28 research outputs found
Generalized Second Law of Thermodynamics on the Event Horizon for Interacting Dark Energy
Here we are trying to find the conditions for the validity of the generalized
second law of thermodynamics (GSLT) assuming the first law of thermodynamics on
the event horizon in both cases when the FRW universe is filled with
interacting two fluid system- one in the form of cold dark matter and the other
is either holographic dark energy or new age graphic dark energy. Using the
recent observational data we have found that GSLT holds both in quintessence
era as well as in phantom era for new age graphic model while for holographic
dark energy GSLT is valid only in phantom era.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure
Nutritional Factors and Susceptibility to Arsenic-Caused Skin Lesions in West Bengal, India
There has been widespread speculation about whether nutritional deficiencies increase the susceptibility to arsenic health effects. This is the first study to investigate whether dietary micronutrient and macronutrient intake modulates the well-established human risk of arsenic-induced skin lesions, including alterations in skin pigmentation and keratoses. The study was conducted in West Bengal, India, which along with Bangladesh constitutes the largest population in the world exposed to arsenic from drinking water. In this case–control study design, cases were patients with arsenic-induced skin lesions and had < 500 μg/L arsenic in their drinking water. For each case, an age- and sex-matched control was selected from participants of a 1995–1996 cross-sectional survey, whose drinking water at that time also contained < 500 μg/L arsenic. Nutritional assessment was based on a 24-hr recall for major dietary constituents and a 1-week recall for less common constituents. Modest increases in risk were related to being in the lowest quintiles of intake of animal protein [odds ratio (OR) = 1.94; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05–3.59], calcium (OR = 1.89; 95% CI, 1.04–3.43), fiber (OR = 2.20; 95% CI, 1.15–4.21), and folate (OR = 1.67; 95% CI, 0.87–3.2). Conditional logistic regression suggested that the strongest associations were with low calcium, low animal protein, low folate, and low fiber intake. Nutrient intake was not related to arsenic exposure. We conclude that low intake of calcium, animal protein, folate, and fiber may increase susceptibility to arsenic-caused skin lesions. However, in light of the small magnitude of increased risks related to these dietary deficiencies, prevention should focus on reducing exposure to arsenic
The generalized second law of thermodynamics of the universe bounded by the event horizon and modified gravity theories
In this paper, we investigate the validity of the generalized second law of
thermodynamics of the universe bounded by the event horizon. Here we consider
homogeneous and isotropic model of the universe filled with perfect fluid in
one case and in another case holographic model of the universe has been
considered. In the third case the matter in the universe is taken in the form
of non-interacting two fluid system as holographic dark energy and dust. Here
we study the above cases in the Modified gravity, f(R) gravity.Comment: 9 page
How does Inflation Depend Upon the Nature of Fluids Filling Up the Universe in Brane World Scenario
By constructing different parameters which are able to give us the
information about our universe during inflation,(specially at the start and the
end of the inflationary universe) a brief idea of brane world inflation is
given in this work. What will be the size of the universe at the end of
inflation,i.e.,how many times will it grow than today's size is been speculated
and analysed thereafter. Different kinds of fluids are taken to be the matter
inside the brane. It is observed that in the case of highly positive pressure
grower gas like polytropic,the size of the universe at the end of inflation is
comparitively smaller. Whereas for negative pressure creators (like chaplygin
gas) this size is much bigger. Except thse two cases, inflation has been
studied for barotropic fluid and linear redshift parametrization too. For them the size of the universe after
inflation is much more high. We also have seen that this size does not depend
upon the potential energy at the end of the inflation. On the contrary, there
is a high impact of the initial potential energy upon the size of inflation.Comment: 20 page
Generalised second law of thermodynamics for interacting dark energy in the DGP brane world
In this paper, we investigate the validity of the generalized second law of
thermodynamics (GSLT) in the DGP brane world when universe is filled with
interacting two fluid system: one in the form of cold dark matter and other is
holographic dark energy. The boundary of the universe is assumed to be enclosed
by the dynamical apparent horizon or the event horizon. The universe is chosen
to be homogeneous and isotropic FRW model and the validity of the first law has
been assumed here
Human Health Risk Assessment For Arsenic: A Critical Review
Millions of people are exposed to arsenic resulting in a range of health implications.This paper provides an up-to-date review of the different sources of arsenic (water, soil and food), indicators of human exposure (biomarker assessment of hair, nail, urine and blood), epidemiological and toxicological studies on carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health outcomes, and risk assessment approaches. The review demonstrates a need for more work evaluating the risks of different arsenic species such as; arsenate, arsenite monomethylarsonic acid, monomethylarsonous acid, dimethylarsinic acid and dimethylarsinous acid as well as a need to better integrate the different exposure sources in risk assessments
Subchronic Exposure to Arsenic Through Drinking Water Alters Expression of Cancer-Related Genes in Rat Liver
Although arsenic exposure causes liver disease and/or hepatoma, little is known about molecular mechanisms of arsenic-induced liver toxicity or carcinogenesis. We investigated the effects of arsenic on expression of cancer-related genes in a rat liver following subchronic exposure to sodium arsenate (1, 10, 100 ppm in drinking water), by using real-time quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analyses. Arsenic accumulated in the rat liver dose-dependently and caused hepatic histopathological changes, such as disruption of hepatic cords, sinusoidal dilation, and fatty infiltration. A 1-month exposure to arsenic significantly increased hepatic mRNA levels of cyclin D1 (10 ppm), ILK (1 ppm), and p27Kip1 (10 ppm), whereas it reduced mRNA levels of PTEN (1 ppm) and β-catenin (100 ppm). In contrast, a 4-month arsenic exposure showed increased mRNA expression of cyclin D1 (100 ppm), ILK (1 ppm), and p27Kip1 (1 and 10 ppm), and decreased expression of both PTEN and β-catenin at all 3 doses. An immunohistochemical study revealed that each protein expression accords closely with each gene expression of mRNA level. In conclusion, subchronic exposure to inorganic arsenate caused pathological changes and altered expression of cyclin D1, p27Kip1, ILK, PTEN, and β-catenin in the liver. This implies that arsenic liver toxicity involves disturbances of some cancer-related molecules