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Two distinct agro-ecosystems viz., peri-urban and tribal were surveyed for collection of diversity in green leafy vegetables (GLVs). The survey resulted in the collection and documentation of germplasm of 85 accessions of cultivated and uncultivated GLVs that are in use in the two agro-ecosystems. The traditional farming practices of GLVs in the two agro-ecosystems were compared for understanding the factors influencing the cultivation practices. The agro-ecosytem in the tribal belt benefitted with the buffer food and nutritional security from uncultivated edible plant species. The indigenous traditional knowledge (ITK) associated with such uncultivated species was documented for scientific validation. The study reckons that there is an urgent need to diversify the GLV species under cultivation in the peri-urban region for food and nutritional security by exploring the three tier model that exists in the tribal niches for harnessing potential uncultivated plant species as GLVs in all kinds of situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Although evidences for association of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are accruing, inconclusiveness with respect to the gender specificity and differential association of MetS with increasing severity of AGA continues to persist. Furthermore, data specific to Indian settings are relatively sparse. Aims: The present study aimed at assessing the frequency of MetS in individuals with early AGA in Indian settings. Settings and Design: A case-control study was conducted at a trichology clinic in Bengaluru between April 2012 and September 2012 with a total of 85 cases of AGA and 85 age-matched controls. Materials and Methods: The Norwood-Hamilton classification was used to assess the grade of AGA. MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid parameters, and body mass index along with anthropometric measurements were assessed in all study participants. Statistical Analysis Used: Chi-square test was used to compare proportions between groups. Means were compared between groups using Student's t-test. Results: MetS was seen in a higher proportion of patients with AGA (43.5%) as compared to the control group (2.4%) and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.001). As compared to controls, patients with AGA had higher triglycerides (P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001) along with significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (P < 0.001). Severity of AGA was not associated with MetS. Conclusions: AGA is associated with MetS in male Indian patients aged <30 years. Studies with large sample sizes may be required to conclusively define any putative associations between AGA grades and MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a feasibility study which focuses on developing a methodology that can be use in establishing a cost benefit analysis (CBA) for water supply management in fringe areas of Kolkata, India. It says that factor analysis and system dynamics model were performed to evaluate the response of residents in the area to a questionnaire survey containing information about income and willingness to pay for safe drinking water. It notes that water quality index has also been prepared.

The article presents research paper about rapid evaluation of water supply project in Kolkata, India. It states that the study used a methodology suited for local condition and significant data were collected to estimate the cost of supply, wherein the artificial neural network was used. Moreover, the study shows that consumers were eager to pay for the supply of drinking water.

The article presents a study on the development of a rapid and economically-sound evaluation method for water supply networks in Kolkata, India. The improvement of water supply network with external funding requires explicit economic estimates. In estimating benefits, the willingness to pay (WTP) survey has been used; relevant field data were gathered for the estimation of cost supply and the use of artificial neural network technique for cost estimate. The benefits of the study are also stated.

