Background: There are prevailing inconsistencies in epidemiological research about air pollution ... more Background: There are prevailing inconsistencies in epidemiological research about air pollution being a risk factor for dementia. Objective: We performed meta-analyses to calculate the pooled estimates of the risk of developing dementia due to air pollution exposure. Methods and materials: We performed a systematic search in PubMed, Google Scholar, The Cochrane Library, and J-GATEPLUS databases for peer-reviewed epidemiological studies reporting the risk of developing all-cause dementia, cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD) due to exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) and less than 10 μm (PM10), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) from the beginning until December 2020. Meta-analysis was performed by adopting the random-effects model using Meta-XL. Results: In all-cause dementia, the pooled hazard ratio (HR) for PM2.5 and NO2 exposure was 1.03 [(95%CI: 1.01-1.06; I2 = 99% (P < 0.001)] and 1.00 [(95%CI: 1.00-1.01; I2 = 96% (P < 0.001)], respectively. The pooled HR for NOX was 1.00 [(95%CI: 1.00-1.01; I2 = 61% (P = 0.05)]. In AD, the pooled HRs for PM2.5 and O3 was 1.08 (95%CI: 1.01-1.15; I2 = 99% (P < 0.001)]) and 1.02 (95%CI: 0.96-1.08; I2 = 100% (P < 0.001)], respectively. In VaD, the pooled HR for PM2.5 exposure was 1.03 (95%CI: 1.01-1.06; I2 = 91% (P < 0.001)]. In NO2/NOX, the results were found to be equivocal. Meta-analysis could not be performed in cognitive decline because of wide variations in assessments methods. Conclusions: The present study showed exposure to PM2.5 as a risk factor for all-cause dementia, AD, and VaD and exposure to O3 as a possible risk factor for AD. These findings can be used for policy measures and further research.
Water Science & Technology: Water Supply, May 1, 2022
Microplastics are one of the emerging contaminants that have received attention in recent decades... more Microplastics are one of the emerging contaminants that have received attention in recent decades due to their adverse effects on human health and the environment. Though microplastics are primarily found in abundance in oceans, freshwater sources and drinking water are not unaffected. Nevertheless, it is not only the microplastics that are harmful; rather their ability to transport contaminants is another serious issue of concern. The contaminant transport ability is affected by various environmental and physico-chemical parameters of microplastics. Lack of effective and targeted water treatment technologies have led intake of microplastics by humans resulting in a variety of health issues. Even though a few regulatory attempts have been made in the direction of curtailing the production and use of microplastics, there is still a long way to go. This paper focuses on various aspects of microplastics' presence in drinking water, focusing on their contaminant transport ability, human health risks, removal technologies, and the global scenario of concern.
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening, Aug 1, 2022
: Air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution, adversely affects human health. A growi... more : Air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution, adversely affects human health. A growing pool of evidence has emerged which underscores the potential of individual-level nutritional interventions in attenuating the adverse health impact of exposure to PM2.5. Although controlling emission and reducing the overall levels of air pollution remains the ultimate objective globally, the sustainable achievement of such a target and thus consequent protection of human health will require a substantial amount of time and concerted efforts worldwide. In the meantime, smaller-scale individual-level interventions that can counter the inflammatory or oxidative stress effects triggered by exposure to particulate matter may be utilized to ameliorate the health effects of PM2.5 pollution. One such intervention is the incorporation of nutraceuticals in the diet. Here, we present a review of the evidence generated from various in vitro, in vivo and human studies regarding the effects of different anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutraceuticals in ameliorating the health effects of particulate matter air pollution. The studies discussed in this review suggest that these nutraceuticals, when consumed as a part of the diet or as additional supplementation, can potentially negate the cellular level adverse effects of exposure to particulate pollution. The potential benefits of adopting a non-pharmacological diet-based approach to air pollution-induced disease management have also been discussed. We argue that before a nutraceuticals-based approach can be used for widespread public adoption, further research, especially human clinical trials, is essential to confirm the beneficial action of relevant nutraceuticals and to explore the safe limits of human supplementation and the risk of side effects. Future research should focus on systematically translating bench-based knowledge regarding nutraceuticals gained from in vitro and in vivo studies into clinically usable nutritional guidelines.
