Effect of Indoor Air Pollution on Acute Respiratory Infection among Children in India

Kumar Ashwani, Paul Kalosona — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0100

Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) has become a major concern in India in recent years because women and young children are highly exposed to smoke of various types of unclean fuels used for cooking and heating in the household result into risk of respiratory disorders among them. The paper aims to seek association between prevalence of acute respiratory infection (ARI) among children less than five years of age and use of cooking fuels in households of India. The analysis is based on 52,868 Children less than five years of age included in India's third National Family Health Survey conducted in 2005-2006. Effects of exposure to cooking smoke, determined by the type of fuel used for cooking such as biomass and solid fuels versus cleaner fuels, on the reported prevalence of ARI were estimated using multivariate logistic regression. Since the effects of cooking smoke are likely to be confounded with effects of tobacco smoking, age, and other such factors, the analysis was carried out after statistically controlling for such factors. The results indicate that Children under five years of age living in households using biomass and solid fuels have a significantly higher risk of ARI than those living in households using cleaner fuels (OR: 1.54; 95%CI: 1.38-1.72; p = .010). The findings have important program and policy implications for countries such as India, where large proportions of the population still rely on polluting biomass fuels for cooking and heating. Decreasing household biomass and solid fuel use and increasing use of improved stove technology may decrease the health effects of indoor air pollution. More epidemiological research with better measures of smoke exposure and clinical measures of ARI is needed to validate the findings.

THE DYNAMICS OF ENDEGENOUS HORMONES ACTIVITY IN PLANT LEAVES DEPENDING ON THE ALTITUDE OF THEIR GROWING

Aynullo Safaralikhonov, Ogonazar Aknazarov — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0100

The hormonal response of cultivated and wild plants to high intensity of UV-radiation and other stress factors of the highlands was studied. The activity of auxins and growth inhibitors substances in wheat (Triticum aеstivum L), barley (Hordium vulgare L), horse bean (Vicia faba L), and eurotia (Ceratoides papposa) leaves, that grew in a field condition were analyzed at different stages of development, using thin-layer chromatography and bioassay. The leaves of cultivated plants (2320 and 2700 m above the sea level) and wild plants (2320 and 4000 m above the sea level) were collected at two elevations in Pamir highland (Tajikistan). The level of auxin activity at the beginning of ontogenesis in plant leaves that grew at both elevations was relatively higher in comparison with the activity of growth inhibitors. However, at the end of the vegetation period an increase in growth inhibitor activity was observed in plant leaves at both elevations. Increasing of the total auxin activity in plants was observed at low altitude compared to higher. Conversely, the activity of growth inhibitors substances increased in plants that grow at higher elevations.

Social and Natural Sciences Journal

Effect of Indoor Air Pollution on Acute Respiratory Infection among Children in India

THE DYNAMICS OF ENDEGENOUS HORMONES ACTIVITY IN PLANT LEAVES DEPENDING ON THE ALTITUDE OF THEIR GROWING