Aims: This study was conducted to examine variation of adult body dimension and prevalence of chronic energy deficiency (CED) with its determinants (socio-economic, nutrient and morbidity) among the Shabar tribe living in urban, rural and forest areas of Orissa, India. Subjects and methods: Anthropometric measurements along with socio-economic, nutrient consumption and morbidity patterns of 444 males and 489 females aged 20–60 years were collected from the Khurda and Cuttack districts. Results: Major differences were found in fat mass rather than muscle mass between habitats, and the urban group showed higher values compared to rural and forest counterparts. The highest prevalence of undernutrition was observed among forest-dwelling males and rural females. Gender difference was higher in the rural area. Higher prevalence of CED was observed among illiterates, within larger families, economically poorer groups, those with inadequate nutrient consumption, and those who had experienced morbid conditions. However, sex and habitation-wise, the risk factors associated with CED were different. Notably, economic disparity and morbidity conditions were a significant risk factor of CED among rural females. Conclusion: Body fat content was found to be the major difference in body dimension across different habitats and rural women may be a vulnerable group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the extent of undernutrition at district level and the socio-economic determinants of underweight children aged 0-71 months in West Bengal. Methods: The data were accessed from the Reproductive and Child Health Survey (RCHS-II), which contained information of 7 550 children and their parents. Information of socio-economic variables about the associated families of these children had also been taken for our study. This study computed weight-for-age z-scores to assess the nutritional status of the children using WHO (2006) reference. Results: The prevalence of underweight varied over the districts. Districts with very high prevalence of underweight children were Murshidabad, Burdwan, Purulia, Medinipur, Howrah and South 24 Parganas. High prevalent districts for both boys and girls were Jalpaiguri and Coochbihar. Low prevalent districts for both boys and girls were South Dinajpur, Nadia and Kolkata. The percentage of underweight children were more in rural areas among Muslim families with illiterate parents and low standard of living. In Murshidabad, Bankura, Nadia, Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts, i.e., where prevalence of underweight children were higher, the rural and urban differences were less. The characteristics like religion, parents'' educational status and standard of living index showed significant effect on the children''s weights. Conclusions: Public intervention programs on the parent''s education and the standard of living of the households at district level should be given high priority to combat the children''s undernutrition problems so far as weight for age is concerned. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: To determine the relationship of the capacity to produce interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in whole blood, bacteriological, hematological, radiographic and clinical presentations in new, HIV seronegative cases of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Methods: 80 cases and 50 control subjects aged 15 years onwards, representative of Kasturba Hospital and Nursing schools of Wardha district of Maharashtra state in India were examined for their health condition with standard methodology. Results: Among these TB patients, 73.8% were Quantiferon-TB gold (QFT) positive with IFN-γ concentration as 0.35 IU or more and there was none in healthy controls. The mean IFN-γ concentrations varied between 9.58 IU (50-59 yrs) and 2.58 IU (⩾60 yrs), showing no trend. The differences in positivity and mean IFN-γconcentrations were statistically insignificant. Both the QFT positivity and IFN-γconcentrations were higher in normal lymphocyte percent as compared to below and above normal, but differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions: The IFN-γconcentrations are not correlated with any of the predictors of disease severity studied, the levels are significantly higher in observation group as compared to healthy group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: To search adequate epidemiological data on periodontal conditions for the planning of oral health programs in Indian population, and to determine the prevalence of periodontal diseases, in regards to age and gender of urban and rural population in West Bengal, India. Methods: 22 542 subjects aged 15 years onwards, representative of rural and urban areas of West Bengal were examined for their periodontal conditions using the community periodontal index (CPI). Results: Supra and/or sub gingival calculus dominated as the most frequent score (score 2) among males (76.51%) and females (76.58%), which was least affected in young age group and higher in rural population. Severity of highest score were significant (P < 0.001) according to their gender, age group and habitation and had independent effects (P<0.001) on it. Mean number of sextants affected by scores 1, 2, 3, & 4 were more in the rural areas. Assessed treatment needed was predominantly type II (Scaling and improved oral hygiene). Conclusions: The severe periodontal condition (Score 2, 3 and 4) is observed among rural males in older age group more than its urban counterparts of West Bengal, India. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We conducted this study to explore the socioeconomic conditions, and health and nutritional status of whole time child domestic labor. 330 children engaged in domestic child labor ranging between 8 to14 years of age from the metropolitan city of Kolkata were studied. Majority of the domestic child laborers were girls and migrants coming from illiterate families. These children were physically, mentally or sexually abused. Further, they suffered from anemia, gastrointestinal tract infections, vitamin deficiencies, respiratory tract infections and skin diseases along with a high prevalence of malnutrition. The study highlights the poor state of domestic child labor in Kolkata, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India and the Southeast Asian population, hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are the leading lifestyle-related diseases, responsible for a majority burden of morbidity and mortality. Multiple population-spanning studies have revealed the staggering prevalence of both diseases in India, and the prevalence of both will only increase further due to factors such as an aging population, rapid urbanization, increased obesity, and sedentary lifestyles. More than 50 percent of hypertensive patients in India are also diagnosed with T2DM, and a detailed management protocol for the same is required, especially when a major portion of the disease is managed at the primary care level. The Association of Physicians of India (API) guidelines for the management of hypertension in patients with T2DM have been formulated based on consultation with leading physicians, cardiologists, diabetologists, and endocrinologists of India and Southeast Asia, keeping in mind the challenges faced by the patients in these countries and the appropriate management protocols that will be beneficial. While standard office-based blood pressure (BP) measurement forms the cornerstone of hypertension diagnosis and demands a uniform methodology to be followed, home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) is recommended for long-term follow-up with validated devices. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) offers comprehensive insights crucial for cardiovascular (CV) risk stratification. The complications of diabetic hypertension can span from increased CV risk, heart failure (HF), and renal dysfunction, and nonpharmacological and pharmacological management should be aimed toward not only control of the BP values but also protecting the end organs. While nonpharmacological measures include a focus on nutrition and diet, they also focus on approaches to weight loss, including a novel section covering the benefits of yoga. The guideline also focuses on a novel section of factors influencing CV risk, especially in the Indian population. For the pharmacological management, the guidelines address each of the categories of antihypertensive drugs, emphasizing the significance of combination therapies in the management of diabetic hypertension. In line with leading global guidelines for the management of hypertension in T2DM, for diabetic patients who often struggle with BP management and carry a high CV risk, the recommended dual combination antihypertensive therapy is particularly crucial and should be considered as first-line management therapy. While angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) play a highly beneficial role in the management of diabetic hypertension, a combination of ACEi or ARB with dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (DHP-CCBs) is recommended to reduce the risk of complications and enhance patient adherence. To achieve the target of effective BP control and end-organ protection, it is beneficial and recommended to include newer CCBs (e.g., cilnidipine) in the management protocol in combination with ACEi/ARBs. Combination therapy including ARBs and DHP-CCBs should be preferred over β-blockers and thiazides. Among the CCBs, cilnidipine, a novel molecule, is a more effective and safer option for diabetic hypertensive patients in India. β-blockers should be used if there is a history of myocardial infarction (MI), HF, coronary artery disease (CAD), or stable angina along with the initial hypertensive regimen. The guideline also focuses on the novel reno- and cardioprotective molecules such as finerenone and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and their benefits in the management of diabetic hypertension., (© Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2024.)

