“Many snakes play a vital role in the ecology of the region where they are found. Snakes are important predators, and often keep prey populations such as rodents under control. Hence, there needs to be more awareness about the importance of snakes in ecosystems, and their benefits to us,” signs off Dr Mallik.
17 Spoorthy Raman
Watch what you eat: 1 in 5 deaths due to poor diet, reveals study
A global study finds that diets high in sodium and low in whole grains and fruits result in most deaths.
18 “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine thy food”, said which consumed optimal levels of vegetables; high- Hippocrates of Kos, one of the first people to recognise income Asia Pacific countries like Japan, which had that diseases have natural rather than supernatural healthy levels of omega-3 fatty acids intake; and causes, hinting at the need to eat food that keeps us consumption of legumes were optimal in parts of Latin healthy and strong. Over time, his advice seems to America, Asia and Africa. have been forgotten as we have continued to fill our People in South Asia, including India, ate suboptimal plates with unhealthy, processed, salted or sweetened levels of most nutrients—fruits, vegetables, whole foods. Now, a new study published in The Lancet, by grains, nuts and seeds, milk, calcium, fibre, omega-3 researchers from the GBD 2017 Diet Collaborators, fatty acids found in oily fish and polyunsaturated fatty has raised the alarm on the need to change our acids found in soybean oil, corn oil, and safflower oil. In eating habits. The study has found that globally, one fact, low intake of whole grains was a leading dietary in five deaths in 2017 were associated with poor diet. risk factor for deaths and DALYs in a few countries Cardiovascular diseases, followed by cancers and including India. On the brighter side, our consumption type 2 diabetes were the leading killers. of legumes was well above the optimal levels, and that The researchers investigated the food habits of adults of processed meat and sugar-sweetened beverages over 25 years of age across 195 countries between were in the healthy range. However, the levels of trans 1990 and 2017 and looked into death rates from non- fats, present in hydrogenated vegetable oil, and communicable diseases in these populations. They then sodium, whose principal source is table salt, were analysed the intake of these nutrients among people, alarmingly high. estimated the risk of them causing different diseases, and calculated the number of deaths and disability- adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to diet for each illness. DALY represents the number of years lost due to ill-health, disability or early death.
“Our systematic evaluation of dietary consumption patterns across 195 countries provides a comprehensive picture of the health effects of poor dietary habits at the population level. We found that improvement of diet could potentially prevent one in every five deaths globally”, say the authors summarising their findings.
The study found that in 2017, 11 million deaths and 255 million DALYs were due to poor diet. In 1990, this number was only 8 million. Globally, the top three factors leading to the most fatalities and DALYs were the high intake of sodium, low consumption of whole grains and low intake of fruits. “Our findings show that Age-standardised intake of dietary factors among suboptimal diet is responsible for more deaths than any adults aged 25 years or older at the global and other risks globally, including tobacco smoking”, remark regional level in 2017 [Image source] the authors, talking about their alarming findings. In 2017, more than half of diet-related deaths and The world consumed less healthy foods and nutrients two-thirds of diet-related DALYs were attributable to in 2017, the study found. Globally, there was a marked high intake of sodium (3 million deaths and 70 million decrease in the consumption of nuts and seeds, milk, DALYs), low intake of whole grains (3 million deaths and whole grains compared to optimal levels. However, and 82 million DALYs), and low intake of fruits (2 million unhealthy foods like sugar-sweetened beverages, deaths and 65 million DALYs). Low intake of whole processed meat and sodium were consumed exceeding grains caused the most DALYs among men and women optimal levels. Men ate more of both healthy and and was the leading risk factor for mortality among unhealthy foods than women, and so did adults aged women. For men, sodium was the highest risk followed 50–69 years. Some bright spots were Central Asia, by low intake of whole grains and fruits.
