Crop residue burning (CRB) over northern India is a major air quality and human health issue. The present study assesses the impact of PM 10 , PM 2.5 , NO 2 and SO 2 , emitted during CRB activities in Haryana on the air quality of Delhi. The transition from pre-burning to burning period, in both rabi and kharif seasons, shows considerable increase in pollutant concentrations. PM 10 and PM 2.5 concentrations exceeded NAAQS limits by 2–3 times, while NO 2 and SO 2 stayed within the limits. MODIS fire observations used to estimate CRB fire counts (confidence ≥80%) shows that rabi (burning period) fires in Haryana are ~3 times higher and more intense than in kharif. Furthermore, backward trajectories shows air mass movement from Haryana, Punjab and Pakistan. Thus, pollutants emitted reach Delhi via air masses, deteriorating its air quality. Meteorological conditions influence pollutant concentrations during both seasons. Frequent dust storms in rabi, and Dusshera and Diwali firework celebrations in kharif season exacerbate air pollution. In rabi, PM 10 and PM 2.5 have a significant negative association with (relative humidity) RH and positive association with (air temperature) AT. High AT during pre-monsoon, accompanied by low RH, loosens up soil particles and they can easily disperse. Stronger winds in rabi season promote NO 2 and SO 2 dispersion. In kharif, lower AT, higher RH and slower winds exist. Both PM 10 and PM 2.5 have a negative association with AT and (wind speed) WS. With lower temperature and slower winds during winter, pollutants are trapped within the boundary layer and are unable to disperse. As expected, NO 2 has a significant negative association with AT in Haryana. However, in case of Delhi, the association is significant but positive, and could be due to the odd-even scheme imposed by the Delhi government. More research is needed to determine the health effects of Haryana's rabi CRB activities on Delhi.

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Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a serious global public health problem. It is estimated that 2% to 3% of the world’s population is infected with the virus. It was found that chronic hepatitis C is an independent predictor of the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Infection with HCV or the inflammatory response to HCV infection likely contributes to the development of insulin resistance (IR), which increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the long term. This study aimed to assess the insulin resistance in hepatitis C and its correlation with various metabolic parameters. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in North India in the Department of Internal Medicine with hepatitis C-positive patients attending an out-patient or in-patient department. We took a total of 100 patients aged > 18 years and divided them into two groups: Group A with hepatitis C (cases) and Group B without hepatitis C (controls). There were a total of 50 hepatitis C patients and 50 patients without hepatitis C. Results: A total of 100 patients were included in the present study after obtaining informed consent. There was a significantly higher level of serum ferritin and insulin in group A patients than group B patients. There was a positive correlation of insulin resistance with the serum insulin, ferritin levels, cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride level and a negative correlation with the serum HDL level. The incidence of insulin resistance was positively correlated with changes in fibrosis in the liver due to the hepatitis C infection. Conclusions: From our study, we found that there is an increased incidence of insulin resistance in the patients with hepatitis-C infection, and insulin resistance is associated with the presence of altered hepatic function test results.