Evaluation of Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) as a tool to monitor pollution and green belt development: A review

Air pollution is a global phenomenon arising out of the unsustainable, unplanned and rapid develop-ment. The quality of air is deteriorating day by day because of rising concentrations of various gases in the atmos-phere. Presently, no such system has been developed ever that completely eliminates air pollutants, but nature has created many systems to deal with the harmful results of different anthropogenic activities up to a certain limit. Some plants can survive well with higher pollutant concentrations and act as pollution scavenger. Green plants act as a sink and filter to minimize air pollution by absorption, adsorption, detoxification, accumulation and/or metabolization without sustaining serious decline in growth, thus improving air quality by providing oxygen to the atmosphere. The plants which can withstand higher pollutant concentrations can serve as tolerant species and may be suggested to act as pollution scavengers. In the present study the air pollution tolerance index of some plants has been reviewed which are widely distributed throughout India and may prove helpful for the abatement of elevated air pollution levels such as Mangifera indica, Azardirachta indica, Saraca indica, Ficus religiosa, Ficus benghalensis, Shorea robusta and Bougainvillea spp. The wild indigenous species are superior performers in air pollution reduction as compared to the cultivated non indigenous species. The screening out of tolerant plant species from the sensitive ones can provide a database which may help landscapers to design green belts around industries and National Highways

Data on fluoride contamination in potable water in alluvial plains of district Panipat, Haryana, India

This data set reveals the fluoride concentration level of an alluvial aquifer of Panipat district Haryana India. The whole district of Panipat relies on groundwater for its agricultural, industrial and domestic purposes. Fluoride concentration in the study area varied from 0.5 mg/L to 5.95 mg/L with an average of 1.6 mg/L. 42.9% of the groundwater samples have shown higher fluoride concentration in groundwater than the permissible level prescribed by World Health Organisation and Bureau of Indian Standards. The spatial distribution map of fluoride has interestingly shown contrast between western and eastern parts of the region. Higher fluoride concentration (1.00–5.95 mg/L) in groundwater is witnessed in western half whereas the eastern half had comparatively lower concentration of fluoride ranging from 0.5 mg/L to 3.0 mg/L with maximum area having concentrations up to 1.5 mg/L. Major part 52.23% of Panipat district has shown high fluoride concentration in groundwater than the permissible level. It is further suggested that prolonged intake of groundwater with fluoride concentration higher than the permissible levels may cause dental or skeletal fluorosis in the locals. Keywords: Fluoride, Groundwater, Alluvial aquifer, Fluorosi

Assessment of geodiversity of Parbati River Basin in North-Western Himalayan region, India

In light of structural and functional linkages between the geodiversity and biodiversity, mapping geodiversity becomes more important in highly pristine and diverse regions such as Hindu Kush Himalayas as it could lead to better nature conservation strategies. This study represents pioneering efforts in the field of quantitative assessment of geodiversity and its mapping in Parbati River Basin (PRB) using grid overlay. Geodiversity index (GI) so generated was finally interpolated using inverse distance weighting (IDW) model, which resulted in the generation of an isoline map showing spatial distribution of various geodiversity classes in the PRB. The higher GI in the Lower basin is mainly due to rich lithological elements whereas the very high values in the Upper basin can be attributed to geomorphological richness. All these features are facing constant threat due to continuous degradation and damage caused by various anthropogenic activities in the PRB

MODIS NDVI Multi-Temporal Analysis Confirms Farmer Perceptions on Seasonality Variations Affecting Apple Orchards in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh

Apple cultivation in the Kinnaur district of the northern Indian State of Himachal Pradesh faces challenges from climatic changes and developmental activities. Farmers in the neighboring districts have already faced a major loss of livelihood due to seasonal changes. Therefore, it is important to study the extent of seasonal variations in the apple growing locations of this region. This study makes that attempt by assessing seasonality variations during a 15-year period from 2004 to 2018 when maximum construction activities occurred in this region. The study uses geospatial and statistical techniques in addition to farmer perceptions obtained during a field visit in November 2019. A temporal pattern using a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) was studied for seven apple-growing locations in the district. The results show high seasonal variations and reduced snowfall at lower elevations, resulting in less chilling hours, which are necessary for the healthy growth of apples. The normalized difference snow index (NDSI) and rainfall show a high correlation with apple growth. Local farmers are unprepared for future seasonal disturbances, as they lack early warning systems, insurance for apple crops, and alternative livelihood options