19 Deaths due to cardiovascular diseases dominated low in whole grains, low in fruit, low in nuts and seeds, populations that ate a diet low in whole grains, fruits low in vegetables, and low in omega-3 fatty acids; and vegetables, nuts and seeds and omega-3 fatty each accounting for more than 2% of global deaths”, acids, and high in sodium. Type 2 diabetes, which is reiterate the authors. The findings highlight the need for prevalent in India, was found to be a cause of death comprehensive food system interventions to promote in people who consumed a diet low in whole grains, the production, distribution, and consumption of these fruits and nuts and seeds. Low intake of whole grains foods across nations. was also the leading risk for deaths and DALYs among young adults aged 25–50 years, while sodium ranked first among older adults aged above 70 years.
Age-standardised mortality rate per 100 000 population (A) and DALY rate per 100 000 population (B) attributable to diet in 2017 [Image Source]
Among the world’s 20 most populous countries, Egypt had the highest diet-related deaths, and Japan had the lowest in 2017. China had the highest rates of deaths due to diet-related cardiovascular diseases And, that is not easy! The eating habits of and cancers, and Mexico had the most diet-related people all over the world are as diverse as type2 diabetes deaths. The highest proportions of diet- the people themselves. “Given the complexity related cardiovascular disease deaths and DALYs in of dietary behaviours and the wide range of 2017 were observed in Pakistan. influences on diet, improving diet requires active collaboration of a variety of actors throughout Most debates on healthy diets in the past have the food system, along with policies targeting focused on sodium, sugar and fats, but the culprits lie multiple sectors of the food system,” conclude elsewhere. “Our assessment shows that the leading the authors. dietary risk factors for mortality are diets high in sodium,
20 Spoorthy Raman
Alternatives to stubble burning not only possible but profitable, shows study
Burning of rice residues after harvest, to quickly prepare the land for wheat planting, around Sangrur, Punjab, India. [Image Credit: Neil Palmer (CIAT) via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.0]
21 In India, about 2.5 million farmers in the Indo-Gangetic plains grow two crops a year—rice and wheat. Rice is planted such that its water requirements are met from “This is why we decided to take a look at the the monsoon rain, and within a short period of 10 to practice from an economic and a scientific 20 days, the fields are cleared for wheat. A convenient standpoint,” says Dr Priya Shyamsundar, an economist working with TNC, in an interview way to get rid of the whopping 23 million metric ton of with Research Matters. grass and hay left behind by rice cultivation is to burn them. However, this practice contributes to air pollution in cities like Delhi, where the air quality is already the worst in the world. In a new study, Dr Shyamsundar and her collaborators from India, Mexico and the USA, have evaluated the In 2017, researchers from The Nature Conservancy impact of alternative practices to stubble burning on (TNC), an environmental organisation headquartered the environment, and their profitability. The analysis, in the US, met with a few collaborators from different published in the journal Science, finds that using institutes in India, to discuss this ‘burning’ problem and Happy Seeder—a machine that can sow wheat in the find alternatives to the practice. Although crop burning presence of rice straw—is profitable for farmers and is prohibited, farmers continue to defy the ban, due to can also help the environment. a lack of greener alternatives that are feasible, affordable and scalable.
Happy Seeder. Photo Credit: Natalya Skiba at TNC.