Ocular injury, a significant risk factor for acquired visual impairment, is common among children... more Ocular injury, a significant risk factor for acquired visual impairment, is common among children and young adults during Indian festivals. However, calcium carbide gun-induced ocular injuries have rarely been reported. The current manuscript describes the clinical profile and sociodemographic information of five young male patients from central India who were injured while using cheap carbide guns with no safety features bought from local vendors/made at home using online information. All patients had monocular injuries (eyelid edema, conjunctival congestion, corneal opacification, and limbal ischemia) with vision loss ranging from 6/36 to no light perception. Improper handling, easy availability, low cost, and lack of awareness of risks contributed to the incident. Therefore, it is recommended that public awareness be generated, and restrictions are imposed on the widespread unlicensed sale of carbide guns and raw materials.
A sound cardiovascular system is essential for human health. There are many effective tests to me... more A sound cardiovascular system is essential for human health. There are many effective tests to measure cardiac performance, but no matching test exists to detect vascular reactivity. Hence the acute need for a sensitive, non-invasive, cost-effective screening test. The present study purports such a method of assessing variation in blood flow by quantifying colour changes visible in palm secondary to reactive hyperaemia for detection of presence of vascular lesions. Colour changes in palms of test and control hands were recorded in healthy young volunteers (5 males, 5 females) by taking a series of photographs at 5 seconds interval in pre, during and post occlusion periods. Sphygmomanometer was used to produce arterial occlusion in test hand. The colour changes were analysed for red pixels by indigenously developed colour analysis software "Chitradeepam". Mean of values for each hand in above-mentioned periods were calculated for all subjects and corresponding values of test and control hands were compared using student's t test. No difference was observed in baseline values of both hands. During occlusion, there was significant decrease in test hand colour in females compared to their control hand but not in males. Post occlusion, significant colour increase was observed in test hands of males compared to control. A similar trend, though statistically not significant was seen in females. This technique can be useful in determining normal vascular response in healthy individuals through quantification of reactive hyperaemia which in turn can be a parameter to assess the decreased vascular response in Peripheral Vascular Disease.
Unacceptable housing conditions prevalent in Indian urban slums adversely affect the health of re... more Unacceptable housing conditions prevalent in Indian urban slums adversely affect the health of residents. The Government of India initiated the Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) as a sub-mission under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), to provide basic services to the urban poor. As per the available scientific literature, the health effects of such improved housing schemes for the poor have not been studied so far in India, especially in under-five children (0–5 years old) who spend most of their time indoors. The present paper describes the protocol for a follow-up research study proposed to fill this gap. This study, funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (Sanction No. 5/8-4/9/Env/2020-NCD-II dated 21.09.2021), will be conducted in Bhopal in the central Indian province of Madhya Pradesh for over 2 years. We will recruit 320 under-five children each from Group 1 (Beneficiary families residing in the houses constructed under BSUP) and Grou...
Objective: To identify a test to screen for cognitive impairment due to diabetes which can be use... more Objective: To identify a test to screen for cognitive impairment due to diabetes which can be used easily, without specialized training, by all healthcare professionals in the primary care setup. Methodology: The study was conducted in five healthy and five diabetic male subjects using a neurocognitive screening instrument named the 7 Minute Screen which consisted of a battery of four tests, each focusing on an area of cognition compromised in mild cognitive impairment – orientation, memory, visuospatial ability and expressive language. Results: A significant reduction in orientation was seen in chronic diabetics compared to healthy age matched control group along with a higher risk of developing dementia, suggesting a role for type-2 diabetes mellitus in aggravating normal cognitive derangement with age. But further studies have to be done to rule out other confounding factors. Conclusion: Though similar studies have been conducted in the past using other tests, this test has the a...
