Population Of West Bengal Research Articles

PP-153 Cerebral infarction among HIV infecetd population of West Bengal, India

PP-153 Cerebral infarction among HIV infecetd population of West Bengal, India

Muslims of West Bengal: An Analysis of the Educational Status of a Minority Community in India

Education is a crucial social factor that initiates the process of social, economic and cultural development of communities. Muslims are the second largest religious group in West Bengal and the largest minority in this Indian state. With a population of over 20 million in absolute numbers, Muslims constitute 25% of the total population of the state. The main objective of this study is to analyze the regional imbalances in the distributional pattern of Muslims, including the trend of the Muslim population over the past century and in the future and the concentration patterns of the Muslim population across the state, in the context of developing an educational profile of Muslims in West Bengal. Since the religion wise data on any other educational indicator are not available at district level, this study utilizes only the data on literacy to examine the level of educational development of Muslims across the region. Finally, the study examines the relationship between literacy level and concentration of Muslim population in West Bengal. The relative backwardness of the Muslim community, particularly in education, is noted as a factor in the relative economic backwardness observed among the Muslim population in India.

Epidemiological profile of fungal keratitis in urban population of West Bengal, India

BackgroundCorneal diseases are one of the major causes of visual loss and blindness, second only to cataract. Amongst corneal diseases, microbial keratitis is a major blinding disease. In some countries, fungal keratitis accounts for almost 50% of patients with culture-proven microbial keratitis.AimThis study was conducted to determine the epidemiological characteristics of fungal keratitis in an urban population of West Bengal and identify the specific pathogenic organisms.MethodsThe charts of patients with microbial keratitis who attended the Cornea Services of Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital from January to December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Records of patients with 10% KOH mount and culture positive fungal keratitis were analyzed for epidemiological features, laboratory findings and treatment outcomes.ResultsOf the 289 patients of microbial keratitis included in the study, 110 patients (38.06%) were diagnosed with fungal keratitis (10% KOH mount positive). Of the 110 patients, 74 (67.27%) fitted the study inclusion criteria (10% KOH mount and culture positive). Forty five of 74 patients (60.81%) in the study group were in the older age group (>50 years). Ocular trauma in 35 cases (47.29%) was identified as a high risk factor and vegetative injuries in 17 cases (22.97%) were identified as a significant cause for fungal keratitis. Maximum organism source was from corneal scrapings in 41 cases (55%). The predominant fungal species isolated was Aspergillus sp (55.40%) followed by Candida albicans 14 cases (18.91%) and Fusarium sp. in 8 cases (10.81%). Agricultural activity related ocular trauma was the principal cause of mycotic keratitis and males were more commonly affected. Thirty of 74 cases (40.55%) of the culture positive patients healed with corneal scar formation with medical treatment whereas 44 cases (59.45%) required therapeutic keratoplasty.ConclusionFungal keratitis is an important cause of microbial keratitis with injury to the cornea being a leading predisposing factor. Although Aspergillus sp. was implicated in most of the patients in our study population, Candida sp. were found in higher numbers than previously reported. Keratitis caused by filamentous fungi responds adequately to medical management. Therapeutic keratoplasty continues to remain an important treatment modality in infections with Candida sp. Early diagnosis with prompt identification of the pathogenic organism is mandatory to initiate appropriate therapy and thereby reduce morbidity.