Lay Abstract: It is vital to directly engage with the autism community in order to develop better services and drive the research agenda. While some studies in high-income countries have mapped the priorities of the autism community, there is a severe dearth of such efforts in the global south. Five million autistic individuals are estimated to live in India alone, and there has been little effort to map their priorities. Moreover, studies in high-income countries focused largely on research priorities, and not so much on skills training and interventions. Keeping these needs in mind, we conducted an online survey followed by an in-depth conversation with parents of autistic children and autistic adults drawn from across India. We found that the respondents reported self-help skills to be the most important for training, as they considered it fundamental for every other aspect of life. Speech and language therapy was considered to be the highest intervention priority for this group, highlighting the importance of social communication. Mental health counselling was also considered to be a high priority, but several parents identified it as being more relevant for themselves rather than for their children. Within research, the topmost priority was to understand ways in which the community can better support autistic people. We hope that these findings will help researchers, policymakers and service providers to be able to make well-informed decisions, develop relevant services and shape future research., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) affects about 27% of patients with diabetes globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), DR is responsible for37 million cases of blindness worldwide. The SMART India study (October 2020-August 2021) documented the prevalence of diabetes, and DR in people40 years and above across ten Indian states and one Union Territory by conducting community screening. About 90% of people with sight threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) were referred from this screening study to eye hospitals for management, but failed to attend. This qualitative study, a component of the SMART India study, explored perceptions of referred patients regarding their susceptibility to eye related problems in diabetes and the benefits/barriers to seeking care. Perceived barriers from the viewpoint of ophthalmologists were also explored. Guided by the Health Beliefs Model (HBM), 20 semi structured interviews were carried out with consenting patients diagnosed with STDR. They included nine patients who had sought care recruited from eight eye hospitals across different states in India and eleven patients who did not seek care. Eleven ophthalmologists also participated. Four themes of analysis based on the HBM were, understanding of DR and its treatment, perceptions about susceptibility and severity, perceived barriers, perceived benefits and cues to action. Findings revealed poor understanding of the effects of diabetes on the eye contributing to low risk perception. Prohibitive costs of treatment, difficulties in accessing care services and poor social support were major barriers to seeking care. Ophthalmologists acknowledged that the absence of symptoms and the slow progressive nature of the disease deluded patients into thinking that they were fine. The study attests to the need for greater health literacy around diabetes, DR and STDR; for making treatment more affordable and accessible and for the development of effective patient education and communication strategies towards increasing compliance., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2023 Kumar et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objective: To estimate the overall burden of vitamin D deficiencies (VDD) among Indian adolescents aged 10-19 y and to explore some selected covariates to determine a comprehensive guide to explore the vulnerable segments its guiding factors of VDD., Methods: The study used secondary data of 11,822 adolescent children from the Community National Nutrition Survey (CNNS), undertaken in 2016-18. The data were analyzed by using STATA version 17.0. The multinomial logistic regression model was used to explore the covariates of VDD after adjusting all multicollinearity and giving analytical as well as sampling weights., Results: The results revealed that nearly one-fourth of adolescent children have VDD (23.46%, 95% CI: 22.69%-24.22%) across India. Children belonging to the Hindu caste population, children who occasionally (and not weekly), or never, consume eggs, children living in north Indian states specifically in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttarakhand, children belonging to the richest households (wealth index-wise), and children suffering from overweight and obesity were more inclined to VDD. In the final adjusted multinomial regression model, the odds of VDD were significantly higher among urban living children., Conclusions: Findings concluded that proper intervention programs targeting specific population groups and/or regions of India are essential to combat the burden of VDD for enriching India's sustainable development goal of eradicating hunger by 2030., (© 2021. Dr. K C Chaudhuri Foundation.)

Purpose: To study the agreement of findings of glaucoma screening between trained vision center (VC) technicians and glaucoma specialists in patients referred from VC to the glaucoma services of a tertiary eye care hospital in south India., Methods: This was a retrospective study comparing the findings of the VC technicians and the specialists of the glaucoma services in the base hospital, in patients referred from 13 VCs between January and June 2019. Medical records of 277 referred patients (out of 533 referrals) who attended the glaucoma clinic were analyzed., Results: Of the 277 patients, 111 (40%) were confirmed having glaucoma, 133 (48%) were suspects, 29 (10.4%) were normal, and four (1.4%) had other pathology. The mean age of the patients was 59.7 ± 13 years and 60.6% were females. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean intraocular pressure (IOP) measured (17 ± 7.2 mmHg at the VC and 18 ± 8.7 mmHg at the clinic, p = 0.16) and the cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) (0.7 ± 0.13 at the VC and 0.6 ± 0.18 at the clinic, p = 0.57). Bland-Altman plots with 95% limits of agreement supported that mean differences were close to zero, and the intraclass correlation coefficient at 95% CI showed good consistency between the measurement of IOP (0.78 [0.74 to 0.81]) and CDR (0.90 [0.88 to 0.92]) at the base hospital and vision center., Conclusion: There is good agreement between the findings of VC technicians and glaucoma specialists. VC technicians can help in detecting glaucoma in the community., Competing Interests: None

