Publications by authors named "Ashok Ghosh"

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis, often diagnosed at advanced stages due to subtle early symptoms. Recent studies have provided a comprehensive view of GBC's genetic and mutational landscape, uncovering crucial pathways involved in its pathogenesis. Environmental exposures, particularly to heavy metals, have been linked to elevated GBC risk.

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Groundwater poisoning by heavy metals has caused serious health hazards in the exposed population globally. Manganese (Mn) poisoning causing human health hazards is very meagerly reported worldwide. The present research elucidates for the first time the catastrophic effect of manganese causing cancer in the Gangetic plains of Bihar (India).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the installation of groundwater contamination remediation units in Bihar, India, focusing on contaminants like arsenic, iron, and fluoride, which are significant issues for drinking water quality in the region.
  • It reports that most arsenic remediation units are located near the River Ganges, while iron units are primarily in the eastern districts, and fluoride units are only south of the river, yet there's a mismatch between these installations and actual contamination levels.
  • The study suggests that outdated maps and administrative decisions may have influenced the placement of these units, leading to many areas still needing intervention while units are installed where they might not be as necessary.
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  • Groundwater arsenic poisoning is a significant health risk, especially in Bihar, where a study evaluated arsenic ingestion from breastmilk in a pediatric population.
  • Out of 513 women, 378 provided breastmilk, revealing that 55% had arsenic levels in their milk above the WHO permissible limit, with 67% of infants also displaying elevated urine arsenic levels.
  • The study highlights a concerning 50% elimination rate of arsenic in infants and identifies staple foods like rice and potatoes as major contamination sources, calling for urgent legislative action to combat this serious health threat.
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  • Lead poisoning poses a significant health threat, affecting about 815 million people globally, with 275 million children in India exposed to contaminated breastmilk.
  • A study conducted in 6 districts of Bihar analyzed biological samples and food sources, finding high lead levels in breastmilk (92% of samples), mother's (87%) and child's urine (62%), and food samples, especially potatoes and wheat.
  • The results indicated that lead exposure through food is transferring to breastmilk, potentially causing severe neurological damage and cognitive issues in children, highlighting the urgent need for intervention.
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The present study was aimed at showing the importance of HPV DNA status and the clinical history of the patients required by the cytologist for accurate reporting. A total of 1250 symptomatic women who attended the gynaecology outpatient department of the Mahavir Cancer Sansthan and Nalanda Medical College, Patna, for pap smear examinations were screened and recruited for the study. Due to highly clinical symptoms out of the negative with inflammatory smears reported, one hundred and ten patients were randomly advised for biopsy and HPV 16/18 DNA analysis by a gynaecologist to correlate negative smears included in the study.

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Background: While modeled estimates and studies in contaminated areas indicate high lead exposure among children in Bihar, India, local data on lead exposure in the child population is limited.

Objectives: To characterize lead exposure, and assess potential sources of lead exposure among a state-representative sample of children and their pregnant mothers residing in Bihar.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 697 children under five and 55 pregnant women from eight districts in Bihar.

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Global usage of pharmaceuticals has led to the proliferation of bacteria that are resistant to antimicrobial treatments, creating a substantial public health challenge. Here, we investigate the emergence of sulfonamide resistance genes in groundwater and surface water in Patna, a rapidly developing city in Bihar, India. We report the first quantification of three sulfonamide resistance genes (sulI, sulII and sulIII) in groundwater (12-107 m in depth) in India.

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Background: Toxicity by pesticide has become a global health issue and leaves a harmful impact on human health via various ways. The people exposed to pesticides in the rural population get affected by the harmful effects of it as they enter the human body system through skin, inhalation, oral administration, food chain and many more ways. The present work is designed to study the toxic effect of endosulfan in male (n=30) and female (n=30) Swiss albino mice.

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Recently, a substantial increase in gallbladder cancer (GBC) cases has been reported in Bihar, India. The region's groundwater can naturally contain harmful concentrations of arsenic, which appears to be epidemiologically linked to the unusually high incidence. However, the root causes remain largely unexplored.

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Purpose: Gallbladder cancers (GBC), unique to certain geographical regions, are lethal digestive tract cancers, disproportionately affecting women, with limited information on risk factors.

Methods: We evaluated the association between household cooking fuel and GBC risk in a hospital-based case-control study conducted in the North-East and East Indian states of Assam and Bihar. We explored the potential mediation by diet, fire-vents, 'daily exposure duration' and parity (among women).