Autosomal STR variations in three endogamous populations of West Bengal, India

The allele frequency distribution of 15 autosomal STR loci was determined using AmpF lSTR ® Identifiler TM kit in three endogamous caste populations namely, Rajbanshi, Paliya and Dhimal from northern regions of West Bengal, India. The study includes 13 CODIS STR core markers, i.e., D8S1179, D3S1358, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, THO1, D13S317, D16S539, D5S818, FGA and two other loci D19S433 and D2S1338. All the loci followed Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, except loci D8S1179, vWA and FGA in Rajbanshi population, D13S317 in Paliya population and D16S539 and TPOX in Dhimal population. The allele 12 in CSF1PO in Rajbanshi population and allele nine in THO1 in Paliya as well as in Dhimal population were found to be most frequent. All the 15 STR loci studied were found to be highly polymorphic with respect to observed heterozygosity values. Population differentiation tests revealed highly significant differences at several loci suggesting the endogamous nature of studied populations. STR allele frequency data on Dhimal population presented here is a unique contribution to the existing DNA data base on Indian population. To the best of our present knowledge, hitherto Dhimal Population has not been explored genetically for generating forensic data on STR markers.

Impact of SGSY Scheme on Self Help Group Members of West Bengal

This paper shows that the government supported micro-credit programme under joint liability in Swarna-Jayanti Gram Swarozgari Yojana Scheme in India is able to reach to the ultra poor and vulnerable section of the rural population of West Bengal where most of the participants are rural married women. This scheme is helping them to reduce their acuteness of poverty but still fails to reduce their vulnerability. It is also helping the participants to improve their empowerment. The group leaders do not take any undue advantage from their respective groups to improve their economic conditions more quickly than other fellow ordinary members.

Effects of Agricultural Practices on Soil Arthropod Population in West Bengal

Effects of Agricultural Practices on Soil Arthropod Population in West Bengal

Contribution of water and cooked rice to an estimation of the dietary intake of inorganic arsenic in a rural village of West Bengal, India

Arsenic contamination of rice plants by arsenic-polluted irrigation groundwater could result in high arsenic concentrations in cooked rice. The main objective of the study was to estimate the total and inorganic arsenic intakes in a rural population of West Bengal, India, through both drinking water and cooked rice. Simulated cooking of rice with different levels of arsenic species in the cooking water was carried out. The presence of arsenic in the cooking water was provided by four arsenic species (arsenite, arsenate, methylarsonate or dimethylarsinate) and at three total arsenic concentrations (50, 250 or 500 µg l−1). The results show that the arsenic concentration in cooked rice is always higher than that in raw rice and range from 227 to 1642 µg kg−1. The cooking process did not change the arsenic speciation in rice. Cooked rice contributed a mean of 41% to the daily intake of inorganic arsenic. The daily inorganic arsenic intakes for water plus rice were 229, 1024 and 2000 µg day−1 for initial arsenic concentrations in the cooking water of 50, 250 and 500 µg arsenic l−1, respectively, compared with the tolerable daily intake which is 150 µg day−1.

Trends of Consanguineous Marriages in a Sunni Muslim Population of West Bengal, India

The Muslim population of the Chaltaberia village in the district of South 24 Parganas in West Bengal is divided into several wards (paras) inhabited by people of specific surnames. The frequency of endogamous marriages within surnames is greater than randomly expected ones. An incomplete reproductive isolation is observed among the five dominant surnames. Consanguineous marriages occur more often outside the village than inside. Leaving out marriages between long distances, a small median distance of 6.36 km is recorded. The neighborhood area works up to be 552.2 km2, which is rather small. There is an underlying process of breeding isolation by distance. A generation length of 21 years has been used for examining the temporal change in consanguineous marriages and inbreeding, which generally appears to increase. There is a general trend of decline in consanguineous marriages towards the southern part of West Bengal and eastern part of Assam among the Bengalee Muslims. The frequency of consanguineous marriages is 7.3% out of all marriages (N=1153) that have taken place in six generations in the population. The first cousin marriage is nearly 50% of all marriages. Patrilineal marriages are common in marriages between second and third cousins. An increase of consanguineous marriages in the younger generation was observed, but the total frequency agrees with a general trend of a decline in the frequency of consanguineous marriages among the Muslims in this part of India.