The radiation protection programme is aimed at safe usage of radiation at workplace, ensuring minimum possible dose to radiation workers, patients and members of the public. Verification of the adequacy of protective measures in actual workplace is important, especially for diagnostic radiology facilities, as a substantial number of suspected overexposures are reported from these facilities. To address this issue, a study was conducted for mapping workplace radiation field at various locations in nine Diagnostic Radiology Facilities of two hospitals in India. The cumulative doses were measured for a period of 1-3 months, using personnel monitoring TLD badges. The dosemeters were placed at positions representative of two exposure situations: (1) probable locations of workers during procedures, leading to genuine exposure and (2) inappropriate storage locations of personal dosemeters at user end for probing claims of nongenuine exposures. The results indicate that the measured doses at locations (1) were just a fraction of the permissible dose, provided all safety practices are adhered to. However, the measured doses at certain locations (2) exceeded the investigation levels and indicate that any inadvertent storage of the dosemeters at such locations could lead to reporting of the overexposure from these radiology facilities. The outcome of the study will be useful for the investigation of such exposures and better understanding of the readout patterns of TLD badges in radiology workplaces., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of noncoding RNA molecules which are involved in various cellular and physiological processes. Previously, studies have identified several miRNAs that are potential diagnostic biomarkers for various infectious diseases including tuberculosis. We have performed small RNA sequencing using the Ion Torrent PGM platform in extra pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) subject's serum samples to identify circulating miRNAs during mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. Our analysis identified 20 circulating miRNAs upregulated and 5 miRNAs downregulated during MTB infection in patient's serum. In addition, we have identified 6 MTB genome encoded miRNAs upregulated in EPTB patient's serum samples. Taqman based qRT-PCR analysis of host-genome encoded (hsa-miR-146a-5p and hsa-miR-125b-5p) and MTB genome encoded (MTB-miR5) miRNAs showed increased expression in a cohort of 52 healthy, pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and extra pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) patients serum samples. Our study identified for the first time a panel of host and MTB genome specific differentially expressed circulating miRNAs in serum samples of an Indian patient cohort with tuberculosis infection with a potential as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for tuberculosis infection., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objectives: This study aimed to characterise mutations associated with fluoroquinolone resistance in drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates at a tertiary care centre in south Coastal Karnataka, India., Methods: DNA from 50 M. tuberculosis clinical isolates was extracted and the gyrA and gyrB genes were amplified. Purified amplicons of gyrA and gyrB were sequenced and extended-sequencing PCR products were analysed. Analysis of mutations in gyrA and gyrB was done using the MUBII-TB-DB database. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.22 and data were compared by χ 2 test. A P-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: Mutations conferring resistance to fluoroquinolones were observed in 9 isolates (18%). The gyrA A281G (D94G) mutation was observed in 3 isolates (6%), whereas mutations G280T (D94Y) and A281C (D94A) were each observed in 1 isolate (2%). Mutation G1498A (D500N) in gyrB alone was observed in 2 isolates (4%). Two isolates (4%) had mutations both in gyrA and gyrB; gyrA mutation T271C (S91P) was observed in one isolate, whereas the other isolate had gyrA C269G (A90G), but both isolates had a common G1498A (D500N) gyrB mutation. G284C mutation conferring S95T polymorphism (not associated with fluoroquinolone resistance) was observed in 39/50 isolates (78%)., Conclusion: gyrA mutations at codons 94, 91 and 90 and gyrB mutation G1498A (D500N) were the most common mutations associated with fluoroquinolone resistance in clinical isolates in this study. Future studies including a larger number of samples are desirable to fully explore the true extent of fluoroquinolone resistance and mutations associated with them., (Copyright © 2018 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: DNA methylation and its perturbations are an established attribute to a wide spectrum of phenotypic variations and disease conditions. Indian traditional system practices personalized medicine through indigenous concept of distinctly descriptive physiological, psychological and anatomical features known as prakriti. Here we attempted to establish DNA methylation differences in these three prakriti phenotypes., Methods: Following structured and objective measurement of 3416 subjects, whole blood DNA of 147 healthy male individuals belonging to defined prakriti (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) between the age group of 20-30years were subjected to methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) and microarray analysis. After data analysis, prakriti specific signatures were validated through bisulfite DNA sequencing., Results: Differentially methylated regions in CpG islands and shores were significantly enriched in promoters/UTRs and gene body regions. Phenotypes characterized by higher metabolism (Pitta prakriti) in individuals showed distinct promoter (34) and gene body methylation (204), followed by Vata prakriti which correlates to motion showed DNA methylation in 52 promoters and 139 CpG islands and finally individuals with structural attributes (Kapha prakriti) with 23 and 19 promoters and CpG islands respectively. Bisulfite DNA sequencing of prakriti specific multiple CpG sites in promoters and 5'-UTR such as; LHX1 (Vata prakriti), SOX11 (Pitta prakriti) and CDH22 (Kapha prakriti) were validated. Kapha prakriti specific CDH22 5'-UTR CpG methylation was also found to be associated with higher body mass index (BMI)., Conclusion: Differential DNA methylation signatures in three distinct prakriti phenotypes demonstrate the epigenetic basis of Indian traditional human classification which may have relevance to personalized medicine.

