Demographic forecast of Lakshadweep Islands and A&N Islands
1. Context
◆ Population projections for Lakshadweep and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
◆ Based on the report “Unravelling India’s demographic future: 2021–2051.”
◆ Prepared by International Institute of Migration and Development (IIMAD) and the Population Foundation of India (PFI).
2. Key Findings
Lakshadweep
➤ Total population: 67,642 (2016) → 74,194 (2051) (+9.68%)
➤ Males: 34,716 → 37,785
➤ Females: 32,926 → 36,319
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
➤ Total population: 3,98,310 (2016) → 4,21,135 (2051) (+5.73%)
➤ Males: 2,13,467 → 2,26,139
➤ Females: 1,84,843 → 1,94,996
3. Methodology
● Smaller States/UTs show inconsistent and erratic decadal growth, making traditional demographic projections unreliable.
● Sample Registration System (SRS) data gaps further complicate projections.
● Hence, the report uses:
▪ Logistic curve-fitting methods
▪ Mathematical modelling to generate more stable long-term projections.
4. Data Sources Used
✦ Census of India
✦ Sample Registration System (SRS)
✦ National Family Health Survey (NFHS)
✦ Civil Registration System (CRS)
✦ National Sample Survey (NSS)
5. Significance
► Helps policymakers understand demographic shifts in remote island territories.
► Useful for planning infrastructure, healthcare, education, and resource management.
► Indicates moderate but steady growth, important for environmental and development considerations in ecologically sensitive islands.
Pancreatic Cancer thrives in low oxygen – IIT Bombay
Why this research matters?
• Pancreatic cancers grow in low-oxygen (hypoxic) environments.
• Hypoxia is known to worsen cancer behaviour, but its effect on cell membranes was unclear.
• Membrane properties influence how easily cancer cells move and metastasise.
Main discovery
• Hypoxia increases the migration of pancreatic cancer cells by altering their lipid composition and mechanical properties.
What the researchers found?
1. Hypoxia reshapes the membrane lipidome
• The plasma membrane’s lipid mix controls stiffness, flexibility, and the cell’s ability to change shape.
• Under hypoxia, cells modify lipids to stay flexible and mobile.
2. Two pancreatic cancer cell lines show different responses
PANC-1
• Hypoxia reduces cortical stiffness (lower actin content).
• Stiffening lipids are moved inward to organelles.
• Plasma membrane stays more fluid and malleable, allowing easier migration.
CAPAN-2
• Hypoxia increases cortical stiffness (opposite of PANC-1).
• Cells add more membrane material to the surface to remain flexible.
• Some stiffening lipids increase in the membrane, but only locally, so overall flexibility is maintained.
Key insight
• Despite different strategies, both cell types become more migratory under hypoxia.
Why this is important?
• Cancer cells can actively restructure their membranes to adapt to hypoxic stress.
• Hypoxia triggers physical changes (stiffness, fluidity, lipid shifts) that support metastasis.
• Understanding these changes may help develop membrane-targeted anti-cancer therapies.
Future directions
• Study how hypoxia affects membrane properties in other cancer types.
• Use solid-state NMR to measure how lipid packing and membrane order change under hypoxia.