94 research outputs found
Kuppuswamy′s socioeconomic status scale for urban community: Updating income ranges for the year 2013
No full textThe model for assembly of the contractile sheath of Anti-feeding prophage (Afp)- a phage tail-like protein translocation structure
No full textThe Anti-feeding prophage (Afp) derived from the bacterium Serratia entomophila is a headless contractile phage tail-like particle. When ingested by grass grub Costelytra giveni, a major pasture pest in New Zealand, it causes cessation of feeding activity. Afp and its closest orthologues termed Photorhabdus Virulence Cassettes (PVC) encoded by the insecticidal bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens, are collectively termed as phage-like protein translocation structures (PLTSs). T6SS, Rtype pyocins, and PLTSs together constitute the family of contractile phage tail-like particles (CPTPs). The Afp is encoded by a cluster of 18 genes. The expressed products of Afp1-Afp15 combine to form a structure called the Tube Baseplate Complex (TBC), whereas Afp1 -Afp16 form a sheathed Afp particle of 110 nm in length. Differing from R-type pyocins and the T4 bacteriophage, Afp is comprised of three sheath proteins - Afp2, Afp3, and Afp4. Afp4 is located above the baseplate, while Afp2 and Afp3 are the main sheath components polymerising around the TBC. Afp length is determined by the ruler protein Afp14 and Afp16 is the tail termination protein (TrP) that is also involved in the process of sheath maturation. Recently, the three-dimensional atomic structure of the Afp in the extended and contracted forms has been reported. To date, the information on the process of sheath maturation is limited in contractile bacteriophages and CPTPs. Using targeted mutagenesis combined with transcomplementation of the resultant Afp variants and transmission electron microscopy, several key mutations were identified that altered the process of Afp sheath maturation. One key sheath mutation in Afp2, resulted in the formation of TBC like particles (at least 70%) of consistent length where the central tube was observed surrounded by a polymerizing material. The mutation also yielded a high frequency of detached baseplates and tail fibres. Other significant sheath mutations revealed their role in sheath and tube length termination and in baseplate and tail fibre assembly. Trans complementation of the mutated genes restored Afp activity in grass grubs. Furthermore, trans and cis based expression of a series of carboxyl-terminal and internal deletions of Afp16 with Afp1-Afp15∆2 and Afp1-Afp15 resulted in the presence of multiple detached baseplates without tail fibres and different variations of the sheath, tubes, and TBCs, thereby further defining the role of Afp16 in sheath stabilization and baseplate assembly. Additionally, protein-protein interaction studies between sheath proteins, sheath/TrP, sheath/Afp16 C-terminal and internal truncations, Afp15/Afp16 and Afp14/Afp15 using IMAC purification, LC_MS/MS, SEC, SEC-MALS and Native-PAGE further strengthened the understanding of sheath maturation. The combined results of this study have allowed a refinement of the model of Afp sheath maturation that will be discussed
Assessment of Soil Site Suitability for Cotton Farming in the Semi-arid Regions of Central India: An Analytic Hierarchy Process
No full textCotton is an important cash crop and is primarily grown under rainfed condition in deep swelling clay soils
of semi-arid tropical regions of Central India. As multiple factors are involved in deciding the cotton
productivity, predicting the crop performance in an area through different parameters in conventional and
multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) has its own pros and cons. For a robust objective-oriented crop
production, the method adopted for decision making process should be simple and intuitively appealing to
the decision maker. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) offers a practical decision analysis method,
which can accommodate a variety of criteria, both quantitative and qualitative, in addition to having expert
opinions. This study was designed to assess the soil site suitability for cotton farming across the semi-arid
region of Central India, using the AHP method. We developed the soil suitability criteria for cotton crop
using five critical parameters based on the alternatives which directly affects the crop production namely
clay, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC), available water
content (AWC) and organic carbon (OC). An exhaustive soil survey (1:10000) was conducted in these
cotton-growing regions and eight representative sites were selected for this study. The best site for the
cotton crop was D1 (Dhar-1 site), and D2 (Dhar -2 site) was classified as marginally suitable due to various
constraints viz., low SHC and high exchangeable magnesium percentage (EMP), and these constraints were
clearly captured by the AHP. This emphasized that, along with the site characteristics features, physical and
chemical parameters play a vital role in deciding the crop suitability
Living Arrangements among Single Mothers in India
No full textA large proportion of two parent households transition into single parent
households upon marital disruption. Single parent households, especially female headed households face an increase in the risk of poverty. This study focuses on whether widow status in India influences the likelihood of household headship in India. This study is based on the most recent National Family Health Survey 1998-1999, in India. The population of interest includes all mothers aged 15 to 49 years, without a spouse, living with one or more of their own children under 18 years of age. We find that being a widow increases the likelihood of being a household head compared to the likelihood of household headship among the divorced and the separated in India. This study provides some evidence on the continuing social discrimination against widows in India. The implication of the findings are discussed.</jats:p
Nicotine dependence, its risk indicators, and exhaled carbon monoxide levels among the smokers in Bengaluru, India