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study in Kaliprasad village, Bihar, examined the health effects of arsenic exposure on 102 households, analyzing their water and biological samples using advanced technology.
  • - Results revealed serious health issues among villagers, including skin problems, respiratory issues, diabetes, hypertension, and neurological disorders, with a disturbing percentage of water and urine samples showing high arsenic levels.
  • - The calculated hazard quotient indicated an alarming level of risk for the population, particularly children and females, suggesting they are at a very high risk for diseases related to arsenic exposure.
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The distribution and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) affects numerous (bio)geochemical processes in environmental matrices including groundwater. This study reports the spatial and seasonal controls on the distribution of groundwater DOM under the rapidly developing city of Patna, Bihar (India). Major DOM constituents were determined from river and groundwater samples taken in both pre- and post-monsoon seasons in 2019, using excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy.

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Biochar, a promising carbon-rich and carbon-negative material, can control water pollution, harness the synergy of sustainable development goals, and achieve circular economy. This study examined the performance feasibility of treating fluoride-contaminated surface and groundwater using raw and modified biochar synthesized from agricultural waste rice husk as problem-fixing renewable carbon-neutral material. Physicochemical characterizations of raw/modified biochars were investigated using FESEM-EDAX, FTIR, XRD, BET, CHSN, VSM, pH, Zeta potential, and particle size analysis were analyzed to identify the surface morphology, functional groups, structural, and electrokinetic behavior.

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The presence and distribution of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) in freshwater environments is a key issue in India and globally, particularly due to ecotoxicological and potential antimicrobial resistance concerns. Here we have investigated the composition and spatial distribution of EOCs in surface water along a ∼500 km segment of the iconic River Ganges (Ganga) and key tributaries in the middle Gangetic Plain of Northern India. Using a broad screening approach, in 11 surface water samples, we identified 51 EOCs, comprising of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, lifestyle and industrial chemicals.

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In recent times Gallbladder cancer (GBC) incidences increased many folds in India and are being reported from arsenic hotspots identified in Bihar. The study aims to establish association between arsenic exposure and gallbladder carcinogenesis. In the present study, n = 200 were control volunteers and n = 152 confirmed gallbladder cancer cases.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study assessed the link between arsenic in drinking water and gallbladder cancer risk among long-term residents in high-risk regions of India (Assam and Bihar).
  • Researchers analyzed data from 214 gallbladder cancer patients and 166 control participants, examining their arsenic exposure based on groundwater levels and lifestyle factors.
  • Results indicated a dose-response relationship, showing that higher arsenic levels were associated with a significantly increased risk of gallbladder cancer, suggesting chronic arsenic exposure could be a risk factor for this illness.
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Arsenic poisoning in ground water is one of the most sensitive environmental pollutant causing serious pollution all over the world. Chronic arsenic exposure through drinking water to humans leads to major public health related issues. There have been very meagre studies which reported that, the plant constituents proved to exhibit protective effect from arsenicosis.

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Corona virus is pandemic and responsible for more than 5.6 million deaths. It was observed that its severity was reported in varied ways in different countries and even in different states of India.

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Groundwater security is a pressing environmental and societal issue, particularly due to significantly increasing stressors on water resources, including rapid urbanization and climate change. Groundwater arsenic is a major water security and public health challenge impacting millions of people in the Gangetic Basin of India and elsewhere globally. In the rapidly developing city of Patna (Bihar) in northern India, we have studied the evolution of groundwater chemistry under the city following a three-dimensional sampling framework of multi-depth wells spanning the central urban zone in close proximity to the River Ganges (Ganga) and transition into peri-urban and rural areas outside city boundaries and further away from the river.

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The presence of arsenic (As) and other inorganic contaminants in groundwater is a key public health issue in India and many other parts of the world. Whilst a broad range of remediation technologies exist, performance can be highly variable, and appropriate selection and management of remediation approaches remains challenging. Here, we have identified and tested the performance of a range of small-scale remediation technologies (e.

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Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are key indicators of the plasticine era, widely spread across different ecosystems. MPs and NPs become global stressors due to their inherent physicochemical characteristics and potential impact on ecosystems and humans. MPs and NPs have been exposed to humans via various pathways, such as tap water, bottled water, seafood, beverages, milk, fish, salts, fruits, and vegetables.

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  • Large river systems like the River Ganges are vital for both the environment and society but face challenges from upstream activities and climate change.
  • A systematic approach was developed to better understand the hydrogeochemical dynamics affecting water quality over a 2500 km stretch of the Ganges and its tributaries.
  • The study identified five major hydrogeochemical zones influenced by factors like urbanization and agriculture, using a combination of sampling data and regression analysis to reveal key trends and processes affecting water quality.
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Fast growing arsenic menace is causing serious health hazards in Bihar, India, with an estimated 10 million people at risk. The exposed population is often unaware of the problem, which only amplifies the burden of arsenic health effects. In the present study, we have assessed the current situation of arsenic exposure in Chapar village of Samastipur district, Bihar.

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