22 The researchers collected data about farm practices, needs to be a predictable set of rules regarding the costs involved and the yields of crops, from previous stubble burning and its thorough implementation,” she studies, field trials and surveys. They then calculated argues. The private sector can invest in manufacturing the net profit generated by burning and no-burning farm equipment that helps no-burn farming locally and practices like baling, straw incorporation into the fields, increasing rental availability of Happy Seeders, which and mulching, where the straw is spread on the field. can help with managing demand and supply. Their analysis was based on the market prices, yields, Drafting a communication strategy that involves access labour and other costs incurred for land preparation to information on no-burn alternatives is the need and crop production. of the hour. “Involving educational institutions, farm The researchers found that using the Happy Seeder extension services, awareness drives on profitability led to a nearly 10-20% increase in farmer profits on and viability, and organising practical demonstrations average. Thus, farmers can, on average, reap a benefit go a long way in this regard,” says Dr Shyamsundar. of INR 11498 per hectare by switching from the most Since farmers learn from each other, nudging them common burning practices to the use of a Happy by showcasing success stories from their peers can be Seeder for mulching. The machine can be mounted on very useful, she suggests. a tractor, and it cuts and lifts rice straw, sows wheat The findings of the study show that there is an immense into the bare soil, and deposits the straw over the opportunity for India to cut down on air pollution and planted area as mulch. greenhouse gas emissions from stubble burning without affecting farmer revenues. The researchers have shared their findings with the Indian Council for Agricultural “With Happy Seeder, the land preparation Research (ICAR). The Nature Conservancy, India, has cost is often less than other practices that partnered with organisations like the International use a combination of machinery,” says Dr Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) Shyamsundar. “Since it reuses the crop residue and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water in the field, the biomass improves soil moisture (CEEW) to take these findings to the farmers through and could be good for the long-term health of awareness, training and demonstration programs in the soil,” she adds. Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
The researchers also found that the use of Happy Seeder reduced agricultural greenhouse emissions per “India has so many environmental problems, hectare by 78% or more relative to burn options. For and there is always the story that if you resolve one, there are other trade-offs. On the contrary, each hectare, all the farming options considered that our analyses show an economic opportunity that do not include burning, showed a lower contribution also reduces environmental problems,” signs off to particulate air pollution. Such practices can reduce Dr Shyamsundar. agriculture’s contributions to India’s greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to better health by reducing air pollution, say the researchers. However, not all farmers currently have access to equipment like the Happy Seeder. “The Happy Seeder is not affordable for everyone, and there needs to be more available options for renting these machines,” opines Dr Shyamsundar. Even though the manufacturing of these machines has increased in the last two years, an investment of INR 2.4 billion is necessary to produce about 16,000 machines to cater to 50% of the rice-wheat cultivated areas. The researchers suggest that the government and the private sector can play an active role in increasing the adoption of no-burn practices. Currently, the government provides a significant subsidy to farmers to buy machines to manage crop residue. But, there is more to be done, opines Dr Shyamsundar. “There
23 Jyotsana Dixit | Spoorthy Raman
Cutting Pesticide Costs in Cotton Farms
Study explores how farmers spend on pesticides in cotton farms based on land size, irrigation and tenancy.
24 India is among the top three exporters of cotton a basic level of education used more pesticides worldwide, and has the largest area under cotton per hectare than those who were relatively better cultivation. Unfortunately, not all is well with India’s educated. Also, farmers with small holdings, who cotton farming as it is also the crop where productivity comprise the majority of cotton growers, were found to is comparatively low and farmers face massive losses spend disproportionately higher amounts per hectare due to recurring pest attacks. Most cotton farmers on pesticides than those with larger holdings. resort to chemical pesticides, using more pesticides The analysis also showed that when credit was than what is used for other crops, sometimes using available, it contributed to an increase in the use of hazardous, banned or counterfeit pesticides. In a pesticides. Besides, farmers who underwent training in recent study, researchers at the Indian Institute of agriculture were likely to use pesticides but not spend Technology Bombay, Indian Institute of Management too much on them compared to those who did not Nagpur, and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, receive agricultural training. Interestingly, irrigation and have analysed available data on pesticide usage to having leased in land was associated with increased study changes in pesticide expenditure among cotton spending on pesticides. The researchers attribute this farmers in India and reported how it differs according to the fact that farmers who cultivated on land that is to factors such land size, ownership and irrigation. leased tend to spend more on pesticides as they do In March 2002, the Indian government legalised the not want to risk crop losses. sale of ‘Bt cotton’ to prevent losses from bollworm As India’s cotton production reaches new heights and infestation and reduce the incessant use of pesticides. there is growing concern about pesticides poisoning, Bt cotton is a genetically modified variety of cotton especially in rainfed cotton-growing regions, it is that produces toxins against insects such as American prudent that we understand the implications of using bollworm and Pink bollworm—the most common pesticides on health, environment and ecology. The cotton pests. However, even after a decade since its findings of the study could provide a baseline to commercialisation, there is limited evidence on how compare future use of pesticides in the country, say the pesticide usage has changed among cotton farmers. researchers.