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Not AvailableIndustrialization and globalization have resulted in pollution of all the three ecosystems, including soil, water, and air. Among these, air pollution has generated much interest, since it has a major influence on the transboundary dispersion of pollutants globally. Air pollution tolerance index (APTI) value represents tolerance level of plants which help in selecting the most suitable plant species for plantation in/around affected areas. This parameter in conjunction with Anticipated Performance Index (API) can provide a logical solution for green belt development by considering biological and socio-economic aspect of the species and help in reducing the levels of pollutants. The present study was conducted in Himachal Pradesh, constituting a very vital part of the Indian Himalayan Region. In the present study, APTI and API values of six commonly growing temperate and sub-temperate plant species viz., Quercus leucotrichophora, Rubus ellipticus, Debregeasia saeneb, Hypericum oblongifolium, Punica granatum, and Grevillea robusta, were evaluated along the National Highway-5 in Himachal Pradesh. The highest value of APTI was observed for Grevillea robusta (12.89), followed by Punica granatum (10.87), Debregeasia saeneb (10.50), Hypericum oblongifolium (10.43), Rubus ellipticus (10.18), and Quercus leucotrichophora (9.68). Upon assessment of API, it was observed that Grevillea robusta (62.50%) was the highest scoring plant species in trees, while Rubus ellipticus and Debregeasia saeneb were the highest scoring shrub species (56.25% each) and thus can be recommended for green belt development and attenuation of air pollution in the region. Punica granatum can be suggested for plantation among the native species.Not Availabl

Liver cirrhosis: The struggling liver

Liver cirrhosis is a chronic liver infection. It consist of deterioration of liver cells along with fibrosis and infection generating nodules. Patients with cirrhosis frequently have either global malnutrition or alterations in specific aspects of nutritional status, such as micronutrient deficiencies, due to multiple mechanisms, including poor nutritional intake, poor absorption, and increased losses. In addition, one of the most significant nutritional problems in cirrhotic patients is muscle wasting and sarcopenia. Cirrhosis of the liver is more common than previously thought, affecting more than 633,000 adults yearly, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. People with cirrhosis had a mortality rate of 26.4 percent during a two-year interval. Most common cause of the liver cirrhosis is alcohol intake (60 to 70 percent), biliary obstruction (5 to 10 percent), biliary atresia/neonatal hepatitis, chronic Hepatitis B or C (10 percent) and hemochromatosis (5 to 10 percent). Symptoms include jaundice, fatigue, bleeding or bruising easily, nausea, swelling and confusion. But many patients have no symptoms. Cirrhosis can lead to liver failure and liver cancer. Numerous studies have attempted to develop the Child-Pugh-Turcotte (CPT) classification for prognosis of liver cirrhosis. Major complications of cirrhosis are, Ascites, Upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Gentiacaulein inhibits glucose transport to induce PRKAA1-mediated autophagy to clear amyloid beta and associated inflammation in primary astrocytes

ABSTRACTBeing present in substantial numbers, astrocytes play an indispensable role in maintaining homeostasis in the brain. However, their positive or negative involvement in pathological conditions in the brain has not been explored much. In recent years, an emerging thought of targeting astrocytes for the resolution of neurodegenerative diseases has gained momentum. In this study, we have attempted to explore the likelihood of targeting astrocytes by using a natural compound, gentiacaulein (GENT), for clearance of amyloid-β (Aβ) through autophagy and amelioration of neuroinflammation associated with Aβ. We found that GENT treatment of astrocytes hampered the transport of glucose across the cell membrane, which resulted in a reduction in ATP production. With increased treatment time, AMP: ATP ratio was increased significantly, which caused the induction of PRKAA1-mediated autophagy. We further show that increased autophagy considerably enhanced the clearance of amyloid-β by astrocytes. GENT reduced the Aβ mediated inflammation by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of NF-κB and decreased the release of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6. The role of PRKAA1 in GENT-induced autophagy and anti-inflammatory activity was confirmed when its knockdown reversed these effects. Our data suggest that targeting astrocytes can be a good strategy to prevent/treat Alzheimer’s disease