Constraining extra dimensions using observations of black hole quasi-normal modes.

The presence of extra dimensions generically modify the spacetime geometry of a rotating black hole, by adding an additional hair, besides the mass M and the angular momentum J, known as the 'tidal charge' parameter, ß . In a braneworld scenario with one extra spatial dimension, the extra dimension is expected to manifest itself through - (a) negative values of ß , and (b) modified gravitational perturbations. This in turn would affect the quasi-normal modes of rotating black holes. We numerically solve the perturbed gravitational field equations using the continued fractions method and determine the quasi-normal mode spectra for the braneworld black hole. We find that increasingly negative values of ß correspond to a diminishing imaginary part of the quasi-normal mode, or equivalently, an increasing damping time. Using the publicly available data of the properties of the remnant black hole in the gravitational wave signal GW150914, we check for consistency between the predicted values (for a given ß ) of the frequency and damping time of the least-damped ℓ = 2 , m = 2 quasi-normal mode and measurements of these quantities using other independent techniques. We find that it is highly unlikely for the tidal charge, ß â‰² - 0.05 , providing a conservative limit on the tidal charge parameter. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Coverage and compliance of mass drug administration in lymphatic filariasis amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: A community based epidemiological study.

Background: Despite the target of elimination of lymphatic filariasis by 2015, a few districts of West Bengal including Bankura district failed to achieve it. Under-coverage and unsupervised consumption of medicines during mass drug administration (MDA) campaign were implicated for the failure. Thereby, directly observed therapy (DOT) and mop up by repeated home visits for MDA were adopted. Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the coverage of anti-filarial medicines distribution and rate of consumption as well as to find out the causes of nonconsumption. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in three sub-centers each of three blocks and three wards of Bankura municipality of Bankura district, WB, India, selected through the stratified random sampling method. Information was collected interviewing inhabitants of the house hold selected through the systematic random sampling technique. Results: Overall, appropriate medicine distribution was 82.9% with 95.3% of correct consumption of both medicines under supervision. 91.87% of the respondents were aware about Lymphatic filariasis (LF) of which 89.95% reported swelling of leg/foot/hand, 9.57% as pain, 6.22% fever, and 1.44% reported swelling of testis as symptoms of LF. Altogether 10.6% individual, who consumed any medicine (527), reported AEs, out of that 66.1%, 19.6%, and 14.3% complained of dizziness/headache, nausea/vomiting, and drowsiness, respectively, and 28.6% of them sought consultation with health workers. Conclusion: Substantial supervised consumption in the form DOT in this round too leads to the fact that the effective coverage of MDA has reached the target. It seemed that some segment of the beneficiary is remaining as persistent noncomplaints. Mass mobilization for motivating this persistent defaulter section is the need of the hour.

Risk factors for pneumonia mortality in under-five children in a tertiary care hospital of Darjeeling district of West Bengal: A prospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Among children admitted with pneumonia, several modifiable predictors have been identified for deaths in children in hospitals. Despite the presence of a several national programs designed to address most of the risk factors directly or indirectly it is surprising that they continue to be common in children with pneumonia. OBJECTIVES: The objective is to determine the risk factors for pneumonia mortality in under-five children in a tertiary care hospital of Darjeeling district of West Bengal. METHODS: An analytical study with case-control design was conducted between May 2016 and October 2017. Children aged 2-59 months admitted with the diagnosis of pneumonia were followed up after admission and who died were recruited as cases and two consecutive age- and sex-matched controls were recruited among children who were declared cured and discharged. A total of 95 cases and 190 controls were studied and the risk factors were compared in the pair matched groups by the conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Factors influencing childhood pneumonia mortality were severely underweight (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.66 [1.28,10.46]) unimmunized child (AOR 4.18 [1.53, 11.41]), lack of exclusive breast feeding (AOR: 3.12 [1.23, 7.91]), past history of diarrhea or acute respiratory infection in the last 3 months (AOR: 7.27 [3.68, 14.36]), hypoxemia on admission (AOR: 2.53 [1.14, 5.61]), sub-center as the first contact health facility (AOR: 6.49 [2.15, 19.67]), and antibiotic not received at first contact (AOR: 3.18 [1.36, 7.43]). CONCLUSIONS: Most of the risk factors for death in children between 6 and 59 months of age are directly or indirectly related to health service delivery and can be ameliorated through proper structural and administrative measures.

Prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infestations among children attending Integrated Child Development Service centers in a tea garden area in Darjeeling.

INTRODUCTION: Helminths infestations are common in children in the tea garden areas of Darjeeling, which present unique social, cultural, and environmental conditions. The present study was conducted to determine the proportion of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infestations and association of STH to sociodemographic variables among children attending Integrated Child Development Services centers of a tea garden area in Darjeeling. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Kiran Chandra Tea Estate, a tea garden in Naxalbari, Darjeeling, between August and September 2016. Stool samples were collected from children attending ICDS centers in the area and examined using the direct and concentration methods. A pretested and predesigned questionnaire was used to collect data on the sociodemographic profile of the children's families. RESULTS: Stool samples could be collected from 52 (45%) of the 115 eligible children. The children were predominantly male (61.5%), from families with an income between Rs. 2000 and 4000 per month, had mothers with no formal education (75.0%) and came from households with no sanitary toilets (33.5). The proportion of children with STHs was 9.6%; with Ascaris found in 7.7% and Trichuris in 1.9%. No statistically significant differences were found in selected variables between the worm-positive and worm-negative children. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of STH infestation is low among children <6 years of age attending ICDS in the study area probably because of the mass de-worming strategy of the government of India. Some differences in infestations among groups might suggest a clustering effect.