Background Biomedical research frequently employs immortal human cell lines to study various phys... more Background Biomedical research frequently employs immortal human cell lines to study various physiological and pathological topics of interest. An important problem that is often ignored is the question of reliability of observations made while using a particular assay on cell lines, especially MTT Assay. Recent studies have questioned its reliability by highlighting the diverse intracellular environmental factors that affect accuracy of MTT assay results. Objective To assess the inter-rater reliability of MTT assay while observing the differential effect of addition of fetal bovine serum to the culture medium on proliferation of U937 cell line using Intraclass correlation coefficient. Method U937 cell suspension prepared by the tutor to maintain uniformity of immortalized cell line was used. Four trainee investigators who participated in the study underwent rigorous training in pipetting and plating methods for four consecutive days prior to start of the experiment. Each trainee in...
To explore caregivers’ perceptions of childhood injuries in the rural and urban areas of India, w... more To explore caregivers’ perceptions of childhood injuries in the rural and urban areas of India, with a focus on causes, consequences, prevention, and treatment. We conducted eight focus group discussions with fifty female caregivers in rural and urban areas of Ujjain in Central India and used thematic content analysis. The caregivers identified how children injured themselves through falls, road traffic injuries, metallic nails and tool injuries, ingestions of foreign objects and poisons, burns, drowning, and suffocation. The reported consequences of injuries ranged from pain, infections, scar formation, phobia, stigma, and emotional stress to complications like physical disability, loss of eyesight, head injury, paralysis, and even death. Many caregivers blamed children and their mischievousness for the injuries and failed to realise/acknowledge the role of better supervision and environmental modifications in injury prevention. Caregivers used several first aid methods to respond ...
Microplastics are one of the emerging contaminants that have received attention in recent decades... more Microplastics are one of the emerging contaminants that have received attention in recent decades due to their adverse effects on human health and the environment. Though microplastics are primarily found in abundance in oceans, freshwater sources and drinking water are not unaffected. Nevertheless, it is not only the microplastics that are harmful; rather their ability to transport contaminants is another serious issue of concern. The contaminant transport ability is affected by various environmental and physico-chemical parameters of microplastics. Lack of effective and targeted water treatment technologies have led intake of microplastics by humans resulting in a variety of health issues. Even though a few regulatory attempts have been made in the direction of curtailing the production and use of microplastics, there is still a long way to go. This paper focuses on various aspects of microplastics’ presence in drinking water, focusing on their contaminant transport ability, human...
Background: Textile industry has been widely implicated in environmental pollution. The health ef... more Background: Textile industry has been widely implicated in environmental pollution. The health effects of residing near manufacturing industries are not well documented in India, especially in central India. Hence, a cross-sectional environmental monitoring and health assessment study was initiated as per directions of the local authorities. Methods: Comprehensive exposure data about the concentrations of relevant pollutants in the ambient air and ground water samples in the study area will be collected over 1 year. Using stratified random sampling, 3003 apparently healthy adults will be selected from the study area. Sociodemographic and anthropometric information, relevant medical and family history, and investigations including spirometry, electrocardiogram, neurobehavioral tests, and laboratory investigations (complete blood count, lipid profile and random blood glucose) will be conducted. Finally Iodine azide test and heavy metal level detection in urine and blood samples respec...
Beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists can be safely prescribed and decreases mortality in patients with... more Beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists can be safely prescribed and decreases mortality in patients with ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular risk factors. Some authors are of the opinion that there is underuse of beta blockers in this subgroup of patients. The objective of this study was to analyse drugs being prescribed and the effect beta blockers have on symptoms in asthmatics with concomitant reactive airway diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Data was collected from medical records of patients with reactive airway disease and concomitant hypertension and ischemic heart disease. It included demographic details of the patients, the clinical diagnosis, drugs prescribed and the patient outcome regarding whether there was exacerbation of asthma symptoms on taking beta blockers. Medical records of 250 patients were analysed.13% of all patients was prescribed beta blockers. Among hypertensive's 12% , among patients with ischemic heart disease 16.6% and of patients with IHD and h...
Air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution adversely affects human health. A growing ... more Air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution adversely affects human health. A growing pool of evidence has emerged which underscores the potential of individual-level nutritional interventions in attenuating the adverse health impact of exposure to PM2.5. Although controlling emission and reducing the overall levels of air pollution remains the ultimate objective globally, the sustainable achievement of such a target and thus consequent protection of human health will require a substantial amount of time and concerted efforts worldwide. In the meantime, smaller-scale individual-level interventions that can counter the inflammatory or oxidative stress effects triggered by exposure to particulate matter may be utilized to ameliorate the health effects of PM2.5 pollution. One such intervention is incorporation of nutraceuticals in the diet. Here, we present a review of the evidence generated from various in vitro, in vivo and human studies regarding the effects of different ...
Beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists can be safely prescribed and decreases mortality in patients with... more Beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists can be safely prescribed and decreases mortality in patients with ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular risk factors. Some authors are of the opinion that there is underuse of beta blockers in this subgroup of patients. The objective of this study was to analyse drugs being prescribed and the effect beta blockers have on symptoms in asthmatics with concomitant reactive airway diseases and cardiovascu lar diseases. Data was collected from medical records of patients with reactive airway disease and concomitant hypertension and ischemic heart disease. It included demographic details of the patients, the clinical diagnosis, drugs prescribed and the patien t outcome regarding whether there was exacerbation of asthma symptoms on taking beta blockers. Me dical records of 250 patients were analysed.13% of all patients was prescribed beta blockers. Among hypertensive’s 12% , among patients with ischemic heart disease 16.6% and of patients with IHD and hyp...
Objectives Ambient air pollution (AAP) is an important risk factor for increased mental health mo... more Objectives Ambient air pollution (AAP) is an important risk factor for increased mental health morbidity. Studies have highlighted the effect of AAP on psychological stress and anxiety disorder. However, existing evidence regarding this is largely equivocal. This systematic review with meta-analysis aims to synthesize published evidence to calculate the pooled estimate of the effect of AAP on psychological stress and anxiety disorder. Content A systematic bibliographic search was undertaken using PubMed, JGateplus, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library for observational human studies published in English till 31st March 2020 reporting the effect of AAP on psychological stress and anxiety disorder. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Meta-analysis was performed adopting a random-effects model using Meta-XL. Of 412 articles retrieved, a total of 30 articles [AAP and anxiety disorders, (n=17, 57%); AAP and psychological stress, (n=9, 30...
Background: There are prevailing inconsistencies in epidemiological research about air pollution ... more Background: There are prevailing inconsistencies in epidemiological research about air pollution being a risk factor for dementia. Objective: We performed meta-analyses to calculate the pooled estimates of the risk of developing dementia due to air pollution exposure. Methods and materials: We performed a systematic search in PubMed, Google Scholar, The Cochrane Library, and J-GATEPLUS databases for peer-reviewed epidemiological studies reporting the risk of developing all-cause dementia, cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD) due to exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) and less than 10 μm (PM10), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) from the beginning until December 2020. Meta-analysis was performed by adopting the random-effects model using Meta-XL. Results: In all-cause dementia, the pooled hazard ratio (HR) for PM2.5 and NO2 exposure was 1.03 [(95%CI: 1.01-1.06; I2 = 99% (P < 0.001)] and 1.00 [(95%CI: 1.00-1.01; I2 = 96% (P < 0.001)], respectively. The pooled HR for NOX was 1.00 [(95%CI: 1.00-1.01; I2 = 61% (P = 0.05)]. In AD, the pooled HRs for PM2.5 and O3 was 1.08 (95%CI: 1.01-1.15; I2 = 99% (P < 0.001)]) and 1.02 (95%CI: 0.96-1.08; I2 = 100% (P < 0.001)], respectively. In VaD, the pooled HR for PM2.5 exposure was 1.03 (95%CI: 1.01-1.06; I2 = 91% (P < 0.001)]. In NO2/NOX, the results were found to be equivocal. Meta-analysis could not be performed in cognitive decline because of wide variations in assessments methods. Conclusions: The present study showed exposure to PM2.5 as a risk factor for all-cause dementia, AD, and VaD and exposure to O3 as a possible risk factor for AD. These findings can be used for policy measures and further research.