Background: Handloom is one of the oldest industries in India, particularly in West Bengal, where a considerable number of rural people are engaged in weaving., Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of low back pain among the handloom weavers in India., Methods: A modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire and Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire along with a body part discomfort scale were administered to handloom weavers (n = 175). Working posture of the participants was assessed using the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS)., Results: Sixty eight per cent of the participants reported suffering from low back pain, making it the most prevalent disorder in our sample. Analysis of the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire data revealed that among those with low back pain (n = 119), 2% had severe disabilities, 46% had moderate disabilities, and 52% had minimal disabilities. Statistical analyses revealed a positive significant association between the intensity of pain in the lower back and an increased number of years of work experience (P<0·05)., Conclusions: The study underlines the need for further research regarding the postural strain of weavers and also suggests the implementation of ergonomic design into weaver workstations to minimize the adverse effect of their current working postures. Improving upon the weaver's work-posture could improve their quality of life.

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess growth and nutritional status of Car Nicobarese children and compare it with Moplah children, who live in a similar environment. A total of 436 Car Nicobarese children and 438 Moplah children, aged 6-10 years, were selected for the study. The anthropometric measurements included stature, body weight, sitting height, bi-acromial breadth, bi-iliac breadth, mid-upper arm circumference, skinfold thickness of biceps, triceps and subscapular region. 50th percentile (median) growth curves were calculated among the studied children and compared with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2000 reference. Z scores of weight for age (WAZ), height for age (HAZ) and BMI for age (BMIZ) were computed using growth references of the CDC 2000. It was observed that the Car Nicobarese children were shorter but heavier than Moplah children of both sexes all through the age range, which was also reflected in median value of anthropometric variables. Car Nicobarese children were nutritionally better compared to Moplah children based on the nutritional indices. The major differences between Car Nicobarese and Moplah children were found in their arm muscularity rather than arm adiposity. Overall, Car Nicobarese children were nutritionally in normal and better condition than Moplah children. However, present dietary change (intake of high calories and fat diet) of Car Nicobarese population may be reflected in the form of childhood obesity in the recent future, which has already been observed in their adult population., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) are used in genomic variation studies due to their capacity to carry a large insert, their high clonal stability, low rate of chimerism and ease of manipulation. In the present study, an attempt was made to create the first genomic BAC library of an anonymous Indian male (IMBL4) consisting of 100,224 clones covering the human genome more than three times. Restriction mapping of 255 BAC clones by pulse field gel electrophoresis confirmed an average insert size of 120 kb. The library was screened by PCR using SHANK3 (SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains 3) and OLFM3 (olfactomedin 3) specific primers. A selection of clones was analyzed by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and sequencing. Fine mapping of copy number variable regions by array based comparative genomic hybridization identified 467 CNVRs in the IMBL4 genome. The IMBL4 BAC library represents the first cataloged Indian genome resource for applications in basic and clinical research., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study was undertaken to assess the heavy metal concentration of the drinking water with respect to zinc, copper, cadmium, manganese, lead and arsenic in Kamrup district of Assam, India. Ground water samples were collected from tube wells, deep tube wells and ring wells covering all the major hydrogeological environs. Heavy metals in groundwater are estimated by using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, Perkin Elmer Analyst 200. Data were assessed statistically to find the distribution pattern and other related information for each metal. The study revealed that a good number of the drinking water sources were contaminated with cadmium, manganese and lead. Arsenic concentrations although did not exceeded WHO limits but was found to be slightly elevated. Copper and zinc concentrations were found to be within the prescribed WHO limits. An attempt has also been made to ascertain the possible source of origin of the metals. Positive and significant correlation existing between manganese with zinc and copper indicates towards their similar source of origin and mobility. In view of the present study and the level of heavy metal contamination, it could be suggested to test the potability of the water sources before using it for drinking purpose.

The main aims of this study are to find out the trends in the (a) prevalence of undernutrition and severe anemia and (b) degree of association of undernutrition and severe anemia in children younger than 6 years in India with some socioeconomic variables. Using the Reproductive and Child Health Survey data, z score of weight for age and hemoglobin status were analyzed to understand the state and agewise variation and their association with the sociodemographic variables through logistic regression. The prevalence of malnutrition according to both the criteria was first seen to increase, attain a maximum value at some age between 12 and 48 months, and then decrease. Statewise distribution showed a close link between the stage of development and the prevalence of malnutrition-prevalence rate being less for developed states. The rates were also less for the Northeastern states of India. The regression analysis clearly points out that children with illiterate mothers, of lower age groups, or from low standard of living households are more prone to become malnourished. The economic growth alone is not sufficient for substantially reducing malnutrition. It is necessary to improve the rate of literacy, especially of women, to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition and anemia among children. It is not only economic development but also overall human development that is needed in India.

