Economic burden of limited English proficiency: A prevalence-based cost of illness study of its direct, indirect, and intangible costs.

Aims: The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate the economic burden of limited English proficiency (LEP) by estimating its direct, indirect, and intangible costs. A secondary objective was to assess the impact of variables on the economic burden. Design and Setting: A cross-sectional single-arm descriptive study conducted in a learning disability clinic in a public medical college in Mumbai. Subjects and Methods: The study cases (aged ≥8 years and ≤18 years) were recruited by non-probability sampling. A structured questionnaire was used to interview the parent to collect data related to direct and indirect costs. Intangible cost data were collected by documenting the willingness-to-pay value using the contingent valuation technique. Statistical Analysis Used: A multivariate regression model was used to assess the impact of predictor variables on the costs. Results: The direct, indirect, and intangible costs due to LEP were Indian Rupees (INR) 826,736, 3,828,220, and 1,906,300, respectively. Indirect costs comprised 82.2% of the total costs. Expenditure on tuition and remedial education comprised 39.86% and 14.08% of the indirect and direct costs, respectively. The average annual learning disability clinic costs were INR 2,169,146. The average annual total costs per student were INR 42,102. Higher socioeconomic status was predictive of increased "indirect costs", "total costs", and "intangible costs." Conclusion: LEP is a cost-intensive condition (indirect > intangible > direct costs). Non-medical costs are the costliest component of direct costs. Parental loss of earnings is the costliest component of indirect costs.

Development of a PANI/Fe(NO3)2 nanomaterial for reactive orange 16 (RO16) dye removal.

Polyaniline-iron(II) nitrate was prepared by the polymerization of aniline hydrochloride with Fe(NO3)2. The as-prepared materials were characterized for surface area and pore volume and were used to remove the reactive orange 16 (RO16) dye from an aqueous solution. Batch studies were conducted as a function of pH (2-12), adsorbent amount (10-100 mg), initial RO16 concentration (100-300 mg L-1), contact time (10-240 min), and temperature (303-323 K). RO16 was removed at high speed, and equilibrium was achieved in 80 min. Langmuir (six linear forms, i.e., L-I-VI) and other isotherm models were explored for their applicability. With the maximum adsorption capacity of 508.7267 mg g-1 and a pH of 4 at 313 K, the adsorption isotherm could be adequately characterised using the Langmuir (L-V) model. The kinetics of the adsorption process were investigated by fitting experimental data to pseudo-second order (PSO) (type-I-VI) and other kinetic models, with the findings indicating that the adsorption closely matched the PSO-I model. For isotherm models, twelve linear error functions were investigated. The absorption process was spontaneous, endothermic, and feasible according to the thermodynamics study (ΔG° = -8.8888 kJ mol-1, ΔH° = 3.1940 kJ mol-1, and ΔS° = 39.8749 J mol-1 K-1). The phototoxicity studies revealed that the untreated dye was highly toxic compared to the treated dye. It was also shown that the material could be recycled substantially, with an RO16 value of 82.8%. The findings also indicated that the PANI/Fe(NO3)2 material was sufficient for RO16 dye adsorption in both model and real water samples.

Improvement of shelf life of soymilk using immobilized protease of Oerskovia xanthineolytica NCIM 2839.

Protease enzyme has lot of commercial applications, so the cost-effective production of protease using sunflower oil seed waste was carried out from Oerskovia xanthineolyitca NCIM 2839. The maximum protease production was after 24 h of incubation with 2.5 % oil seed waste concentration. O. xanthineolytica was found to produce two proteases-P1 and P2. The proteases were purified using 60 % cold acetone precipitation and DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography. SDS-PAGE revealed molecular weight of P1 and P2 was 36 and 24 kDa, respectively. P1 and P2 were optimally active at pH 7.0 and pH 7.5 at temperature 35 and 40 °C, respectively. Analysis of hydrolyzed product of P1 and P2 by HPLC reveals that the P1 has endoprotease and P2 has exoprotease activity. The treated soy milk with immobilized proteases showed increased shelf life and removal of off flavor.

A study of median nerve entrapment neuropathy at wrist in uremic patients.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy seen in uremic patients. The study was undertaken to estimate the frequency of CTS in uremic patients and to identify the most sensitive electrodiagnostic test. Study was conducted on 80 subjects of age 30-60 years. End-stage kidney disease patients were recruited for the clinical evaluation, motor nerve conduction studies (NCS), sensory NCS, F wave study and median-versus-ulnar comparison studies (palm-to-wrist mixed comparison study, digit 4 sensory latencies study and lumbrical-interossei comparison study). Among three different diagnostic modalities, frequency of CTS was found to be 17.5% with clinical evaluation, 15% with routine NCS studies and 25% with median-versus-ulnar comparison studies. Among the median-versus-ulnar comparison studies, lumbrical-interossei comparison study was found to be most sensitive (90%). The comparative tests for CTS are more sensitive compared to routine NCS and clinical examination. Among the comparative tests, lumbrical-interossei comparison study is the most sensitive. Early diagnosis of CTS may help patients of uremia to seek proper treatment at an appropriate time.

Metal solubilization from powdered printed circuit boards by microbial consortium from bauxite and pyrite ores.