“India has so many environmental problems, and there is always the story that if you resolve “We believe our study will help policymakers one, there are other trade-offs. On the contrary, and NGOs understand variations in patterns of our analyses show an economic opportunity that pesticide use and improve identification of vulnerable also reduces environmental problems,” signs off communities within the farmer population for Dr Shyamsundar. addressing the irrational pesticide use and associated hazards”, says Prof. Gaurav. during the ten years. Many small and marginal farmers had taken to cotton cultivation in 2012-2013 than those The researchers advocate the need to reduce during 2002-2003. The study also provided evidence cultivation costs, regulate the quality of cotton seeds for increasing trend among farmers who grow cotton available in the market, reduce indiscriminate use of as a single crop or monocrop in their fields. pesticides, rethink the use of long-duration cotton When it came to cultivation costs, the researchers hybrids, provide formal financial services and educate found that there was a decrease in the pesticide farmers on locally relevant agricultural practices. cost as a share of total expenditure incurred in cotton Educating farmers on sustainable pest management cultivation in 2012-13 compared to ten years earlier. practices, use of biopesticides, and integrated pest However, the price of cotton seeds had increased management practices may also help, they argue. during 2012-13. The researchers attribute this pattern to the widespread use of Bt cotton, whose adoption remarkably increased in the ten years. They also found that average pesticide expenditure per hectare As a next step, the researchers are conducting an incurred by cotton farmers in the country, excluding extensive study on the use of pesticides in Vidarbha Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, had reduced by a factor region in Maharashtra that has been the epicentre of 0.65 during this time. However, the emergence of of agrarian crisis and pesticide related poisoning. “We have gathered data on the type of pests and resistance to pink bollworm, and attacks from secondary pesticides used by farmers in greater detail including pests such as jassids and aphids, force farmers to use the quantity of pesticide used and the brand. We more pesticides, thus posing a challenge in reducing have also interviewed several input dealers and the pesticide expenditure. documented practices about pesticide application Using statistical methods, the study also found some and farmers’ awareness about risk factors involved in pesticide usage”, signs off Prof Gaurav, talking significant demographic and economic factors behind about the future. the use of pesticides. For example, farmers who had
25 Arati Halbe
IISc Develops India’s first e-mode Gallium-Nitride Power Transistor
26 All electronic devices that we use today have components made of semiconductors, mostly silicon. In recent years, gallium nitride (GaN), another “IISc has been involved in the development of semiconductor, is making its way into electronics as GaN technology since 2009. We are a group it is better suited for high power and high-frequency of nine faculty members and over 20 research students, spread across three departments, applications. Since GaN technology is still evolving, working towards a common goal of making and it is less expensive to set up a foundry for India self-reliant in GaN technology. This manufacturing, it is touted to be India’s opportunity to development is a key milestone in this direction, mark its presence in the niche field of semiconductors. which we hope will feed into India’s goal of A group of faculty members at IISc have developed setting up its own GaN foundry in the near India’s first-ever e-mode gallium nitride power future,” says Prof. Mayank Shrivastava. transistor, whose performance is comparable to some of the best reports till date. This interdisciplinary team of investigators spread across three departments (Department of Electronic Systems Engineering, CHALLENGES WITH E-MODE HEMT Department of Electrical Engineering and Center for A High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) has a Nano Science and Engineering) includes Prof Mayank conducting channel between two terminals, called the Shrivastava, Prof Srinivasan Raghavan, Prof Navakanta source and the drain, and the current passing through Bhat, Prof Digbijoy Nath, Prof G. Narayanan, Prof V. it is controlled by a third terminal called gate. The John, Prof R. Muralidharan, Prof. K.N. Bhat, Prof. M.M. HEMT channel is conducting, or ON, unlike some of Nayak, Prof S.K. Selvaraja and Dr Madhusudan Atre. the other transistors, so current can pass through it as Power electronic systems that operate at high soon as it is powered on. A negative voltage needs power and frequencies are projected to use specific to be applied at the gate to stop the flow of current. transistors called High Electron Mobility Transistors However, for a transistor to operate reliably in power or HEMTs. These transistors