Water Science & Technology: Water Supply, May 1, 2022
Microplastics are one of the emerging contaminants that have received attention in recent decades... more Microplastics are one of the emerging contaminants that have received attention in recent decades due to their adverse effects on human health and the environment. Though microplastics are primarily found in abundance in oceans, freshwater sources and drinking water are not unaffected. Nevertheless, it is not only the microplastics that are harmful; rather their ability to transport contaminants is another serious issue of concern. The contaminant transport ability is affected by various environmental and physico-chemical parameters of microplastics. Lack of effective and targeted water treatment technologies have led intake of microplastics by humans resulting in a variety of health issues. Even though a few regulatory attempts have been made in the direction of curtailing the production and use of microplastics, there is still a long way to go. This paper focuses on various aspects of microplastics' presence in drinking water, focusing on their contaminant transport ability, human health risks, removal technologies, and the global scenario of concern.
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening, Aug 1, 2022
: Air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution, adversely affects human health. A growi... more : Air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution, adversely affects human health. A growing pool of evidence has emerged which underscores the potential of individual-level nutritional interventions in attenuating the adverse health impact of exposure to PM2.5. Although controlling emission and reducing the overall levels of air pollution remains the ultimate objective globally, the sustainable achievement of such a target and thus consequent protection of human health will require a substantial amount of time and concerted efforts worldwide. In the meantime, smaller-scale individual-level interventions that can counter the inflammatory or oxidative stress effects triggered by exposure to particulate matter may be utilized to ameliorate the health effects of PM2.5 pollution. One such intervention is the incorporation of nutraceuticals in the diet. Here, we present a review of the evidence generated from various in vitro, in vivo and human studies regarding the effects of different anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutraceuticals in ameliorating the health effects of particulate matter air pollution. The studies discussed in this review suggest that these nutraceuticals, when consumed as a part of the diet or as additional supplementation, can potentially negate the cellular level adverse effects of exposure to particulate pollution. The potential benefits of adopting a non-pharmacological diet-based approach to air pollution-induced disease management have also been discussed. We argue that before a nutraceuticals-based approach can be used for widespread public adoption, further research, especially human clinical trials, is essential to confirm the beneficial action of relevant nutraceuticals and to explore the safe limits of human supplementation and the risk of side effects. Future research should focus on systematically translating bench-based knowledge regarding nutraceuticals gained from in vitro and in vivo studies into clinically usable nutritional guidelines.
Ocular injury, a significant risk factor for acquired visual impairment, is common among children... more Ocular injury, a significant risk factor for acquired visual impairment, is common among children and young adults during Indian festivals. However, calcium carbide gun-induced ocular injuries have rarely been reported. The current manuscript describes the clinical profile and sociodemographic information of five young male patients from central India who were injured while using cheap carbide guns with no safety features bought from local vendors/made at home using online information. All patients had monocular injuries (eyelid edema, conjunctival congestion, corneal opacification, and limbal ischemia) with vision loss ranging from 6/36 to no light perception. Improper handling, easy availability, low cost, and lack of awareness of risks contributed to the incident. Therefore, it is recommended that public awareness be generated, and restrictions are imposed on the widespread unlicensed sale of carbide guns and raw materials.
A sound cardiovascular system is essential for human health. There are many effective tests to me... more A sound cardiovascular system is essential for human health. There are many effective tests to measure cardiac performance, but no matching test exists to detect vascular reactivity. Hence the acute need for a sensitive, non-invasive, cost-effective screening test. The present study purports such a method of assessing variation in blood flow by quantifying colour changes visible in palm secondary to reactive hyperaemia for detection of presence of vascular lesions. Colour changes in palms of test and control hands were recorded in healthy young volunteers (5 males, 5 females) by taking a series of photographs at 5 seconds interval in pre, during and post occlusion periods. Sphygmomanometer was used to produce arterial occlusion in test hand. The colour changes were analysed for red pixels by indigenously developed colour analysis software "Chitradeepam". Mean of values for each hand in above-mentioned periods were calculated for all subjects and corresponding values of test and control hands were compared using student's t test. No difference was observed in baseline values of both hands. During occlusion, there was significant decrease in test hand colour in females compared to their control hand but not in males. Post occlusion, significant colour increase was observed in test hands of males compared to control. A similar trend, though statistically not significant was seen in females. This technique can be useful in determining normal vascular response in healthy individuals through quantification of reactive hyperaemia which in turn can be a parameter to assess the decreased vascular response in Peripheral Vascular Disease.
