An overview of municipal solid waste management in Jaipur city, India - Current status, challenges and recommendations

In developing countries, urbanization and rapid population growth has resulted in a substantial increase in generation of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Safe collection, transportation and treatment of MSW are among the major issues for Indian cities. Poor MSW management practices have negative impact on public health, environment and climate change. India currently only treats 21% of MSW while the remainder disposed in unsanitary landfill sites with no recycling and treatment technologies. This paper reviews the existing MSW management practices, challenges and provides recommendations for improving MSW management for the city of Jaipur in Rajasthan, India. Despite being the state capital as well as the top tourist destination in northern part of India, there is no detailed study which reviews the waste management strategies of this city along with identifying the key challenges. The study reveals that the major challenges for MSW management in Jaipur include uncontrolled landfilling, inadequate public participation as well as failings of implementation of MSW legislation and waste conversion. Recommendations for improvement include public awareness campaigns, public-private partnership, investment in lined landfills, recycling and waste to energy techniques. Optimization models and life cycle assessment tools should be employed to minimize cost and the environmental impact of MSW management. This study will provide policy makers and private sector stakeholders to develop strategies for future planning, investment and execution of improved MSW management in Indian cities

Persistent demographic differences in colorectal cancer screening utilization despite Medicare reimbursement

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer screening is widely recommended, but often under-utilized. In addition, significant demographic differences in screening utilization exist. Insurance coverage may be one factor influencing utilization of colorectal cancer screening tests. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of claims for outpatient services for Washington state Medicare beneficiaries in calendar year 2000. We determined the proportion of beneficiaries utilizing screening fecal occult blood tests, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or double contrast barium enema in the overall population and various demographic subgroups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relative odds of screening in different demographic groups. RESULTS: Approximately 9.2% of beneficiaries had fecal occult blood tests, 7.2% had any colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, or barium enema (invasive) colon tests, and 3.5% had invasive tests for screening indications. Colonoscopy accounted for 41% of all invasive tests for screening indications. Women were more likely to receive fecal occult blood test screening (OR 1.18; 95%CI 1.15, 1.21) and less likely to receive invasive tests for screening indications than men (OR 0.80, 95%CI 0.77, 0.83). Whites were more likely than other racial groups to receive any type of screening. Rural residents were more likely than urban residents to have fecal occult blood tests (OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.17, 1.23) but less likely to receive invasive tests for screening indications (OR 0.89; 95%CI 0.85, 0.93). CONCLUSION: Reported use of fecal occult blood testing remains modest. Overall use of the more invasive tests for screening indications remains essentially unchanged, but there has been a shift toward increased use of screening colonoscopy. Significant demographic differences in screening utilization persist despite consistent insurance coverage

Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of sulfated polysaccharides from five different edible seaweeds

In recent times, there has been a growing interest in the exploration of antioxidants and global trend toward the usage of seaweeds in the food industries. The low molecular weight up to 14 kDa sulfated polysaccharides of seaweeds (Portieria hornemannii, Spyridia hypnoides, Asparagopsis taxiformis, Centroceras clavulatum and Padina pavonica) were evaluated for in vitro antioxidant activities and cytotoxic assay using HeLa cell line and also characterized by FTIR. The high yield (7.74% alga dry wt.) of sulfated polysaccharide was observed in P. hornemannii followed by S. hypnoides (0.69%), C. clavulaum (0.55%) and A. taxiformis (0.17%). In the brown seaweed P. pavonica, the sulfated polysaccharide yield was 2.07%. High amount of sulfate was recorded in the polysaccharide of A. taxiformis followed by C. clavulaum, P. pavonica, S. hypnoides and P. hornemannii as indicative for bioactivity. The FTIR spectroscopic analysis supports the sulfated polysaccharides of S. hypnoides, C. clavulatum and A. taxiformis are similar to agar polymer whereas the spectral characteristics of P. hornemannii have similarities to carrageenan. The higher DPPH activity and reducing power were recorded in the polysaccharide of brown seaweed P. pavonica than the red seaweeds as follows: DPPH activities: S. hypnoides > A. taxiformis > C. clavulatum > P. hornimanii; Reducing power: A. taxiformis > P. hornimanii > S. hypnoides > C. clavulatum. The polysaccharide fractions contain up to 14 kDa from red seaweeds P. hornemannii and S. hypnoides followed by brown seaweed P. pavonica exhibit cytotoxic activity in HeLa cancer cell line (and are similar to structural properties of carrageenan extracted from P. hornemannii). The low molecular weight agar like polymer of S. hypnoides and alginate like brown seaweed P. pavonica showing better in vitro antioxidant activities that are capable of exhibiting cytotoxicity against HeLa cell line can be taken up further in-depth investigation for nutraceutical study.University of Algarve: DL 57/2016info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

Effect of compartmentalization of donor and acceptor on the ultrafast resonance energy transfer from DAPI to silver nanoclusters

The mechanism and dynamics of excitation energy transfer (EET) from photo-excited 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) to silver nanoclusters (Ag NCs) and its subsequent modulation in the presence of cationic polymer poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) and Calf Thymus DNA (CT-DNA) have been demonstrated using steady-state fluorescence and femtosecond fluorescence upconversion techniques. The synthesized Ag NCs were characterized using FTIR, mass spectrometry, XPS, HRTEM, DLS, UV-Vis and PL spectroscopy. Mass spectrometric analysis reveals the formation of ultrasmall Ag4 NCs with a small amount of Ag-5 NCs. UV-Vis and PL spectra reveal distinct molecular-like optoelectronic behaviour of these ultrasmall Ag NCs. The dihydrolipoic acid-capped Ag NCs strongly quench the fluorescence of DAPI with concomitant increase in its photoluminescence (PL) intensity at 675 nm. This steady-state fluorescence quenching proceeds with a significant shortening of the fluorescence lifetime of DAPI in the presence of Ag NCs, signifying the nonradiative Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from DAPI to Ag NCs. Various energy transfer parameters have been estimated from FRET theory. The present FRET pair shows a characteristic Forster distance of 2.45 nm and can be utilized as a reporter of short-range distances in various FRET based applications. Moreover, this nonradiative FRET is completely suppressed in the presence of both 0.2 wt% PDADMAC and CT-DNA. Our results reveal selective compartmentalization of Ag NCs and DAPI in the presence of 0.2 wt% PDADMAC and CT-DNA, respectively. This selective compartmentalization of donor and acceptor and the subsequent modification of the FRET process may find application in various sensing, photovoltaic, and light harvesting applications