With the current rapid developments in technology, there is an increasing accumulation of outdated electronic equipment. The primary reason for this increase is the low rate of recycling due to the complex nature of such waste. Bioleaching offers a promising solution for this problem. Study was conducted on the solubilization of heavy metals from electronic waste (e-waste). For this purpose, a microbial consortium from bauxite and pyrite ore samples was obtained using a simple "top down" approach. Essentially, printed circuit boards (PCB) were obtained and used as representative samples of e-waste. Various concentrations (1-5%) of PCB powder were subjected to bioleaching, and the effects on metal solubilization, changes in pH and concentration of ferrous iron produced were assessed. It was observed that a maximum of 96.93% Cu and 93.33% Zn was solubilized by microbial consortium from 10 g/l of PCB powder, whereas only 10.26% Ni was solubilized from 30 g/l of PCB powder. For lead, only 0.58% solubilization was achieved from 20 g/l of PCB powder. An analysis of the precipitate formed during bioleaching using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray analysis revealed the presence of Tin (59.96%), Cu (23.97%), Pb (9.30%) and Fe (5.92%).

A novel microbial synthesis of catalytically active Ag-alginate biohydrogel and its antimicrobial activity.

The green synthesis of supported noble metal nanoparticles is now the most exciting field for various catalytic applications as well as biomedical applications. In this paper we report a novel synthesis method of a polymer consisting of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using immobilized microorganisms in alginate beads. Microorganisms present in the polymer reduce aqueous AgNO3 to AgNPs which get trapped in the polymer to form Ag-Alginate (Ag-Alg) biohydrogel. The formed biohydrogel was characterized by UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) analysis. TEM analysis showed that less than 15 nm AgNPs formed in the polymer. The Ag-Alg biohydrogel exhibited efficient heterogeneous catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol in the presence of NaBH4 in aqueous solution with durable reusability. Also this biohydrogel showed excellent antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria (antibiotic resistant) and fungi. The described synthesis method of Ag-Alg biohydrogel can be considered robust, cost effective and eco-friendly. The formed highly catalytic active biohydrogel can be used as catalyst in industries and drinking water purification.

Methodology for recovery of indigenous viruses from primary sludge.

Freon extraction method for recovery of viruses from primary sludge has been studied with sonication and the beef extract eluation methods. Several variables within the freon extraction method were worked out and it was observed that equal volume of 10% buffered beef extract (pH 7.0), as that of the sludge sample, was required for optimum virus elution. Eluate decontamination with antibiotics, dilution and plaquing over BGM cell cultures using the overlay medium without phenol red, fortified with 1.7% milk powder resulted in best recoveries without any cytotoxicity to the cell cultures. A sample volume of 20 ml primary sludge was sufficient for quantification of viruses.

Polydeoxycholate in human and hamster feces: a major product of cholate metabolism.

Fecal bile acid excretion is one of the two major routes by which cholesterol is eliminated from the body, fecal cholesterol being the other. During their enterohepatic circulation, bile acids are secreted into the duodenum, pass down the jejunum and into the ileum where more than 95% is reabsorbed by the gut. Bile acids that escape reabsorption in the small intestine are metabolized by microorganisms in the large intestine. The major routes of metabolism are reported to be deconjugation, dehydroxylation, especially at the 7 alpha-hydroxy position, and dehydrogenation of the hydroxyl moieties. There are also some reports that saponifiable metabolites containing mostly deoxycholic acid form a major component of the bile acids found in human feces. We have identified a novel metabolite of cholic acid, 3 alpha-hydroxy polydeoxycholate, in both human and hamster feces that is the major constituent of these saponifiable metabolites. Furthermore, we have shown in hamsters that the animals that excreted more bile acid were excreting the additional bile acid as polydeoxycholate. As expected, there was a negative correlation between bile acid excretion in the feces and plasma cholesterol concentrations in these animals. We speculate that polydeoxycholate is formed in the lower gut of both humans and hamsters and that, by its formation, bile acid will be sequestered in an insoluble form, thus inhibiting its reabsorption by the gut. This process may help to reduce plasma cholesterol concentrations and coronary heart disease in humans.

Detection of viruses in drinking water by concentration on magnetic iron oxide.

Discharge of raw domestic wastes containing human enteric viruses into water courses, consumption of untreated water from canals, streams, and shallow wells in villages, and cross-contamination of water in the distribution system because of intermittent water supply in urban areas continue to cause widespread outbreaks of infectious hepatitis in India. To detect a low number of viruses in 50- to 100-liter samples of water, a method was developed with magnetic iron oxide as the virus adsorbent. Poliovirus-seeded dechlorinated tap water, adjusted to pH 3.0 and 0.0005 M AlCl3, was filtered through a 10-g bed of iron oxide sandwiched between two AP20 prefilter pads held in a 142-mm-diameter, stainless-steel holder. Virus was eluted from iron oxide by recirculating three times a 100-ml volume of 3% beef extract, pH 9.0. The eluate was reconcentrated to 5 ml by adjusting to pH 3, adding 1 g of iron oxide, stirring for 30 min, and eluting the readsorbed virus with 5 ml of beef extract, pH 9.0. Virus recovery varied from 60 to 80%. Using the above method, we took a survey of drinking water at three locations in Nagpur during 1976 and found the presence of virus in 7 of 50 samples. The quantity of virus recovered ranged from 1 to 7 plaque-forming units per 30 to 60 liters. Virus was detected in some samples even with residual chlorine. No coliforms were detected in the virus-positive samples.