The food-energy-water-carbon nexus of the rice-wheat production system in the western Indo-Gangetic Plain of India: An impact of irrigation system, conservational tillage and residue management

The conventional rice-wheat system in the western Indo-Gangetic plain of India is energy and water intensive with high carbon footprint. The transition towards resource-efficient eco-friendly production technologies with lower footprint is required for inclusive ecological sustenance. A five-year (2016-17 to 2020-21) field experiment was conducted in RWS with hypothesis that pressurized irrigation systems [drip (DRIP) and mini-sprinkler (MSIS)] in conservation tillage [reduced (RT)/zero (ZT)] and crop residue management [incorporation (RI)/mulch (RM)] might result in higher resource use efficiency with lesser carbon footprint compared to conventional system. Experiment consisted five treatments namely (1) puddled transplanted rice followed by conventionally tilled wheat (PTR/CTW), (2) DRIP irrigated reduced till direct seeded rice (RTDSR) followed by zero-till wheat with 100 % rice residue mulching (ZTW + RM) (DRIP-RTDSR/ZTW + RM), (3) surface irrigated RTDSR followed by ZTW + RM (SIS-RTDSR/ZTW + RM), (4) MSIS irrigated RTDSR followed by ZTW + RM (MSIS-RTDSR/ZTW + RM), and (5) MSIS irrigated RTDSR with 1/3rd wheat residue incorporation followed by ZTW + RM (MSIS-RTDSR + RI/ZTW + RM). The pressurized irrigation system in RWS established under conservational tillage and residue management (DRIP-RTDSR/ZTW + RM and MSIS-DSR + RI/ZTW + RM) produced at par system productivity compared to PTR/CTW. Substantial nitrogen (79-114 ka ha^-1) and irrigation water (536-680 mm) savings under pressurized irrigation systems resulted in 41-64 % higher partial factor productivity of nitrogen with 48-61 % lower water footprint. These systems had lower energy consumption attaining 15-21 % higher net energy, 44-61 % higher energy use efficiency, and 31-38 % lower specific energy. Efficient utilization of farm inputs caused lower greenhouse gas emission (39-44 %) and enhanced carbon sequestration (35-62 %) resulting 63-76 % lower carbon footprint over PTR/CTW. The information generated here might useful in developing policies for resource and climate-smart food production system aiming livelihood security and ecological sustainability in the region. Further, trials are needed for wider adaptability under different climate, soil and agronomic practices to develop site-specific climate smart practices.

A Prospective Study of Deep Vein Thrombosis after Major Abdominal Surgery in a Tertiary Level Hospital

This prospective study was conducted to find the rate of deep and risk factors associated with vein thrombosis following major abdominal surgery in Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital from 1st November 2017 to 30th April 2018. Total 103 patients aged above 20 years both male and female who got admitted in Department of Surgery, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Sylhet for their disease requiring routine and emergency major abdominal operation during the study period and fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected in this study. Informed written consent was obtained from the patients after full explanation of the purpose of the study. After full investigations and proper preparation of each patient for operative procedure major abdominal surgery were done. Peroperative findings were noted and post-operative period were followed up routinely. Duplex scanning was done on 3rd POD in all cases. The age of the patients ranged from 25 to 74 years with the mean age of 49.5±13.8 years. There were 60(58.3%) male and 43(41.7%) female. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) developed in 5(4.9%) of cases and not developed in 98(95.1%) cases. All the five cases were confirmed by color duplex scan. DVT was detected in 2(3.3%) of the 60 males and 3(7.0%) of the 43 females undergoing major general surgical procedures. Among 63 patients in whom the duration of surgery was up to 2 hours, none developed DVT, while among the 40 patients in whom the duration of surgery lasted more than 2 hours, 5(12.5%) developed DVT. Among 23 patients in whom the surgery for malignancy was done, 4(17.4%) developed DVT, while among the 80 patients in whom surgery for non-malignancy, 1(1.2%) developed DVT. The Incidence of DVT in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery is 4.9%. Patients undergoing major abdominal surgery for malignancy and duration of operation greater than 2 hours have higher risk of developing DVT. But there is no significant increase in risk of development of DVT relation to age and sex; and also in patients on oral contraceptives, diabetes mellitus, obesity and smoking. Clinical findings alone cannot be relied upon for the diagnosis of DVT. The study has to be continued with larger sample size to get statistically significant results.

