Air Pollution and Health: A Review of Measurement Techniques

Air pollution is one of the significant causes of loss of healthy life years due to illness originating from indoor and outdoor air pollution sources like burning of biomass, vehicular emissions, etc. In the presented study, review of various methods used to assess health risks in terms of mortality and morbidity has been described. The use of precise instruments is essential for monitoring of health determinants causing serious health effects in urban regions. Data obtained from monitoring can be fed into the mathematical models in order to get the overall impact. These models are fed with specific concentration value for specific compounds, and they provide calculated number of population at risk. The main problem in using such models is the inability to calculate health risks for every pollutant. To validate the results obtained from mathematical models surveying needs to be synergies with the results. In air pollution impact assessment studies, public perception is one of the important components which these mathematical models do not incorporate, hence we recommend integrated assessment models for such studies. Perception based surveys generate huge data set and require statistical tools like SPSS, STATA for further analysis. It is essential to carry out exposure assessment studies as well to determine the pollution source and its impact on health in a more holistic way. Knowledge of these factors will help us to take measures to reduce pollutant concentration and recommend alternative solution

CURATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH LIBRARIES

Libraries, museums and archives hold valuable collections in a variety of media, presenting a vast body of knowledge rooted in the history of human civilisation. These form the repository of the wisdom of great works by thinkers of past and the present. The holdings of these institutions are priceless heritage of the mankind as they preserve documents, ideas, and the oral and written records. To value the cultural heritage and to care for it as a treasure bequeathed to us by our ancestors is the major responsibility of libraries. The past records constitute a natural resource and are indispensable to the present generation as well as to the generations to come. Libraries preserve the documentary heritage resources for which they are primarily responsible. Any loss of such materials is simply irreplaceable. Therefore, preserving this intellectual, cultural heritage becomes not only the academic commitment but also the moral responsibility of the librarians/information scientists, who are in charge of these repositories. The high quality of the papers and the discussion represent the thinking and experience of experts in their particular fields. The contributed papers also relate to the methodology used in libraries in Asia to provide access to manuscripts and cultural heritage. The volume discusses best practices in Knowledge preservation and how to collaborate and preserve the culture. The book also deals with manuscript and archives issues in the digital era. The approach of this book is concise, comprehensively, covering all major aspects of preservation and conservation through libraries. The readership of the book is not just limited to library and information science professionals, but also for those involved in conservation, preservation, restoration or other related disciplines. The book will be useful for librarians, archivists and conservators. We thank the Sunan Kalijaga University, Special Libraries Association- Asian Chapter for their trust and their constant support, all the contributors for their submissions, the members of the Local and International Committee for their reviewing effort for making this publication possible

Traditional medical practices of Gaddi tribes in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh

169-172The tribal people of Himachal Pradesh living close to forests and facing unfavourable climatic conditions have rich traditional knowledge, which was documented and tested on scientific scale and mostly recommended for further research. Traditional practices followed by the Gaddi tribes in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh to cure pinworm and diarrohoeal problems among infants have been discussed. </span

Metabolic syndrome and its components: A cross-sectional analysis of its distribution among pre- and post-menopausal women from Northern India

Aim: This study aims to determine the prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome (MS) and recognize its abnormal components in pre and postmenopausal women. We also aim to recognize the abnormal components in postmenopausal women with regard to duration since menopause. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was undertaken among pre- and post-menopausal women between 40 and 65 years. Women with MS were identified as per the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. Results: A total of 220 women were enrolled comprising 112 premenopausal and 108 postmenopausal women, the prevalence of MS among them being 33% and 51.85%, respectively. Postmenopausal status was found to be independently associated with MS when adjusted for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratios = 14.77, 95% confidence intervals: 1.77–23.33). All the components were proportionately higher in postmenopausal group, the rise in blood pressure (BP) (P = 0.003) and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (0.027) being statistically significant. The risk of MS, abdominal obesity, and high BP were highest in <5 years since menopause and decreased thereafter. The risk for low HDL and high triglyceride increased with the number of years since menopause, reaching the peak level in the 5–9-year group and then decreased while the risk of high fasting blood sugar increased reaching peak in the 10–14 years' group. Conclusion: The prevalence of MS is significantly high in postmenopausal women. Screening of women in premenopausal period will give an opportunity to intervene and prevent the menace of MS in Indian women predisposed to abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular adverse events

A positively charged side chain at position 154 on the β8–αE loop of HIV-1 RT is required for stable ternary complex formation

Lys154 is the only positively charged residue located in the VLPQGWK motif on the β8–αE loop at the junction of the fingers and palm subdomains of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT). Some of the conserved residues in this motif are critical for RT function, while others have been shown to confer nucleoside drug resistance and fidelity to the enzyme. In order to understand the functional implication of this positively charged residue, we carried out site-directed mutagenesis at position 154 and biochemically characterized the mutant enzymes. Mutants carrying negatively charged side chains (K154D and K154E) were severely impaired in their polymerase function, while those with hydrophobic side chains (K154A and K154I) were moderately affected. Analysis of the binary complexes formed by these mutants revealed that all the mutant derivatives retained their ability to form an enzyme template primer (E–TP) binary complex similar to the wild-type enzyme. In contrast, their ability to form stable E–TP–dNTP ternary complexes varied greatly and was dependent on the nature of the side chain at position 154. The conservative Lys→Arg mutant was not affected in its ability to form a stable ternary complex, while those carrying non-polar or negatively charged side chains were significantly impaired. The apparent K(d [dNTP]) values for these non-conservative mutants were ∼16- to 400-fold higher than the wild-type enzyme, indicating that a positively charged side chain at position 154 may be required for efficient formation of a stable ternary complex. Interestingly, all the mutant derivatives of Lys154 were completely resistant to a nucleoside analog inhibitor, 3′-dideoxy 3′-thiacytidine (3TC), implying that Lys154 may play a role in conferring 3TC sensitivity to HIV-1 RT. These findings are discussed in the context of the binary and ternary complex crystal structures of HIV-1 RT