Population Mobility and Spread of HIV Across the Indo-Nepal Border

The article reviews information on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS and behavioural networking to examine the role of population mobility in spreading HIV across the Indo-Nepal border. Documents were collected through a systematic search of electronic databases and web-based information resources, and the review focuses on studies about types of the virus, prevalence of HIV, and sexual and injecting networking. HIV-1 (subtype C) and HIV-2 were identified in Nepal. The prevalence of HIV was higher among male labour migrants and female sex workers (FSWs) who returned from India, especially from Mumbai, than in similar non-migrant groups. In the early 2000s, about 6–10% of Mumbai returnee men, compared to up to 4% of India returnee men and up to 3% of non-migrant men in the far-west Nepal, were identified with HIV. Likewise, when the prevalence of HIV among sex workers in Kathmandu was found to be 17% in 1999–2000, up to 44% of India returnee and 73% of Mumbai returnee FSWs were identified with the virus. These data are, however, based on small samples with questionable representativeness of the target populations and need to be interpreted cautiously. They also generate a biased impression that HIV was coming into Nepal from India. Recently, the possibility of a two-way flow of HIV across the Indo-Nepal border through injecting and sexual networking have been indicated by serological and behavioural data from a south-eastern cluster of Nepal and a north-eastern district of India. Although similar behavioural networks exist along other segments of the border, serological data are unavailable to assess whether and how extensively this phenomenon has caused the spread of HIV. Collaborative research and interventions covering both sides of the border are desirable to fully understand and address the prospect of HIV epidemics associated with cross-border population mixing

Quantum Mechanical Studies of Charge Assisted Hydrogen and Halogen Bonds

This dissertation is mainly focused on charge assisted noncovalent interactions specially hydrogen and halogen bonds. Generally, noncovalent interactions are only weak forces of interaction but an introduction of suitable charge on binding units increases the strength of the noncovalent bonds by a several orders of magnitude. These charge assisted noncovalent interactions have wide ranges of applications from crystal engineering to drug design. Not only that, nature accomplishes a number of important tasks using these interactions. Although, a good number of theoretical and experimental studies have already been done in this field, some fundamental properties of charge assisted hydrogen and halogen bonds still lack molecular level understanding and their electronic properties are yet to be explored. Better understanding of the electronic properties of these bonds will have applications on the rational design of drugs, noble functional materials, catalysts and so on. In most of this dissertation, comparative studies have been made between charge and neutral noncovalent interactions by quantum mechanical calculations. The comparisons are primarily focused on energetics and the electronic properties. In most of the cases, comparative studies are also made between hydrogen and halogen bonds which contradict the long time notion that the H-bond is the strongest noncovalent interactions.Besides that, this dissertation also explores the long range behavior and directional properties of various neutral and charge assisted noncovalent bonds

Substituent Effects on the Binding of Halides by Neutral and Dicationic Bis-Triazolium Receptors

The effects of substituent and overall charge upon the binding of a halide anion by a bis-triazolium receptor are studied by M06-2X DFT calculations, with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set. Comparison is also made between a receptor that engages in H-bonds, with a halogen-bonding species. Fluoride is clearly most strongly bound, followed by Cl-, Br-, and I- in that order. The dicationic receptor engages in stronger complexes, but not by a very wide margin compared to its neutral counterpart. The binding is enhanced as the substituent on the two triazolium rings becomes progressively more electron-withdrawing. Halogen-substituted receptors, whether neutral or cationic, display a greater sensitivity to substituent than do their H-bonding counterparts. Both Coulombic and charge transfer factors obey the latter trends but do not correctly reproduce the stronger halogen vs hydrogen bonding. Both H-bonds and halogen bonds are nearly linear within the complexes, due in part to bond rotations within the receptor that bring the two triazole rings closer to coplanarity with the central benzene ring

Competitive Halide Binding by Halogen Versus Hydrogen Bonding: Bis-Triazole Pyridinium

The binding of F-, Cl-, Br-, and I- anions by bis‐triazole‐pyridine (BTP) was examined by quantum chemical calculations. There is one H atom on each of the two triazole rings that chelate the halide via H bonds. These H atoms were replaced by halogens Cl, Br, and I, thus substituting H bonds by halogen bonds. I substitution strongly enhances the binding; Br has a smaller effect, and Cl weakens the interaction. The strength of the interaction is sensitive to the overall charge on the BTP, rising as the binding agent becomes singly and then doubly positively charged. The strongest preference of a halide for halogenated as compared to unsubstituted BTP, as much as several orders of magnitude, is observed for I-. Both unsubstituted and I‐ substituted BTP could be used to selectively extract F- from a mixture of halides

Enhancing the Reduction Potential of Quinones via Complex Formation

Quantum calculations are used to study the manner in which quinones interact with proton-donating molecules. For neutral donors, a stacked geometry is favored over a H-bond structure. The former is stabilized by charge transfers from the N or O lone pairs to the quinone’s π* orbitals. Following the addition of an electron to the quinone, the radical anion forms strong H-bonded complexes with the various donors. The presence of the donor enhances the electron affinity of the quinone. This enhancement is on the order of 15 kcal/mol for neutral donors, but up to as much as 85 kcal/mol for a cationic donor. The increase in electron affinity is larger for electron-rich quinones, than for their electron-deficient counterparts, containing halogen substituents. Similar trends are in evidence when the systems are immersed in aqueous solvent