CALINE 4 offers several advantages over other models and is chosen as the base model for the purpose of developing a modified line source model for the city of Kolkata. Carbon monoxide is chosen for the model because it is principally emitted from vehicular sources. Average date wise background concentration is developed with the available data in different seasons. It is observed that, under actual conditions at Beleghata and Taratala, shift 1 (6am-2pm) is better correlated than shift 2 (2pm-10pm) without considering canyon option. Results show slightly better correlation coefficient and a lower standard deviation using the available season-wise 8-h average background concentrations rather than the generated average date-wise background concentrations. From the results, correction factors are developed for the city. Validated results near the HUDCO crossing show that CALINE 4, with the correction factors, can be applied reasonably well (mean error 0.37) for the prediction of carbon monoxide (CO) of Kolkata. CALINE 4 predictions with correction factors have revealed that construction of a flyover connecting VIP Road to EM bypass will lead to lessening of CO. The CALINE 4 model with the suitable correction factors should serve as a guide for proper air quality management.

Introduction: Knowledge of inter-district variations in immunisation coverage and the reasons for their existence is of utmost importance in a region in which variations in the socioeconomic factors are known to have a marked influence on immunisation coverage., Methods: This study was based on a sample of 1,279 children aged 12-35 months. Data was obtained from the District Level Household Survey under the Reproductive and Child Health project (DLHS-RCH-2) that was conducted from 2002 to 2004. Descriptive studies and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the variations in immunisation coverage., Results: Approximately 54 percent of children in West Bengal were covered for immunisation. The results for receiving full immunisation varied greatly between the various districts, ranging from 23.3 percent in Murshidabad to 72.2 percent in Hugli. Low rates of coverage were found among the vulnerable groups of poor minorities, especially in rural areas. No evidence of gender differences was found. The educational level of the parents was found to have a significant influence on child immunisation coverage., Conclusion: In order to improve upon the rates of child immunisation coverage in West Bengal, efforts should be concentrated on poor children from minority groups and those living in rural areas.

A recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara virus vaccine candidate (TBC-M4) expressing HIV-1 subtype C env, gag, tat-rev, and nef-RT genes was tested in a randomized, double-blind, dose escalation Phase I trial in 32 HIV-uninfected healthy volunteers who received three intramuscular injections of TBC-M4 at 0, 1, and 6 months of 5 x 10(7) plaque-forming units (pfu) (low dosage, LD) (n = 12) or 2.5 x 10(8) pfu (high dosage, HD) (n = 12) or placebo (n = 8). Local and systemic reactogenicity was experienced by approximately 67% and 83% of vaccine recipients, respectively. The reactogenicity events were mostly mild in severity. Severe but transient systemic reactogenicity was seen in one volunteer of the HD group. No vaccine-related serious adverse events or events suggesting perimyocarditis were seen. A higher frequency of local reactogenicity events was observed in the HD group. Cumulative HIV-specific IFN-gamma ELISPOT responses were detected in frozen PBMCs from 9/11 (82%), 12/12 (100%), and 1/8 (13%) volunteers after the third injection of the LD, HD, and placebo groups, respectively. Most of the responses were to gag and env proteins (maximum of 430 SFU/10(6) PBMCs) persisting across multiple time points. HIV-specific ELISA antibody responses were detected in 10/11, 12/12, and 0/8 volunteers post-third vaccination, in the LD, HD, and placebo groups, respectively. No neutralizing activity against HIV-1 subtype C isolates was detected. TBC-M4 appears to be generally safe and well-tolerated. The immune response detected was dose dependent, modest in magnitude, and directed mostly to env and gag proteins, suggesting further evaluation of this vaccine in a prime-boost regimen.

Background: Anemia is still one of India's major public health problems, especially among adolescent girls., Objective: To investigate the severity and distribution of anemia among Indian adolescent girls aged 10 to 19 years and its association with socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors., Methods: The study used data from the District Level Household Survey, round 11, 2002-04, conducted under the Reproductive and Child Health Project. Data were collected on hemoglobin along with socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors of the households. The survey covered rural and urban areas of 35 states or union territories. Data from 177,670 adolescent girls were analyzed., Results: The highest prevalence of anemia (99.9%) was observed in Jharkhand in eastern India. The prevalence in the northeastern states was relatively low. The highest prevalence rates were observed among older girls (15 to 19 years), illiterate girls living in rural areas, girls in illiterate households, girls from households with a low standard of living, non-Christian girls, girls from Scheduled Tribes, girls living in west India, and married girls. The highest percentages of girls with normal hemoglobin were reported among Christian Scheduled Tribes (39.4%) and among girls in northeastern India (40.1%). Analysis by binary ordered logistic regression showed that anemia status did not depend on urban or rural residence or on age., Conclusions: Enhancement of the economic status of families, especially poor families, is a prerequisite to the amelioration of anemia among adolescent girls. The level of education of the girls is also a major factor.