Control of human filarial vector, Culex quinquefasciatus Say 1823 (Diptera: Culicidae) through bioactive fraction of Cayratia trifolia leaf.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mosquito larvicidal activity of Cayratia trifolia (L.) Domin (Vitaceae: Vitales) (C. trifolia) which is distributed in many parts of India with medicinal properties as vector control is facing threat due to the emergence of resistance to synthetic insecticides. METHODS: Young and mature leaves of C. trifolia were investigated for larvicidal activity against 3rd instars larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus in different seasons throughout the year. The active fractions were extracted using six different solvents in a non-polar to polar fashion viz petroleum-ether, benzene, chloroform: methanol (1:1 v/v), acetone, absolute alcohol and distilled water. Dose dependent mortality was recorded against each solvent extract. Determination of LD50 and LD90 were executed through log-probit analysis using the most bioactive fraction. The fluctuations in mortality were statistically co-related through ANOVA analyses concerning different seasons and types of leaves as random variables. Justification of larvicidal activity was established through student's t-test. Costing effects were evaluated on the non-target water fauna under laboratory conditions. Thin layer chromatographic techniques were performed for phytochemical analysis and categorization of chemical personality of the active fractions using the most effective solvent extract following standard methods. RESULTS: Significant variations in mortality rate were noted with respect to the type of leaves (mature and senescence), concentration of leaf extract and between seasons. The water extract among all the solvent extracts was found to induce cent percent mortality at 50 mg/L in test mosquito species within 24 h with a LD50 and LD90 value of 10.70 mg/L and 27.64 mg/L respectively. No significant mortality was recorded in non-target water population. Chromatographic analyses of the water extract revealed the presence of steroids, triterpene glycosides, essential oil, phenolics and diterpenes as secondary phytochemicals. CONCLUSIONS: Water extract of C. trifolia leaf promised as a cost effective and potent larvicidal agent against Culex quinquefasciatus.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase screening of babies born in a tertiary care hospital in West Bengal.

About 400 million individuals worldwide have been affected by the inherited disorder of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency that predisposes individuals to neonatal jaundice or hemolytic crisis due to drugs or infections. A descriptive observational study with longitudinal design was undertaken among 109 live newborns, delivered in labor room of IPGME and R, Kolkata during the period from June to August 2009. An objective of the study was to estimate the occurrence of G6PD deficiency among newborns and its association with different socio-demographic, clinical and gestational characteristics. 14.68% newborns were found G6PD deficient. This occurrence was not significantly related to gender, religion and ethnicity, consanguineous marriage of the parents, gestational age and birth weight of the baby. Development of severe jaundice (total serum bilirubin >15 mg/dl) was found 23.8% among G6PD deficient babies and 12.5% among non-G6PD deficient. This difference was statistically not significant.

A study on demographic and clinical profile of burn patients in an Apex Institute of West Bengal.

Burn injuries constitute a major public health problem. A hospital-based descriptive observational study was conducted among 83 burn patients admitted in the Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata in 2008 to assess the demographic and clinical profile of burn patients and to study the medicolegal and social causes. Majority of patients were females (61.5%), literates (78.4%), hindus (79.5%) and in the age group of 20-39 years (56.6%). Occupation-wise housewives were 36.1% followed by students (16.8%).Majority of the cases (61.4%) were accidental whereas suicidal and homicidal cases were 18.1% and 20.5% respectively. According to the size 25.3% patients had 20% -39% of body surface burns and 21.7% had 80% or more burns. 53% of the cases were given blood transfusion and 23.5% died in the study period.

Biocontrol of larval mosquitoes by Acilius sulcatus (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae).

BACKGROUND: Problems associated with resistant mosquitoes and the effects on non-target species by chemicals, evoke a reason to find alternative methods to control mosquitoes, like the use of natural predators. In this regard, aquatic coleopterans have been explored less compared to other insect predators. In the present study, an evaluation of the role of the larvae of Acilius sulcatus Linnaeus 1758 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) as predator of mosquito immatures was made in the laboratory. Its efficacy under field condition was also determined to emphasize its potential as bio-control agent of mosquitoes. METHODS: In the laboratory, the predation potential of the larvae of A. sulcatus was assessed using the larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus Say 1823 (Diptera: Culicidae) as prey at varying predator and prey densities and available space. Under field conditions, the effectiveness of the larvae of A. sulcatus was evaluated through augmentative release in ten cemented tanks hosting immatures of different mosquito species at varying density. The dip density changes in the mosquito immatures were used as indicator for the effectiveness of A. sulcatus larvae. RESULTS: A single larva of A. sulcatus consumed on an average 34 IV instar larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus in a 24 h period. It was observed that feeding rate of A. sulcatus did not differ between the light-on (6 a.m. - 6 p.m.), and dark (6 p.m. - 6 a.m.) phases, but decreased with the volume of water i.e., space availability. The prey consumption of the larvae of A. sulcatus differed significantly (P < 0.05) with different prey, predator and volume combinations, revealed through univariate ANOVA. The field study revealed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in larval density of different species of mosquitoes after 30 days from the introduction of A. sulcatus larvae, while with the withdrawal, a significant increase (p < 0.05) in larval density was noted indicating the efficacy of A. sulcatus in regulating mosquito immatures. In the control tanks, mean larval density did not differ (p > 0.05) throughout the study period. CONCLUSION: the larvae of the dytiscid beetle A. sulcatus proved to be an efficient predator of mosquito immatures and may be useful in biocontrol of medically important mosquitoes.