Unacceptable housing conditions prevalent in Indian urban slums adversely affect the health of re... more Unacceptable housing conditions prevalent in Indian urban slums adversely affect the health of residents. The Government of India initiated the Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) as a sub-mission under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), to provide basic services to the urban poor. As per the available scientific literature, the health effects of such improved housing schemes for the poor have not been studied so far in India, especially in under-five children (0–5 years old) who spend most of their time indoors. The present paper describes the protocol for a follow-up research study proposed to fill this gap. This study, funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (Sanction No. 5/8-4/9/Env/2020-NCD-II dated 21.09.2021), will be conducted in Bhopal in the central Indian province of Madhya Pradesh for over 2 years. We will recruit 320 under-five children each from Group 1 (Beneficiary families residing in the houses constructed under BSUP) and Grou...
Objective: To identify a test to screen for cognitive impairment due to diabetes which can be use... more Objective: To identify a test to screen for cognitive impairment due to diabetes which can be used easily, without specialized training, by all healthcare professionals in the primary care setup. Methodology: The study was conducted in five healthy and five diabetic male subjects using a neurocognitive screening instrument named the 7 Minute Screen which consisted of a battery of four tests, each focusing on an area of cognition compromised in mild cognitive impairment – orientation, memory, visuospatial ability and expressive language. Results: A significant reduction in orientation was seen in chronic diabetics compared to healthy age matched control group along with a higher risk of developing dementia, suggesting a role for type-2 diabetes mellitus in aggravating normal cognitive derangement with age. But further studies have to be done to rule out other confounding factors. Conclusion: Though similar studies have been conducted in the past using other tests, this test has the a...
Background Biomedical research frequently employs immortal human cell lines to study various phys... more Background Biomedical research frequently employs immortal human cell lines to study various physiological and pathological topics of interest. An important problem that is often ignored is the question of reliability of observations made while using a particular assay on cell lines, especially MTT Assay. Recent studies have questioned its reliability by highlighting the diverse intracellular environmental factors that affect accuracy of MTT assay results. Objective To assess the inter-rater reliability of MTT assay while observing the differential effect of addition of fetal bovine serum to the culture medium on proliferation of U937 cell line using Intraclass correlation coefficient. Method U937 cell suspension prepared by the tutor to maintain uniformity of immortalized cell line was used. Four trainee investigators who participated in the study underwent rigorous training in pipetting and plating methods for four consecutive days prior to start of the experiment. Each trainee in...
To explore caregivers’ perceptions of childhood injuries in the rural and urban areas of India, w... more To explore caregivers’ perceptions of childhood injuries in the rural and urban areas of India, with a focus on causes, consequences, prevention, and treatment. We conducted eight focus group discussions with fifty female caregivers in rural and urban areas of Ujjain in Central India and used thematic content analysis. The caregivers identified how children injured themselves through falls, road traffic injuries, metallic nails and tool injuries, ingestions of foreign objects and poisons, burns, drowning, and suffocation. The reported consequences of injuries ranged from pain, infections, scar formation, phobia, stigma, and emotional stress to complications like physical disability, loss of eyesight, head injury, paralysis, and even death. Many caregivers blamed children and their mischievousness for the injuries and failed to realise/acknowledge the role of better supervision and environmental modifications in injury prevention. Caregivers used several first aid methods to respond ...
Microplastics are one of the emerging contaminants that have received attention in recent decades... more Microplastics are one of the emerging contaminants that have received attention in recent decades due to their adverse effects on human health and the environment. Though microplastics are primarily found in abundance in oceans, freshwater sources and drinking water are not unaffected. Nevertheless, it is not only the microplastics that are harmful; rather their ability to transport contaminants is another serious issue of concern. The contaminant transport ability is affected by various environmental and physico-chemical parameters of microplastics. Lack of effective and targeted water treatment technologies have led intake of microplastics by humans resulting in a variety of health issues. Even though a few regulatory attempts have been made in the direction of curtailing the production and use of microplastics, there is still a long way to go. This paper focuses on various aspects of microplastics’ presence in drinking water, focusing on their contaminant transport ability, human...