are made with gallium electronic circuits, it needs to be in the OFF state when nitride, and they can operate at very high voltages, no gate voltage is applied, which can then be turned switch ON and OFF faster, and occupy less space ON by applying a voltage at the gate. Such operation when compared to silicon-based transistors. They find is called e-mode or enhancement mode operation. applications in majority of electronics that we see Commercially available transistors use various around such as electric vehicles, chargers for laptops techniques to keep them in a normally OFF state. One and even military RADARs and cell phone base stations. such approach is to completely recess the channel, The projected market for power devices is set to reach which results in reducing the channel size. However, USD 25 billion by 2022 with an exponentially growing this affects the stability, performance and reliability of GaN HEMT market touching USD 423 million in 2023. the device. Another approach is to use a gate made With a growing market for electric vehicles in India, of gallium nitride, doped with impurities that deplete such an indigenous development for manufacturing electrons from the channels and switch it OFF. The these transistors in India will save import costs and challenge with this method is that the gate and the make us self-reliant for transistor technology. channel form a diode, which starts conducting current when a voltage higher than a certain value is applied This project has been funded by the Advanced at the gate, making them unusable. Therefore, there Manufacturing Technology (AMT) initiative of was a need to build a new kind of e-mode HEMT, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. which is in the OFF state by default and works like of India. The principal objective of this initiative, as far any other commonly used transistor. Besides, it must be as this project is concerned, is to enable indigenous stable, reliable, efficient and can operate in the desired development of technologies, which are vital to the high voltage. nation’s economic and strategic growth. The GaN activity in IISc was seeded by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which was subsequently supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for the development of GaN based power electronics. These initiatives by MoD and MeitY on materials and devices have helped lay the platform for this advancement.
27 THE NEW HEMT TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED BY IISC
With the hard work of two years paying off, the team at Interestingly, the addition of aluminium in the IISc were able to develop the first-ever e-mode gallium titanium oxide was an accidental discovery! nitride power transistor from India that operates at “We were experimenting with titanium 600V. It has better performance and power handling oxide, trying to finetune it to achieve optimal capacity than similar devices proposed by other characteristics. A particular lot that we had researchers, some of which are now in the market. developed displayed characteristics totally “Given that the 600V class e-mode HEMT technology inconsistent with, but better than, any previous recently got commercialised, our competition was with lots. Investigation showed that there had industry-standard state-of-the-art power gallium nitride been aluminium contamination, after which, HEMT technology. Keeping system level requirements we explored the use of aluminium doping in in mind, we have developed both e-mode HEMT as titanium oxide,” explains Prof Shrivastava. well as GaN Schottky diodes,” says Prof. Shrivastava. Their work has been published in the IEEE Transactions The researchers carried out rigorous experiments, on Electron Devices. processed over 200 process lots to develop this The researchers explored oxides of copper, nickel, technology, and ran quality tests on more than 150 aluminium and titanium for using them to make the gate transistors per manufacturing lot to build confidence in of the improvised HEMT. They zeroed in on titanium the manufacturing platform. They found that the gallium oxide as it had minimal leakage current and provided nitride transistors with aluminium titanium oxide gate better control of the voltage needed to turn the stayed in e-mode and showed a 100-fold reduction transistor ON. They finally used aluminium titanium oxide in the leakage current and better gate control, as as the percentage of aluminium could be controlled compared to other conventional GaN HEMTs. Besides, during the fabrication process, which acts as a ‘control the current carrying capacity of the transistor when it knob’, regulating the voltage needed to turn the is turned ON was found to be at par with industry transistor ON. Since aluminium titanium oxide is stable, it standards. results in high reliability of the transistor. In the light of ongoing innovation by this team in IISc, the researchers are discussing a proposal with the Government of India to set up a commercial gallium nitride semiconductor foundry in India with an initial investment of about `3000 crores.