Objective: Assessment of the growth and nutritional status among healthy Bengali adolescent schoolgirls at peri-urban area., Methods: In this cross sectional study, sample consists of 527 school going adolescent girls, aged 10 to 18 years. The sample of the present study was collected from a peri-urban area (Duttapukur) of north 24 parganas district of West Bengal, India. Standard anthropometric measurements including linear, curvilinear and skinfold thickness were collected from each subject. Percentile curves and nutritional indices were used to determine the growth and nutritional status respectively., Results: The nature of distance curves and percentile curves of the body measurements showed a high rate of increase in 10-11 years of age group corresponding to an earlier adolescent growth spurt than average Indian girls. The adolescent girls in the current study were found to be significantly (p<0.0001) taller than Indian girls and heavier than both Indian and urban Bengali girls but slightly shorter than urban Bengali girls. They are significantly (p<0.0001) shorter and lighter than American girls, which also corresponded to 50(th) percentile curves. Age specific nutritional assessment shows different grades of malnutrition among them. Gomez's classification indicates about 60 % to 70 % adolescent girls show either moderate to mild malnutrition during their growth period. Both the indices of Waterlow's classification show least percentage of least malnutrition among the girls., Conclusion: The growth pattern and nutritional status observed among adolescent girls in peri-urban situation show heterogeneity with respect to some anthropometric traits and in conformity with the growth pattern and nutritional status of urban girls.

This cross-sectional study is aimed at understanding the nature of sexual maturation vis à vis physical status of the Jain girls in comparison with other data of India. A survey was carried out to assess the development of secondary sexual characters in the background of a purely vegetarian diet, and measurements of height and weight. The present study represents 50 individuals in each age group from 8 through 18 years of Jain girls of Madhya Pradesh (MP), India. Sexual maturation has been studied in association with onset of menarche among 11 through 16-year-old girls only. The results show that the early onset of menarche does not, in general, help development of secondary sexual characters among the Jain girls. Comparison with a sample of South Indian girls from Andhra Pradesh (AP), who have attained menarche, reveals that AP girls develop secondary sex characters (breast and pubic hair) earlier than Jain girls, but the latter overtakes with higher frequencies at higher ages. A purely vegetarian diet may have a role in delaying maturation of secondary sex characters. Comparison in height and weight between Jain girls, MP girls and All India girls (ICMR) show higher mean values for Jain girls at almost all ages than those of the other samples. An early spurt (9-10 years) in height among Jain girls is noted. Therefore, there is no apparent relation between physical status and development of secondary sex characters among the Jain girls of MP, India, but menarche seems to have a positive role in that regard.

This cross-sectional study of growth and nutritional status makes an attempt to find the gender and rural-urban differences among Indian preschool children. This study is based on the data of weight and height of children aged 0-35 months taken from 26 States (total 26,369 children; 13784 boys and 12585 girls). The children are found to be lighter and shorter compared to International standards irrespective of age and sex. Boys are heavier and taller than girls. Urban preschool children are heavier and taller compared to rural counterparts. In the urban area, higher percentages of girls are affected by underweight (37.1%) and stunting (35.0%) than boys. In rural areas, the prevalence of underweight is also higher among girls (47.9%) compared to boys (45.7%), which is found to be much significant (p < 0.01). There is a significant rural-urban as well as gender difference in growth and nutritional status of Indian preschool children.

Introduction: Lithium still remains an important choice in the therapy of manic-depressive psychosis (MDP), and though there are reports of seasonal variation in lithium levels from a few countries, such studies have not been conducted in India. Variability in the lithium level can lead to lack of efficacy or toxicity, making seasonal variation clinically relevant., Methods: A retrospective case sheet audit was performed for 101 MDP patients for recording plasma lithium level, oral lithium dose, age and gender for one year. The overall average oral lithium dose and level were recorded; the monthly average to which it most closely matched was noted as the control month, and values of other months were compared with this control month by Friedman's test followed by Dunn's test., Results: The mean age of patients was 38.22 (standard deviation 12.07) years, and 72 out of 101 patients were male. The mean lithium dose in November (938.61 +/- 243.40 mg/day), which was the closest to the overall mean dose (938.24 +/- 241.78 mg/day) was taken as the control month, which when compared with other monthly values, did not show any significant difference. The June (0.54 +/- 0.23 meq/L), July (0.55 +/- 0.24 meq/L) and August (0.55 +/- 0.24 meq/L) mean plasma lithium values were significantly high when compared to the October value (0.45 +/- 0.22 meq/L) as control. High-low variability between the plasma lithium values of different months was found to be 25 percent., Conclusion: The present study showed a significant high variability of lithium levels in different months of the year, therefore frequent plasma level monitoring and oral lithium dose adjustment to prevent situations of toxicity and lack of efficacy in MDP.

This study investigates the severity and distribution of anemia among nonpregnant and pregnant women aged 15 to 49 years in urban and rural sectors of 26 states in India and its association with certain economic and biosocial factors. A national survey was conducted to collect data on hemoglobin, height, weight, and certain economic and biosocial factors of 72 660 nonpregnant and 5619 pregnant women. Nonpregnant women aged less than 25 years are most affected by anemia. Women's education and standard of living in the households have a vital role in reducing anemia. Urban and well-nourished women also suffer less from anemia. The severity of anemia is higher among pregnant than nonpregnant women. Efforts must be made to educate women and enhance their level of economic status so that the prevalence of anemia can be reduced substantially.