Background: Textile industry has been widely implicated in environmental pollution. The health ef... more Background: Textile industry has been widely implicated in environmental pollution. The health effects of residing near manufacturing industries are not well documented in India, especially in central India. Hence, a cross-sectional environmental monitoring and health assessment study was initiated as per directions of the local authorities. Methods: Comprehensive exposure data about the concentrations of relevant pollutants in the ambient air and ground water samples in the study area will be collected over 1 year. Using stratified random sampling, 3003 apparently healthy adults will be selected from the study area. Sociodemographic and anthropometric information, relevant medical and family history, and investigations including spirometry, electrocardiogram, neurobehavioral tests, and laboratory investigations (complete blood count, lipid profile and random blood glucose) will be conducted. Finally Iodine azide test and heavy metal level detection in urine and blood samples respec...
Beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists can be safely prescribed and decreases mortality in patients with... more Beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists can be safely prescribed and decreases mortality in patients with ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular risk factors. Some authors are of the opinion that there is underuse of beta blockers in this subgroup of patients. The objective of this study was to analyse drugs being prescribed and the effect beta blockers have on symptoms in asthmatics with concomitant reactive airway diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Data was collected from medical records of patients with reactive airway disease and concomitant hypertension and ischemic heart disease. It included demographic details of the patients, the clinical diagnosis, drugs prescribed and the patient outcome regarding whether there was exacerbation of asthma symptoms on taking beta blockers. Medical records of 250 patients were analysed.13% of all patients was prescribed beta blockers. Among hypertensive's 12% , among patients with ischemic heart disease 16.6% and of patients with IHD and h...
Air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution adversely affects human health. A growing ... more Air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution adversely affects human health. A growing pool of evidence has emerged which underscores the potential of individual-level nutritional interventions in attenuating the adverse health impact of exposure to PM2.5. Although controlling emission and reducing the overall levels of air pollution remains the ultimate objective globally, the sustainable achievement of such a target and thus consequent protection of human health will require a substantial amount of time and concerted efforts worldwide. In the meantime, smaller-scale individual-level interventions that can counter the inflammatory or oxidative stress effects triggered by exposure to particulate matter may be utilized to ameliorate the health effects of PM2.5 pollution. One such intervention is incorporation of nutraceuticals in the diet. Here, we present a review of the evidence generated from various in vitro, in vivo and human studies regarding the effects of different ...
Beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists can be safely prescribed and decreases mortality in patients with... more Beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists can be safely prescribed and decreases mortality in patients with ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular risk factors. Some authors are of the opinion that there is underuse of beta blockers in this subgroup of patients. The objective of this study was to analyse drugs being prescribed and the effect beta blockers have on symptoms in asthmatics with concomitant reactive airway diseases and cardiovascu lar diseases. Data was collected from medical records of patients with reactive airway disease and concomitant hypertension and ischemic heart disease. It included demographic details of the patients, the clinical diagnosis, drugs prescribed and the patien t outcome regarding whether there was exacerbation of asthma symptoms on taking beta blockers. Me dical records of 250 patients were analysed.13% of all patients was prescribed beta blockers. Among hypertensive’s 12% , among patients with ischemic heart disease 16.6% and of patients with IHD and hyp...
Objectives Ambient air pollution (AAP) is an important risk factor for increased mental health mo... more Objectives Ambient air pollution (AAP) is an important risk factor for increased mental health morbidity. Studies have highlighted the effect of AAP on psychological stress and anxiety disorder. However, existing evidence regarding this is largely equivocal. This systematic review with meta-analysis aims to synthesize published evidence to calculate the pooled estimate of the effect of AAP on psychological stress and anxiety disorder. Content A systematic bibliographic search was undertaken using PubMed, JGateplus, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library for observational human studies published in English till 31st March 2020 reporting the effect of AAP on psychological stress and anxiety disorder. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Meta-analysis was performed adopting a random-effects model using Meta-XL. Of 412 articles retrieved, a total of 30 articles [AAP and anxiety disorders, (n=17, 57%); AAP and psychological stress, (n=9, 30...
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Papers by Tanwi Trushna