Environmental noise-induced cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health disorders: a brief review.

BACKGROUND: Environmental noise is a pervasive pollutant that is one of the greatest environmental threats to mental, physiological and psychological well-being and has a significant global health burden associated with it. Many epidemiological studies indicate long-term relationship of noise pollution with wide range of metabolic, cardio-vascular and respiratory disorders and diseases. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to thoroughly analyse available literature on public health implications and various underlying biological mechanisms associated with ambient noise exposure, taking into account both objective and subjective measures of noise exposure. METHODS: A search of literature for review on environmental noise and associated cardiovascular, mental health and metabolic implications on human health was done using Web of Science, Google Scholar and PubMed databases. DISCUSSION: Experimental studies indicate that noise exposure leads to endocrine effects, increased incidence of diabetes, impairment of cognitive performance, sleep disturbance and annoyance. Epidemiological evidence indicates that high levels of noise, particularly at night, may cause arterial hypertension and endothelial dysfunction due to higher level of stress hormones and oxidative stress. An increased incidence of cardio-vascular diseases like myocardial infarction, heart rate, ischemic heart disease, stroke and heart failure is associated with noise-induced mental stress. Furthermore, psychological and mental health issues like anxiety and depression are also related with exposure to noise pollution. CONCLUSION: This article summarises a comprehensive and systematic knowledge established in recent noise research with the spotlight on cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health disorders of environmental noise, providing unique understanding into underlying mechanisms.

Non-target toxicity of synthetic insecticides on the biological performance and population growth of Bracon hebetor Say.

Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an important biological control agent of various species of order Lepidoptera and extensively used in biological control program worldwide. Present study evaluated the lethal and sublethal effects of insecticides on B. hebetor using demographic and population growth parameters. Doses of all the tested insecticides were within a maximum range of their recommended field dosages and adults were treated using residual glass vials method. For control experiments adults were treated with distilled water. Among the tested insecticides, the survivorship of various stages of B. hebetor was considerably prolonged on cyantraniliprole followed by chlorantraniliprole and shortest on chlorpyrifos and profenofos treated group. Total immature development time was prolonged in chlorpyrifos and profenofos treated group. Population growth parameters like intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm), net reproductive rate (R0), finite rate of increase (λ) and mean generation time (Tc) were considerably reduced in B. hebetor groups treated with chlorpyrifos and profenofos. However, B. hebetor groups treated with chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole showed a little or no much difference in population growth parameters when compared with untreated group. It was also observed that chlorpyrifos and profenofos modified the sex ratio, thereby female emergence get reduced. On the basis of present findings it can be concluded that all tested insecticides caused considerable ecotoxic effects on B. hebetor compared to control. However, comparisons among the tested insecticides on the basis of IOBC criteria showed that chlorantraniliprol and cyntraniliprol was less toxic as compared to other insecticides tested on this biological control agent.

Genetic Polymorphism of Aedes albopictus Population Inferred From ND5 Gene Variabilities In Subang Jaya, Malaysia.

This study was performed to establish the genetic variability of Aedes albopictus within Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, by using the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase 5 subunit (ND5) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) marker. A total of 90 samples were collected from 9 localities within an area of the Subang Jaya Municipality. Genetic variability was determined through the amplification and sequencing of a fragment of the ND5 gene. Eight distinct mtDNA haplotypes were identified. The evolutionary relationship of the local haplotypes alongside 28 reference strains was used to construct a phylogram, the analysis of which revealed low genetic differentiation in terms of both nucleotide and haplotype diversity. Bayesian method was used to infer the phylogenetic tree, revealing a unique relationship between local isolates. The study corroborates the reliability of ND5 to identify distinct lineages for polymorphism-based studies and supplements the existing body of knowledge regarding its genetic diversity. This in turn could potentially aid existing vector control strategies to help mitigate the risk and spread of the dengue virus.

Paddy crop yield estimation in Kashmir Himalayan rice bowl using remote sensing and simulation model.

The Kashmir Himalayan region of India is expected to be highly prone to the change in agricultural land use because of its geo-ecological fragility, strategic location vis-à-vis the Himalayan landscape, its trans-boundary river basins, and inherent socio-economic instabilities. Food security and sustainability of the region are thus greatly challenged by these impacts. The effect of future climate change, increased competition for land and water, labor from non-agricultural sectors, and increasing population adds to this complex problem. In current study, paddy rice yield at regional level was estimated using GIS-based environment policy integrated climate (GEPIC) model. The general approach of current study involved combining regional level crop database, regional soil data base, farm management data, and climatic data outputs with GEPIC model. The simulated yield showed that estimated production to be 4305.55 kg/ha (43.05 q h(-1)). The crop varieties like Jhelum, K-39, Chenab, China 1039, China-1007, and Shalimar rice-1 grown in plains recorded average yield of 4783.3 kg/ha (47.83 q ha(-1)). Meanwhile, high altitude areas with varieties like Kohsaar, K-78 (Barkat), and K-332 recorded yield of 4102.2 kg/ha (41.02 q ha(-1)). The observed and simulated yield showed a good match with R (2) = 0.95, RMSE = 132.24 kg/ha, respectively.

Routine parathyroid autotransplantation during total thyroidectomy: a procedure with predictable outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To compare parathyroid gland autotransplantation with parathyroid gland preservation in situ with respect to the preservation of parathyroid gland function in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy. METHODS: The quasi-experimental study was performed from July 1998 to June 2009 at the Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan. A total of 388 patients underwent total thyroidectomy for a variety of thyroid gland disorders. They were divided into two groups; 97 patients in Group A had parathyroid glands preserved in situ, while 291 patients in Group B had at least one parathyroid gland autotransplanted in ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid muscle. Both groups were followed for six months for the assessment of parathyroid function. Fisher's exact test was used for comparison between the two groups. RESULTS: The mean age of Group A was 42.46 +/- 15.30 years, while in Group B it was 39.16 +/- 18.91 years. Overall male-to-female ratio was 1:3.5. In Group A, 3 (3.09%) patients developed permanent hypocalcaemia while in Group B only 1 (0.34%) patient developed permanent hypocalcaemia. CONCLUSION: Autotransplantation of at least one parathyroid gland after total thyroidectomy is a procedure with predictable outcome associated with minimal risk of permanent hypoparathyroidism.

Thoracoscopic treatment of pulmonary hydatid cyst in a child.

Hydatid disease has a wide geographic distribution around the world. In human, the lungs are the second most commonly affected sites. Pulmonary hydatidosis is much more frequently encountered in children than in adults. Surgical treatment has remained the standard option in the management of hydatid disease. However, surgeons were able to replicate the principles of conventional surgery using minimally invasive techniques. Herein, we report a case of pulmonary hydatid cyst in a 9-year-old girl treated successfully using the thoracoscopic approach.