No full textBackground: Tobacco is the significant cause of preventable death worldwide. The prevalence of smoking in India is 13.3%. Among the chemical constituents in the cigarette, nicotine is the one most often associated with dependence resulting in increased consumption of them. Studies have proven the dose-dependent relationship of cigarette smoking with lung and oropharyngeal cancer. Hence, assessment of nicotine dependence among the smokers is essential as it influences the tailor-made intervention. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the nicotine dependence and exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) levels among the smokers in Bengaluru. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 396 smokers selected using probability proportional to size sampling technique. Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence was used to assess the levels of nicotine dependence. Exhaled CO levels were measured using the Smokerlyzer to indicate the nicotine dependence. Results: About 23.7% of the participants had the very low dependence on nicotine. Nearly 26% and 22.5% of the participants had the high and very high dependence on nicotine correspondingly. The number of years of smoking was found as a significant risk indicator for nicotine dependence. Exhaled CO levels were significantly correlated with the nicotine dependence (P = 0.000) indicating it as a marker for nicotine dependence. Conclusion: The high nicotine dependence among the participants warrants effective public health policies to prevent tobacco-related diseases. Considering the risk indicator, the number of years of smoking, smoking cessation programs should target the participants with the habit of continuous smoking with tailor-made interventions to prevent the relapse among them
Oral health impact on quality of life assessment among dental patients in Bangalore city
No full textIntroduction: Over the past few decades mankind has been mainly affected with chronic noncommunicable diseases, which led to compromised quality of life. Common dental diseases come under same categories that are largely social and behavioral in origin. Health-related quality of life helps us address the limitations of traditional clinical indicators of health. Aim: To measure the impact of oral health on quality of life among patients visiting dental teaching hospitals and private clinics in Bangalore city using oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) - U.K index. Materials and Methods: A total of 1200 individuals who are above 16-year of age were selected through stratified cluster random sampling technique for this study. Data were collected using OHQoL-U.K instrument. Results: Most of the subjects (78%) perceived their oral health as impacting their quality of life. Many participants perceived their oral health had positive impact on life quality through enhancing their smile, appearance, speech. But 44.9% and 28.5% of respondents said their oral health has a negative impact on quality of life because of breath odor and finance respectively. Subjects are belonging to lower socioeconomic background, women and older adults (>45 years) perceived their oral health has a negative impact on quality of life compared to subjects from higher social class, men and young adults. Conclusion: Oral health has more impact on physical and functional aspects rather than on social and psychological domains
Self-assessed and clinically diagnosed periodontal health status among patients visiting the outpatient department of a dental school in Bangalore, India
No full textBackground: The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to assess the extent of agreement between clinical and self-assessed periodontal health status among patients visiting the outpatient department of M.S. Ramaiah Dental College, Bangalore, India. Materials and Methods: The study population included 216 patients aged between 20 and 44 years who attended the outpatient department of the M.S. Ramaiah Dental College, Bangalore. The study population was subjected to a self-administered questionnaire (questions regarding bleeding gums, deposits on teeth, receding gums, swelling of gums, loose teeth), which was followed by periodontal examination. The clinical examination included an assessment of the periodontal condition, using the criteria of Loe and Silness Gingival Index, the Community Periodontal Index, and Mobility, respectively. Conclusion: The present study showed that the perceived periodontal health status was low and the discrepancy between the subjectively and objectively assessed needs was very distinct. The awareness of the periodontal problems has been reported to increase with increasing severity of the disease due to the destructive changes that set in
Diagnosis and treatment option for dental caries using photographs a study among undergraduate students
No full textBackground: Visual examination is the basis for diagnosing the carious lesions in clinical and field setting. Aims and Objectives: To determine the accuracy of identifying the carious lesions at different stages and their treatment options using photographs by dental undergraduates. Materials and Method: A total of 83 undergraduates (3rd year, 4th year and interns) participated in the study. A proforma with criteria for identifying the lesion and the treatment modalities were given. The photographs of lesions in different stages as diagnosed by experts were projected on the screen for 60 seconds during which the students were asked to identify the lesion and suggest the treatment option in the given proforma. Results: There were 23 (28%) 3rd year students, 38 (47%) 4th year students and 22 (25%) interns in the present study. Most of the times dentinal caries was identified and suggested for restorative treatment correctly by undergraduates than enamel and initial caries. The difference in identifying the lesions among them was statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Diagnosis of cavitated lesions and their treatment plan was more accurate than for the initial lesions by undergraduates when photographs were used. This finding suggests the use of photographs beneficial as a training aid and also calls for continuous training and retraining sessions for all students to diagnose dental caries in various stages and appropriate treatment plan
Living arrangements among single mothers in India
No full textA large proportion of two parent households transition into single parenthouseholds upon marital disruption. Single parent households, especially femaleheaded households face an increase in the risk of poverty. This study focuses onwhether widow status in India influences the likelihood of household headshipin India. This study is based on the most recent National Family Health Survey1998-1999, in India. The population of interest includes all mothers aged 15 to49 years, without a spouse, living with one or more of their own children under18 years of age. We find that being a widow increases the likelihood of being ahousehold head compared to the likelihood of household headship among thedivorced and the separated in India. This study provides some evidence on thecontinuing social discrimination against widows in India. The implication of thefindings are discussed
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