Comparison between 2D and 3D Echocardiographic Parameters used for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Purpose in Patients with Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis

Rheumatic heart disease causes a substantial number of morbidity and mortality in South Asia. With the increasing urbanization & antibiotic availability, it is now in declining trends. The prevalence of Rheumatic Fever and Chronic Rheumatic Heart Disease in Bangladesh is 0.6 and 0.3 per thousand populations, respectively. Mitral valve is mostly involved in the rheumatic process, particularly in the form of mitral stenosis. Treatment options of mitral stenosis depend upon the severity of the disease. Echocardiography has a key role in determining the pattern, extent and severity of the involvement of the mitral valve apparatus. 2D and Doppler echocardiography are conventionally used. 3D echocardiography is more available nowadays. The heart being a complex three-dimensional structure, a 3D evaluation would definitely offer better visualization for accurate assessment of the severity of rheumatic mitral stenosis. There are many echocardiography based scoring systems are available for the assessment of the severity of rheumatic MS. Those are mostly 2DE based; among them, Wilkins is widely practiced. Real-time 3DE based score for mitral stenosis is developed recently. This cross-sectional observational study was done in the University Cardiac Centre, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh from May 2012 to October 2012. Considering all ethical issues, data were collected from 50 subjects who underwent transthoracic 2D and 3D Echocardiography for the assessment of the extent and severity of mitral stenosis. Precise measurement of the mitral valvular area is of a pivotal role in the assessment of severity, which is found almost similar by both 2DE (0.98±0.24cm²) and 3DE (0.92±0.23cm²). But in identifying calcification and its extent specifically commissural involvement is better detected by 3DE (p=0.002). Detail assessment of subvalvular involvement particularly chordal adhesion can better be done by 3DE (p<0.001). All of these have important contributions in formulating the most favorable therapeutic roadmap in chronic rheumatic MS. To make an efficient management plan and also for the confident prediction of complications, three-dimensional echocardiography has promising prospects and should be considered as an important adjuvant to the conventional two-dimensional echocardiography.

Catheter-related blood stream infections: prevalence, risk factors and antimicrobial resistance pattern

Background

Intravascular devices have significant potential for producing iatrogenic diseases resulting in catheter-related blood stream infections (CRBSIs). A study was undertaken to find the prevalence of CRBSI among patients in acute wards and to analyze the associated risk factors, causative pathogens with their antibiotic susceptibility (ABST) patterns.

Methods

Randomly ten days per month were chosen, for a period of two years. All the acute wards patients who were on indwelling blood catheters were identified. Those fulfilling the CRBSI criteria were further worked up for confirmation of diagnosis by differential time to positivity. The catheter tip was cultured by Maki's semiquantitative method. ABST of the isolates obtained was performed by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.

Results

The prevalence of CRBSI was found to be 39.25% with the most common organism isolate being Serratia marcescens (23.81%). The immunocompromised status of the patients and catheterisation time were significant risk factors. Methicillin resistance was found to be 33.33% in coagulase-negative staphylococci. The resistance to vancomycin among the Entercoccus faecium isolates was found to be 33.33%. Among the gram negatives, resistance to aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins was high.

Conclusion

The study highlights the importance of regular surveillance programs, an efficient infection control program, strict adherence to antiseptic measures and use of a rational antibiotic policy for the early diagnosis and better management of CRBSI.

Comparison between 2D and 3D Echocardiography in Efficient Detection of Commissural Calcification in Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis

Rheumatic heart disease causes a substantial number of morbidity and mortality in Southeast Asia. In Bangladesh prevalence of Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic heart disease is still high, 0.6 and 0.3 per thousand populations, respectively. Mitral valve mostly involved in the form of mitral stenosis in the rheumatic process. Treatment selections and its success largely depend upon the severity of disease especially the extent and distribution of calcification. Echocardiography has got the key role in determining the pattern, extent and severity of mitral stenosis. Two dimensional and Doppler echocardiography are conventionally used. With the increasing availability of 3D echocardiography, better cardiac imaging is possible now. The heart being a complex three-dimensional structure, the 3D evaluation would definitely offer better imaging for accurate assessment of the severity of mitral stenosis, especially details of commissural involvements. Many scoring systems are available for the assessment of the severity of rheumatic Mintral Stenosis (MS), mostly 2DE based; among them, Wilkins is mostly practiced. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in University Cardiac Centre, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh from May 2012 to October 2012. Data were collected from 50 subjects who underwent transthoracic 2D and 3D Echocardiography for the assessment of rheumatic mitral stenosis especially detection of calcification also it's severity, extent, and distribution, furthermore the presence of commissural calcification. Precise measurement of Mitral valvular area is essential in the assessment of severity, which is found similar by both 2DE (0.98±0.24cm²) and 3DE (0.92±0.23cm²). But in identifying calcification and its extent especially commissural involvement is better detected by 3DE (p=0.002). This has paramount importance in therapeutic decision making of chronic rheumatic MS. To make a well-organized management plan and also for the confident prediction of complications, three-dimensional echocardiography has promising prospects in detecting commissural calcification and should be considered as an essential adjuvant to the conventional two-dimensional echocardiography.