“Developments such as this one, by the team at IISc, are key to the success of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology initiative,” concludes Prof Srinivasan Raghavan, who is coordinating the fab efforts.
28 Arunita Banerjee
Hearing out the deaf: IISc researchers design a smartphone-based therapy and hearing aid
29 About 6 in every 1000 children screened in the world level, he/she is taught to distinguish between ambient are born deaf, and for every 200 of them, only one sounds and human speech. The application also has a speech therapist is available. The situation is even section with success stories of rehabilitated children to worse in countries like India, where most people are motivate the parents of the child undergoing therapy. poor, and health services are not readily available. In a recent study, a group of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, have designed a hearing aid that can offer substantial support, “The application is not meant to be a especially in the Indian context. The study, published replacement for existing therapists but to augment their reach and their effectiveness. in the Proceedings of IEEE Global Humanitarian By allowing such experts to be in the loop, we Technology Conference, emerged from a course can allow for any course correction that must project at IISc, with intellectual contributions from Dr be undertaken during the entire rehabilitation Ramesh A and Ms. Littina George Manalel, St. John’s process”, explains Dr Arora, talking about the Medical College, Bengaluru. motivation behind their work. Speech and hearing therapy require considerable time and commitment from the parents of the hearing impaired. Besides, therapists are unavailable at many As a next step, the researchers are trying to develop the places across India. The cost of hearing aids, which ability to identify different sounds and understand their range from INR 15,000 to INR 2,50,000, and regular relevance in the application. Tailoring the application visits to a therapist, add to the economic burden of to each child’s needs by including a recording platform these families. In the current study, the researchers so that parents and caretakers can record sounds from have designed a simple smartphone application to the child’s surroundings is another feature they want offer therapy, integrated with an affordable hearing to add. aid. The prototype of this hearing aid costs about INR 5000—a third of those available in the market.
“We are working hard on the therapy application “The system is being designed to support now and are hoping to strike partnerships for faster multiple languages, English and Kannada development of the hearing aid. We hope to raise some to start with. We would like to crowdsource funding to start clinical testing of this concept within this translation into multiple languages”, says year”, says Dr Manish Arora, the lead researcher of Dr Arora. The researchers have sought support the study from UTSAAH Lab at the Centre for Product from the Department of Biotechnology for Design and Manufacturing (CPDM), IISc. further development of this work. The newly developed hearing aid can be connected to a smartphone application, via Bluetooth. The application is multilingual and currently supports English and Kannada languages. The app is designed to switch between two modes—a ‘hearing aid’ mode and a ‘therapy’ mode. In the ‘hearing aid’ mode, the ambient sounds are amplified and processed to enable the child to hear clearly. In the ‘therapy’ mode, pre-programmed audio clips, available in the application, can be accessed and therapy sessions can be conducted by the parents or caretakers of the child. The application also has a delivery section wherein audio clips are delivered to the child, and an evaluation section through which the performance of the child is assessed, and the child is promoted to the next level. The first level of therapy involves auditory awareness in which sounds from different ambient sources, such as the kitchen or the classroom, are played to the child through the hearing aid. The child is expected to recognise and relate to these sounds. In the second
30 31 Gubbi Labs is a private research collective with strong foundations in research and the underpinnings of a social enterprise. About five years ago, at Gubbi Labs, a division was carved out, called Research Media Services, with the aim of bridging the gap between research institutes and the general public, from whose money science is funded. The larger goal is to raise the bar of scientific literacy across the country. As a starting point, we have been working with research institutions, facilitating dissemination of their published research by translating it into simple, crisp news stories for the general public. Our first project was to set up and execute the Science Media Center (SMC) for the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). We began our operations at IISc formally from 1st August 2014 and managed it until 2018. During 2017, as we completed three years of communicating science, we expanded offering our services working with several leading research institutions/organizations across the country. Working with leading institutions and scientific organisations in the country, we are now positioned as a key player in communicating science across the country. As we expanded to cover research from most leading institutions in the country, we are putting all these together under Research Matters
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