A high resolution spatiotemporal model for in-vehicle black carbon exposure : quantifying the in-vehicle exposure reduction due to the Euro 5 particulate matter standard legislation

Several studies have shown that a significant amount of daily air pollution exposure is inhaled during trips. In this study, car drivers assessed their own black carbon exposure under real-life conditions (223 h of data from 2013). The spatiotemporal exposure of the car drivers is modeled using a data science approach, referred to as microscopic land-use regression (mu LUR). In-vehicle exposure is highly dynamical and is strongly related to the local traffic dynamics. An extensive set of potential covariates was used to model the in-vehicle black carbon exposure in a temporal resolution of 10 s. Traffic was retrieved directly from traffic databases and indirectly by attributing the trips through a noise map as an alternative traffic source. Modeling by generalized additive models (GAM) shows non-linear effects for meteorology and diurnal traffic patterns. A fitted diurnal pattern explains indirectly the complex diurnal variability of the exposure due to the non-linear interaction between traffic density and distance to the preceding vehicles. Comparing the strength of direct traffic attribution and indirect noise map-based traffic attribution reveals the potential of noise maps as a proxy for traffic-related air pollution exposure. An external validation, based on a dataset gathered in 2010-2011, quantifies the exposure reduction inside the vehicles at 33% (mean) and 50% (median). The EU PM Euro 5 PM emission standard (in force since 2009) explains the largest part of the discrepancy between the measurement campaign in 2013 and the validation dataset. The mu LUR methodology provides a high resolution, route-sensitive, seasonal and meteorology-sensitive personal exposure estimate for epidemiologists and policy makers

Tamsulosin � turn a round

Tamsulosin is a sulfamoylphen-ethylamine derivative, a potent and a selective antagonist of Alpha-1A adrenoceptor. It�s approved in the treatment of LUTS in BPH disease, being a specific Alpha -1A blocker it does not interfere much with the cardiovascular system. Though an age old molecule but still it�s a friendly drug to most of the physicians. Even the recent studies found its as efficacious to some of the newer molecules in the group

Cholecystitis & An Enzyme Study

Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder that develops in short time usually when gallstone obstructs the cystic duct. Patients over the passage of time land to chronic cholecystitis. They have an abnormal liver function test with clinical features suggestive of gall bladder disease. Therefore, systematic step by step reviews of various investigations are important in diagnosis of gall bladder disease. The first step includes clinical evaluation of the patient followed by estimation of enzyme markers.. The seriousness of disease can be estimated from combined information of clinical examination & specialized biochemical tests. Specialized enzymatic markers are helpful for proper follow-up as delay can be devastating. It can form a platform for malignant & cirrhotic changes of liver: Present study has been undertaken to avoid dreads by simple clinical enzyme study. Serum levels of 5’NT/ALP/AST/ALT/Bilirubin were estimated in sixty cases of clinically diagnosed cholecystitis against forty normal individuals. Purpose was to single out a parameter which is most significant & may help as an endoscope to \ud Surgeon for timely intervention. The study delineates5’NT to be superior to ALP due to its specificity &. Sensitivity. While elevated AST & ALT levels signify extent of hepatic cell damage, 5”NT specifically signifies the bile duct obstruction or cholestasis as well as hepatic cell damage. \u

Effect of obesity on autonomic nervous system

The present study was carried out on 100 volunteers of which 50 subjects with BMI > 30kg/m2 were included in study group and 50 subjects with BMI < 30kg/m2 (non obese) were included in control group. The functioning of Autonomic nervous system was evaluated by six non-invasive tests- four of which were based mainly on parasympathetic control (30:15 ratio, standing to lying ratio (S/L ratio), expiration/inspiration ratio (E/I ratio) and valsalva maneuver) and two on sympathetic control (Blood pressure response to standing and cold pressor test). The results of the present study showed significantly low (p=0.001) S/L ratio in study group (1.04 ± 0.12) when compared to controls (1.12 ± 0.11) indicating impaired parasympathetic function. The mean change in sytolic blood pressure before and after cold pressor test (CPT) was less in study group (7.12 ± 5.28) as compared to control group (10.38 ± 6.35) and this was statistically significant (p=0.006) indicating impaired sympatheitc function. Thus ,in obese both division of ANS are affected which may be the cause of various cardiovascular complications

A Study on Ajuga bracteosa wall ex. Benth for analgesic activity

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Ajuga bracteosa wall ex. Benth (Labiatae) is traditionally used medicine in the treatment of malaria and gout. The plant is substitute of cinchona. Its allied species Ajuga Parviflora is also found sporadically. In Ayurvedic prepration the aqueous extract of the leaves part showed diuretic activity. Aim of the study: The present study was carried out to investigate analgesic activity of Ajuga bracteosa wall ex. Benth aerial part extracts. Materials and methods: A. bracteosa, a widespread medicinal plant traditionally used in the disease, was collected from Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh. Aerial part was extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, ethanol and water. Analgesic activity of these extracts was assessed in swiss albino mice with acetic acid-induced writhing test and tail immersion test. Results: At the doses used (200 and 400 mg/kg, i.p.) chloroform and water extracts showed significant and dose-dependent analgesic effects.\ud Conclusion: Our results indicate that extracts Ajuga bracteosa wall ex. Benth obtained from demonstrate an analgesic effect probably mediated by opioid receptors.\u

Peristaltic flow of a Newtonian fluid through a porous medium in a vertical tube under the effect of a magnetic field

In this paper, we studied the effects of heat transfer and magnetic field with peristaltic flow of a viscous incompressible Newtonian fluid through a porous medium in a vertical tube under the assumptions of long wavelength and low Reynolds number. The closed form solutions of velocity field and temperature are obtained. The influence of various pertinent parameters on the flow characteristics, the temperature and the heat transfer coefficient are discussed through graphs

Bioalcohol As Green Energy -A review

Bioethanol has now become a big industry and this industry seems to become much bigger in the near future. People regard bioethanol as renewable and sustainable new energy source, although some contraversies such as the rivalry of bioethanol for human food widely exist. Actually, bioethanol can also be a good source of basic raw materials. In early days, ethylene, the most important organic chemical raw material, was produced from dehydration of ethanol. Later, things reversed as petrochemical industry well developed after World War II, when industrial ethanol was mostly produced mainly via hydration of ethylene. Now that bioethanol has already become an important fuel blender, we should well expect that bioethanol should also be new resources for basic organic raw materials, as well as other more valuable fine and specialty chemicals, instead of merely a fuel blender. Nowadays, countless new bioethanol companies are setting up every day. It should lead to more research on bioethanol also as a starting raw chemical material