Body mass index and chronic energy deficiency among adult male Lodhas and Bhumijs: A comparison with other tribal populations of West Bengal, India

Aim To report the anthropometric characteristics and nutritional status of adult male Lodha and Bhumij, two tribes of the Paschim Medinipur District, West Bengal.

A Mechanistic Approach for Modulation of Arsenic Toxicity in Human Lymphocytes by Curcumin, an Active Constituent of Medicinal Herb Curcuma longa Linn

Chronic exposure of humans to high concentrations of arsenic in drinking water is associated with skin lesions, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, blackfoot disease and a high risk of cancer. Arsenic induces single strand breaks, DNA-protein crosslinks and apurinic sites in DNA, which are prerequisites for induction of cancer. Amelioration of such damages with natural compounds could be an effective strategy to combat arsenic toxicity. Curcumin is the active ingredient of turmeric, a common household spice, which is a rich source of polyphenols and this compound has been extensively studied as a chemopreventive agent against many types of cancer. The present study investigates whether curcumin could counteract the DNA damage caused by arsenic as assessed by single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) using peripheral blood lymphocytes, from healthy donors. It was observed that DNA damage induced by arsenic could be efficiently reduced by curcumin and the effect was more pronounced when lymphocytes were pre-incubated with curcumin prior to arsenic insult. Arsenic caused DNA damage by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhancement of lipid peroxidation levels. Curcumin counteracted the damage by quenching ROS, decreasing the level of lipid peroxidation and increasing the level of phase II detoxification enzymes like catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. Curcumin also enhanced the DNA repair activity against arsenic induced damage. The expression of polymerase, a repair enzyme, was found to be highly elevated when arsenite induced damaged cells were allowed to repair in presence of curcumin. Results indicate that curcumin has significant role in confronting the deleterious effect caused by arsenic, which could be an economic mode of arsenic mitigation among rural population in West Bengal, India.

Micronuclei and Chromosomal Aberrations as Biomarkers: A Study in an Arsenic Exposed Population in West Bengal, India

Micronuclei and Chromosomal Aberrations as Biomarkers: A Study in an Arsenic Exposed Population in West Bengal, India

Intake of arsenic from water, food composites and excretion through urine, hair from a studied population in West Bengal, India

To evaluate the main intake source of arsenic by the villagers from arsenic-affected families in Jalangi and Domkol blocks in Mushidabad district, West Bengal—India, we determined the concentrations of arsenic in tubewell water and in food composites, mainly including vegetables and cereals collected from the surveyed families which were cultivated in that region. The daily dietary intakes of arsenic by the villagers were estimated and the excretions of arsenic through urine and hair were determined. The arsenic concentrations in hair and urine of the studied population living in mild (2.78 μg/L), moderate (30.7 μg/L) and high (118 μg/L) arsenic-affected families were 133, 1391 and 4713 μg/kg and 43.1, 244 and 336 μg/L, respectively. The linear regressions show good correlations between arsenic concentrations in water vs hair ( r 2 = 0.928, p < 0.001) and water vs urine ( r 2 = 0.464, p < 0.01). Approximately 29.4%, 58.1% and 62.1% of adult population from mild, moderate and high arsenic-affected families were suffering from arsenical skin manifestations. The mean arsenic concentrations of food composites (vegetables and cereals) in high arsenic-affected families are not significantly different from mild arsenic-affected families. The daily dietary intakes of arsenic from water and food composites of the studied population, living in high, moderate and mild arsenic-affected families were 568, 228 and 137 μg, respectively. The linear regressions show good correlations between arsenic concentrations in hair vs daily dietary intake ( r 2 = 0.452, p < 0.001) and urine vs daily dietary intake ( r 2 = 0.134, p < 0.001). The water for drinking contributed 6.07%, 26.7% and 58.1% of total arsenic in our study from mild, moderate and high arsenic-affected families. The result suggested that the contaminated water from high arsenic-affected families should be the main source for intake of arsenic. On contrary, the contribution of arsenic-contaminated food composites from mild and moderate arsenic-affected families might be the main source for intake of arsenic. The Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) values of arsenic in our study were 3.32, 5.75 and 12.9 μg/kg body weight/day from mild, moderate and high arsenic-affected families, respectively, which is higher than the recommended PTWI value of arsenic (2.1 μg/kg body weight/day).