NX∙∙Y Halogen Bonds. Comparison with NH∙∙Y H-bonds and CX∙∙Y Halogen Bonds

Quantum calculations examine how the NH∙∙Y H-bond compares to the equivalent NX∙∙Y halogen bond, as well as to comparable CH/CX donors. Succinimide and saccharin, and their corresponding halogen-substituted derivatives, are chosen as the prototype NH/NX donors, paired with a wide range of electron donor molecules. The NH∙∙Y H-bond is weakened if the bridging H is replaced by Cl, and strengthened by I; a Br halogen bond is roughly comparable to a H-bond. The lone pairs of the partner molecule are stronger electron donors than are π-systems. Whereas Coulombic forces represent the largest fraction of the attractive force in the H-bonds, induction energy is magnified in the halogen bonds, surpassing electrostatics in several cases. Mutation of NH/NX to CH/CX weakens the binding energy to roughly half its original value, while also lengthening the intermolecular distances by 0.3 - 0.8 Å

Population Mobility and Spread of HIV Across the Indo-Nepal Border

The article reviews information on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS and behavioural networking to examine the role of population mobility in spreading HIV across the Indo-Nepal border. Documents were collected through a systematic search of electronic databases and web-based information resources, and the review focuses on studies about types of the virus, prevalence of HIV, and sexual and injecting networking. HIV-1 (subtype C) and HIV-2 were identified in Nepal. The prevalence of HIV was higher among male labour migrants and female sex workers (FSWs) who returned from India, especially from Mumbai, than in similar non-migrant groups. In the early 2000s, about 6-10% of Mumbai returnee men, compared to up to 4% of India returnee men and up to 3% of non-migrant men in the far-west Nepal, were identified with HIV. Likewise, when the prevalence of HIV among sex workers in Kathmandu was found to be 17% in 1999-2000, up to 44% of India returnee and 73% of Mumbai returnee FSWs were identified with the virus. These data are, however, based on small samples with questionable representativeness of the target populations and need to be interpreted cautiously. They also generate a biased impression that HIV was coming into Nepal from India. Recently, the possibility of a two-way flow of HIV across the Indo-Nepal border through injecting and sexual networking have been indicated by serological and behavioural data from a south-eastern cluster of Nepal and a north-eastern district of India. Although similar behavioural networks exist along other segments of the border, serological data are unavailable to assess whether and how extensively this phenomenon has caused the spread of HIV. Collaborative research and interventions covering both sides of the border are desirable to fully understand and address the prospect of HIV epidemics associated with cross-border population mixing

Effect of Temperature, Rainfall, Cloud, and Humidity on Production of Large Cardamom in Sankhuwasabha, Nepal

The objective of this work was to assess the status of Large cardamom production in the past ten years and impact of meteorological parameters on production of Large cardamom in Sankhuwasabha district, Nepal. Cardamom production data of ten years are taken from statistical information on Nepalese agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture Development. Apart from this monthly data of temperature, rainfall, cloud and humidity are collected from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Khadbari station. The variables under consideration are the cardamom production as a dependent variable and the temperature, cloud, humidity and rainfall as independent variables. P-values and correlation between the dependent and independent variables are calculated using MS EXCEL. Findings of the study shows that Rainfall and Humidity made a significant contribution to the rate of cardamom production forming an upward trend. Temperature gives a downward trend and possesses negative correlation with productivity. Clouds is not significantly related with the cardamom production. The implication of this study for the improvement of cardamom production was discussed

Australian adults use complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of chronic illness: a national study

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to identify the prevalence of the use of vitamin/mineral supplements or natural/herbal remedies, concurrent use of pharmaceutical medication, and to profile those most likely to use these complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) in the treatment of five chronic conditions identified as national health priorities (asthma, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, heart or circulatory condition) within the Australian adult population. Methods: Analysis of the Australian National Health Survey database, 2004–05. Results: Approximately 24% (1.3 million) of Australian adults with a chronic condition regularly applied CAM to treatment. CAM was most often used exclusively or in combination with pharmaceutical medicine in the treatment of arthritis and osteoporosis. Fewer than 10% of adults with asthma, diabetes or a heart or circulatory condition used CAM, most preferring pharmaceutical medicine. Regular CAM users were more likely to be aged ≥60, female, have a secondary school education and live in households with lower incomes than non-users. Non-users were more likely to be 30–59 years old and tertiary educated. Conclusion and implications: Arthritis, osteoporosis and, to a lesser extent, heart or circulatory conditions are illnesses for which doctors should advise, and patients need to be most aware about the full effects of CAM and possible interactive effects with prescribed medicine. They are also conditions for which research into the interactive effects of CAM and pharmaceutical medication would seem of most immediate benefit

AIDS in Asia: hopes and challenges

AIDS has already claimed as many as 30 million human lives worldwide. An estimated 34 million people, mostly adults of working age, are living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Despite this UN AIDS, the peak UN agency that coordinates AIDS control programs worldwide, optimistically affirmed in its 2012 Global Report that the epidemic has come under control in much of the world. Sub-Saharan Africa, the most affected region, has shown remarkable progress in reversing the trend in HIV infections and AIDS deaths. And in Asia, several countries have contained their epidemics well before they grew out of control. The turnaround presents the best hope in the fight against the AIDS epidemic. But is Asia able to maintain the momentum