This paper aims to carry out a biological investigation of the body form and nutritional status of the major social groups of Orissa and Bihar States in India. For this, Cormic Index (CI) and Body Mass Index (BMI) have been computed using data on height, sitting height and weight, taken from adult males of age 18-62 years of various ethnic groups in these two states. The subjects have been classified on the basis of chronic energy deficiency (CED). It is found that a substantial proportion of the people with CED are in the grade II and grade III categories. ANOVA, t-tests, correlation and regression were carried out separately. The results reveal that in Orissa, Scheduled Tribes are shorter, lighter and have lowest mean values of BMI and Cormic Index compared to other groups, but in Bihar, though the Scheduled Tribes are shorter, Scheduled Castes are lower in weight and have the lowest mean values of BMI. There are significant differences in BMI as well as in CI between Scheduled Tribes of Orissa and Bihar. Scheduled Castes and Tribes of Bihar have the highest percentage of CED with 64.71% and 57.45%, respectively. Muslims of Bihar are also affected (52.95%), but overall prevalence of CED is lower in Orissa (49.11%) than in Bihar (54.62%). BMI and CI are highly correlated for each of the social groups in Bihar and Orissa.

Objective: Assessment of the nutritional status among 309 Kamar children (161 boys and 148 girls) aged 4-12 years., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 24-hours dietary recall method was used to assess dietary intakes of children. Height and weight were recorded and children were classified by WHO criterion (Z-score) using nutritional indices i.e. weight for age, height for age and weight for height. NCHS data were used as reference. Mean energy and protein intake per day were measured and compared with Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of Indian standards., Results: More than 90 percent of children (both boys and girls) in the age group of 4-6 years suffered by underweight (<-2 SD weight for age), which was comparatively lower in 7-9 and 10-12 years age group children. 84.51 percent of boys suffered by stunting (<-2 SD height for age), which was much higher than girls (47.54%) in 4-6 years age group. Similarly, 80 percent of 4-6 years age group children were affected by wasting (<-2 SD weight for height). The consumption of energy and protein were also much lower among Kamar children than the RDA of India throughout the ages., Conclusion: Undernutrition in the form of underweight, stunting and wasting and low consumption of dietary intake (energy and protein) was found to be widely prevalent among Kamar tribal children. Therefore, an urgent dietary intervention programme is necessary. Further studies are required to investigate into problem and to supplement the key nutrients which are required to ensure a good nutritional status in children.

It is estimated that out of approximately 31.4 million people living in North-eastern India, about 8.1 million are tribal people of the hills and plains. Among four of the seven north-eastern states, tribal people are in majority. Arunachal Pradesh is made of approximately 24 major tribal groups, which constitute about 70% of the total population, Tripura 29% and in Assam constitutes 11%. A total of 1726 cases were randomly selected in this study, out of which 1263 cases were from North-east India, namely from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Tripura and the rest were from West Bengal. Hematological parameters were estimated and agarose gel electrophoresis for identification of the Hb variants was performed. DNA was isolated, amplified and analysed by PCR-ARMS technology. The incidence of anemia among the tribal people of Assam was 59.82%, in Arunachal Pradesh 53.77% and Tripura 57.45%. The presence of hemoglobinopathies and thalassemia account for anemia in a sizeable population of the north-eastern states in certain tribes and urgent health resources are needed to deal with this. HbE appears to be the commonest hemoglobin among the different tribes of north-east.

Gill, liver, kidney, intestine and muscle of some of the common edible fishes captured from Kharkai river were analysed for their iron, zinc, nickel, lead, copper, manganese, chromium and cobalt contents. Kharkai river is one of the principal tributaries of river Subarnarekha and is considered as one of the most polluted rivers in the Chotanagpur plateau. The data generated underline the extent of this pollution and call for immediate redressal.

A mail survey of 108 salespersons was conducted to examine their conflict-handling styles with customers. The Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II was used to measure the conflict-handling styles of respondents. An exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis were performed on the items. Analysis indicated this is a reliable and valid measure of salespersons' conflict-handling styles. Thus, sales researchers can use this measure to examine the conflict-handling styles of salespersons.

Hight incidence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in lepromatous leprosy patients have been reported by many workers. This paper reports on a study undertaken over a period of more than two years to determine the prevalence of HBsAg and its major antigenic subtypes amongst the various clinical types of leprosy and apparently healthy individuals of Calcutta population. The overall incidence of HBsAg in lepromatous leprosy is found to be 3.8% (9 out of 234) in our study. The incidence of HBsAg in tuberculoid leprosy and non leprosy control cases were almost identical, 2.5% (11 out of 431) and 2.7% (14 out of 519) respectively. The incidence of HBsAg in lepromatous leprosy in the present study was apparently higher than tuberculoid or non leprosy cases, although statistically not significant. Hence the association between HBsAg and lepromatous leprosy could not be established in our study. None of the major antigenic subtypes of HBsAg could be related to any particular type of leprosy. The subtypes 'ad', 'ay' and 'ar' were present at varying proportions in all the groups tested. The antigenic subtype 'ay' was found to be prevalent in Calcutta population in higher proportions.