How Can Electoral Success be Sustained by a 'Lagging Development' Regime? Population, Economy and Society in West Bengal Since the 1970s

West Bengal, a major state of eastern India, is conspicuous not only for being ruled by an elected Leftist coalition - so-called Left Front - uninterruptedly for about last three decades (often described as sound 'political stability'), but also for its widely acknowledged successes in fertility transition, execution of redistributive land reform and political decentralization programs. Ironically, however, the state, in almost all comparative assessments of social, human, infrastructural developments - typically stands to occupy a clearly lagged position vis-a-vis many other states, especially in the south and even against all-India records on many key indicators. This paper seeks a clue to this by comprehensively evaluating West Bengal's relative performance in demographic and socio-economic transformation. A well-disciplined grassroots political mobilization network and machinery of the Left Front parties has been highly instrumental for comparatively fast declines of fertility and population growth rates and for lasting political stability in an otherwise 'laggard' infrastructural, social and human development regime. However, a government geared overwhelmingly to ensuring mass electoral support via grassroots mobilization network and priority, with a relative neglect of social and economic infrastructure and human development, is likely from longer-term perspective to be stifled by major backlashes, of which one form could be adverse patterns of inter-state migration.

Groundwater arsenic contamination on the Ganges Delta: biogeochemistry, hydrology, human perturbations, and human suffering on a large scale

Over the last several decades, much of population of Bangladesh and West Bengal switched their water supply from surface water to groundwater. Tragically, much of the region's groundwater is dangerously contaminated by arsenic, and consumption of this water has already created severe health effects. Here we consider how groundwater flow may affect arsenic biogeochemistry and we compare the vertical patterns of groundwater chemistry at our intensive study site with the average values across the country. Detailed hydraulic data are presented from our field site that begins to characterize the groundwater flow system. To cite this article: C.F. Harvey et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).

Genetic structure and affinity among eight ethnic populations of Eastern India: based on 22 polymorphic DNA loci.

The nature and extent of genetic variation at 22 polymorphic DNA loci, belonging to three distinct classes, especially, 12 STR loci (D3S1358, vWA, FGA, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, HPRTB, F13B, LPL), four VNTR loci (D1S7, D4S139, D5S110, D17S79), and six coding loci (HLDQA1, LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8, GC) were investigated among eight population groups of West Bengal and Manipur regions of India. Of these, two groups from West Bengal belong to Caucasoid and six (one in WB and five in Manipur) belong to Mongoloid stock. Both STR and the expressed loci show wide diversity among the eight populations. For example, Manipur Muslims show differences in allele frequency when compared to four other regional populations. Similarly, Garo, one of the Mongoloid populations of West Bengal, differ in allele frequency from their counterparts in the Manipur region. Departure from Hardy-Weinberg expectations was observed at certain loci in a few populations (e.g., D21S1137 in Kayastha and Brahmin, HUM F13B in Meitei). Heterozygosity values were higher for Caucasoid than Mongoloid groups. The overall gene differentiation (GST) for STR loci is higher (5.3%) than for those at the expressed region (4.6%). The clustering pattern of the eight populations differs with respect to different classes of genetic markers used. The dendrograms based on six coding loci (HLDQA1, LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8, GC) differs from those based on STR and VNTR markers. Caucasoid and Mongoloid groups form different clusters and Manipur Muslims are distinct from others. The clustering pattern corresponded with the spatial and ethnic affiliations of the populations. Using different classes of DNA loci at the coding and noncoding region will help to better understand the influence of population structure variables on the genetic structure of populations.

