The effects of geochemical processes on groundwater chemistry and the health risks associated with fluoride intake in a semi-arid region of South India

This study attempts to establish the effects of subsurface geochemical processes based on the hydrogeochemical attributes of 61 well samples collected in a semi-arid region of South India. The study also provides the health risks associated with the consumption of fluoride-enriched groundwater by the rural people since groundwater is the major source of water supply in the Shanmuganadhi River basin. In this work, water–rock interaction diagrams, an entropy-weighted water quality index (EWQI), and health risk models as per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) were prepared to understand the geochemical mechanism behind the groundwater chemistry and its role in impacting health. About 72% of these samples are of mixed Ca²⁺–Mg²⁺–Cl⁻ water type, representing a transition from freshwater to brackish water, and 36% of them have fluoride above the permissible limit (>1.5 mg l⁻¹). An evaluation of the hydrogeochemical attributes suggests that silicate weathering, carbonate dissolution and reverse ion exchange mostly control the hydrochemistry of the groundwater. The EWQI characterizes about 30% of these samples as unsuitable for drinking and another 49% as of moderate quality. Human health risks were evaluated by dividing the population into seven different age groups and estimating the hazard quotient (HQ) and total hazard index (THI) from intake and dermal contact with fluoride-rich groundwater. The groundwater of this region poses a higher risk for the younger population compared to the adults. About 79% of these groundwater samples pose a health risk to 5–12 month-old infants and only 36% of the samples could be potentially hazardous for adults >23 years old. Our results suggest that the ADD_dermal pathway indicates less risk compared to the ADD_intake estimations.

This study attempts to establish the effects of subsurface geochemical processes based on the hydrogeochemical attributes of 61 well samples collected in a semi-arid region of South India.     

Genetic Diversity Analysis Reveals Strong Population Structure in Sorghum Germplasm Collection

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences - Population structure and genetic variability among seven groups of 44 parental lines of sorghum, including...     

A Population-Based Analysis of Behavior Problems in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Used the National Health Interview Survey, Child Health Supplementfor 1981 and 1988, to analyze parent-reported behavior problemsof children, ages 4–17 years, with cerebral palsy (n =47), with mental retardation (n = 50), with other chronic conditions(n = 6,038), and with no known health problem (n = 5,930), usingthe Behavior Problem Index (developed by Zill & Peterson).Behaviors with scores greater than the 90th percentile of theentire sample were considered problem behaviors. Parent-reportedbehavior problems were 5 times more likely in children withcerebral palsy (25.5%) compared with children having no knownhealth problem (5.4%). The adjusted odds ratio for behaviorproblems of children with cerebral palsy without mental retardationwas 4.9 and of children with mental retardation without cerebralpalsy was 7.9. Specific behaviors that were most problematicfor children with cerebral palsy were identified as dependency,headstrong, and hyperactive.     

Occult splenic rupture with cardiovascular collapse: a report of three cases in critically ill patients

Three cases of splenic rupture causing cardiovascular collapse in critically ill patients are discussed. The first patient had received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the days before the collapse, the second patient was recovering from severe sepsis and the third patient was recovering from severe sepsis, had received CPR and had undergone percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). The diagnosis was made at post mortem in two of the patients, the third patient, who bled following PEG, survived after prompt surgical intervention. Splenic rupture should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis of unexpected cardiovascular collapse in patients who have received CPR or who are recovering from sepsis.     

Neurotransmitters in spinal cord injury.

The authors report the distribution of acetylcholinesterase activity and catecholamine fluorescence in the intact and completely transected rat spinal cord. The catecholamine terminals were scarce in the posterior horn and abundant in the intermediale and anterior horn regions. In the thoracic region, intense amine fluorescence was seen in the intermediolateral cell column. Spinal transection resulted in the enhancement of fluorescence above the lesion and disappearance below the lesion within seven days. The cholinesterase activity in the controls was found mostly in the anterior horn region and the tip of the posterior horn. Following transection, there was no significant change in the distribution of this enzyme. These changes correlated with the appearance of spasticity.     

Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus on admission to intensive care: incidence and prognostic significance

We retrospectively studied the prevalence of the nasal carriage of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on admission to a medical surgical intensive care unit (ICU). We also compared the intensive care survival of MSSA carriers with non-carriers. Records of 678 patients admitted over a 24-month period were retrospectively reviewed. Nasal swabs were taken from 565 patients on admission to the ICU. MSSA was isolated from the anterior nares of 126 (22%) patients, MRSA was isolated in 16 (3%) patients and 423 (75%) patients had no nasal carriage identified. MSSA carriers were more likely to have been admitted to the ICU after less than 24 h hospital stay (28% non-carriers, 44% MSSA carriers) and were significantly younger (mean age of 50 years) than non-carriers (mean age 55 years). The median survival (with confidence intervals (CI)) was 29 days (CI 14-44) in non-carriers, 16 days (CI 10-22) in MSSA carriers and 6 days (CI 4-8) for the MRSA carriers. This difference was significant when MSSA carriers were compared with non-carriers ( p=0.003). The ICU mortality was also significantly higher ( p=0.004) in MSSA carriers (88 of the 423 (21%) non-carriers and 40 of 126 (32%) MSSA carriers died prior to ICU discharge).     

Antihyperglycemic and antioxidant effects of Solanum xanthocarpum leaves (field grown & in vitro raised) extracts on alloxan induced diabetic rats

ObjectiveTo investigate antidiabetic efficacy of the extract of field grown and in vitro raised leaves of Solanum xanthocarpum (S. xanthocarpum) against alloxan induced diabetic rats.MethodsThe antidiabetic activity of the crude methanol extracts of the field grown and in vitro raised leaves of S. xanthocarpum at different concentrations (100–200 mg/kg bw) was tested against alloxan induced diabetic rats. The antidiabetic efficacy was validated through various biochemical parameters and the antioxidant effect was also determined. The phytochemical analyses of field grown S. xanthocarpum and in vitro rasied S. xanthocarpum leaves were done by estimating their chlorophyll, carotenoids, total sugar, protein, amino acid and minerals contents.ResultsThe results revealed that the methanol extracts of both the leaves (field grown and in vitro raised) of S. xanthocarpum was efficient anti hyperglycemic agents at a concentration of 200 mg/kg bw and posses potent antioxidant activity. However, the extracts of in vitro rasied S. xanthocarpum raised leaves exhibit higher efficacy than the field grown leaves in all tested concentrations. Proximal composition and mineral analysis of S. xanthocarpum revealed higher concentration of contents in in vitro rasied S. xanthocarpum than field grown S. xanthocarpum.ConclusionsFrom the results it can be concluded that the leaves extracts of S. xanthocarpum can be a potential candidate in treating the hyperglycemic conditions and suits to be an agent to reduce oxidative stress.     

Mechanisms of toxicity of Cleistanthus collinus: vacuolar ATPases are a putative target

Ingestion of Cleistanthus collinus, a shrub native to South India, either intentionally or accidentally, is a common cause of death in the area. Consumption of a boiled decoction of leaves is highly toxic, but medical management of patients is mainly supportive because the molecular mechanisms of toxin action are unknown. Distal renal tubular acidosis is one of the symptoms of poisoning in patients and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) requiring proton pumps is important for acid secretion in the kidney. Hence, we hypothesized that these may be putative targets for C. collinus action and we tested this by exposing rat renal brush border membrane (BBM) as well as cultured kidney cells to a boiled decoction of C. collinus. Exposure to the C. collinus decoction resulted in significant inhibition of vacuolar type H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase) activity in renal BBM as well as blocking of the proton pump in renal BBM vesicles. C. collinus decoction was also found to inhibit acidification of intracellular organelles in cells in culture, similar to the effect seen with either bafilomycin or concanamycin - specific inhibitors of the V-ATPase. This was accompanied by a decrease in V-ATPase activity, but an increase in protein levels. These results demonstrate that the V-ATPase in renal cells is a putative target for the toxins in C. collinus and the inhibition of this important proton pump probably plays a role in the development of distal renal tubular acidosis and subsequent renal failure seen in poisoned patients.