Multivariate analysis of sexual dimorphism in two types of dermatoglyphic traits in five endogamous populations of West Bengal, India

Five different endogamous populations who encompass the main social rank in the caste hierarchy of West Bengal were analysed for this report. The present approach is to compare the pattern of sex differences/similarities exhibited by two different sets of dermatoglyphic traits. Cluster and discriminant analysis and Mantel test of matrix correlations were performed. The nature of variation between sexes within population groups and two types of variable sets has a good similarity in all five populations. These results strongly suggest that the two categories of dermatoglyphic variables provide similar possibilities to discriminate between the sexes in populations.

Genetic Affinity Among Eight Ethnic Populations of West Bengal and Manipur, India: A Study Based on Six Polymorphic Functional Loci (HLADQA1, LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8 and GC)

Extent of genetic variation at six DNA loci: HLADQA1, LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8 & GC, which are widely used in forensic testing, were investi- gated, using allele specific oligonucleotide (ASO) probes and reverse dot blot methodology, in three castes, four tribal and one religious group from West Bengal and Manipur. All studied loci were found polymorphic in the studied populations. No departure from Hardy- Weinberg expectations among the selected loci was observed. The Power of Discrimination for the six loci in the eight population groups ranged between 0.925 and 0.494. Heterozygosity values for the six loci ranged between 0.430 and 0.841. The average heterozygosity for the eight populations range from 0.466 in Naga to 0.644 in Brahmin. The gene differentiation among the studied loci is high (G ST = 0.046). The dendrograms based on UPGMA method by six PCR based markers show good correspondence with the spatial and ethnic affili- ations of the tribal and caste populations. The UPGMA based phylogenetic tree constructed on the basis of the generated data shows very low genetic distance between the Brahmin and Kayastha communities in relation to the Garo. Genetic affinities among the populations of Manipur reveal very close association between the Meitei, Naga, Hmar and Kuki. Our study suggests that the six PCR based loci, used so far mostly for forensic investigations, can be used fruitfully for micro evolu- tionary studies as well

Genetic Affinity Among Eight Ethnic Populations of West Bengal and Manipur, India: A Study Based on Six Polymorphic Functional Loci (HLADQA1, LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8 and GC)

Genetic Affinity Among Eight Ethnic Populations of West Bengal and Manipur, India: A Study Based on Six Polymorphic Functional Loci (HLADQA1, LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8 and GC)

Dermatoglyphic sexual dimorphism: Finger and palmar qualitative characteristics in five endogamous populations of West Bengal, India

Five hundred families from five different endogamous populations encompassing the main social rank in the caste hierarchy of the same geographical area of West Bengal, India, were analyzed to present variation in qualitative pattern types on fingers and palms. Sex dimorphism, homogeneous in all populations, suggests common characteristics of dermatoglyphic patterns. The pattern types are not uniformly distributed on 10 fingers and palmar configurational areas. However, most of these observations are homogeneous in nature, in both sexes among 5 populations. But the two sets of results on fingers and palms are not exactly the same. Palmar dermatoglyphic relationship reflects the better caste affinities, perhaps due to embryological development, having relatively a longer growth period compared to fingers (Cummins 1929). The present findings indicate that the qualitative dermatoglyphic affinities conform to the known ethnohistorical background of these populations, which correspond also to the results of quantitative dermatoglyphics as well as serological and biochemical markers of these populations. These observations indicate that these population groups have a common genetic background and thus traditional grouping of Indian populations on the basis of caste hierarchy may not be a reflection of the genetic origin of the population. In dermatoglyphic affinities, both qualitative and quantitative traits therefore may be quite useful in tracing the ethnohistorical background of these populations.

Gene Diversity at Three Tetrameric STR Loci Among Eight Ethnic Populations of West Bengal and Manipur, India

Gene Diversity at Three Tetrameric STR Loci Among Eight Ethnic Populations of West Bengal and Manipur, India