Incidence and Outcome of Acute Poisoning Cases in a Medical College Hospital in Jharkhand

Background: Poison is one of the most common reason for admission to an emergency department with half a million death each year attributed to it. Hazaribagh owing to its open fields, and agriculture being the primary source of employment, has its local population exposed to a variety of poisonous agents, both chemical and environmental. Aims and Objective: The purpose of our study is to determine the epidemiology and outcome of the poisoning cases being admitted to our hospital. Study Design: This is a retrospective/prospective observational study over a period of 1 year from July, 2019 to June 2020. Setting: Department of General Medicine, Hazaribagh Medical College and Hospital, Jharkhand. Material and Method: A total of 1318 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were studied. Data was collected by direct interview and the reviewing of case records and entered in a proforma which was later analysed. Result: Our cohort comprised of 37.2% males and 62.7% females with female: male ratio of 1.7:1.The majority were females between the ages of 21-30 years. Upon questioning,63.5% had consumed poison intentionally versus only a 36.5% who were accidentally exposed. Among those with intentional poisoning, 69.1% were females. The incidence of accidental poison exposure on the other hand was similar for both genders 51.5% v/s 49.5%. Maximum incidence was seen in rainy season in the months of June, July and August with 32.9% and least number of cases was reported in the summer months between March and May. The incidence of accidental poisoning was maximum during the rainy reason, predominantly owing to higher incidences of snake bite during these months. Ingestion was the predominant mode of poisoning with 64.5% followed by animal bites and stings. Predominant household or agricultural poison was noted to be pesticides and that among environmental agents was found to be snake bite. Among drugs and plants ingestions, sleeping pills and wild mushroom were most commonly seen. The average duration of hospital stay for cases admitted with poisoning was 2.13±1.2 days. 62.8% patients were treated successfully and discharged, 25.5% left against medical advice, 10.2%were referred due to complications and 1.5% died. Among those who died 18 out of 20 had intentionally consumed pesticides and were all females. Conclusion: Intentional poisoning in the form of para suicide comprised the majority of our cohort closely followed by snake bites, both which were favoured by the geographical location of the study centre. A comprehensive approach targeting the problem at grass root level can lead to decreased in the incidence of such poisoning cases and also reduced the incurred burden on the health care system.

Hand Sewn versus Stapled Closure of Duodenal Stump after Gastric Resection

This prospective comparative study was done to compare the outcome of stapled closure of the duodenal stump with hand-sewn closure during gastric resection in terms of total operating time, postoperative duodenal stump leakage, postoperative hospital stay, and surgical cost. This study was conducted from January 2013 to August 2014. Patients who were admitted to the Department of Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh with the indication of distal or total gastrectomy were included in the study. A total of 32 patients were enrolled in this study with 16 in each group, they were divided either into Group I (Hand Sewn) or Group II (stapling). Mean±SD age of Group I was 53.38±8.69 and Group II was 50.88±9.56 (p=0.445). Male patients were predominant than the female with a male: female ratio being 3.57:1. Mean±SD total operating time was 154.38±16.32 minutes and 136.88±17.40 minutes in Group I and Group II respectively (p=0.001). In Group I, 2(12.5%) patients and in Group II, 1(6.3%) patient had duodenal stump leakage which showed no statistically significant difference (p=0.999). Postoperative hospital stay had no statistically significant difference (p=0.923). The surgical cost had a significant difference (p=0.001) which is more in Group II. This study showed there was a significant reduction in total operating time but there was no significant difference in occurring of duodenal stump leakage or postoperative hospital stay. However, use of stapler hastens the surgeon's job and it relieves extra pressure of them.

3D Echocardiography Is More Efficient In Detail Assessment of Calcification in Chronic Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis

Rheumatic heart disease is in the declining phase, with the increase of urbanization and increment of availability of healthcare facility. However still it causes a substantial number of morbidity and mortality in South Asia. The prevalence of Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic heart disease in Bangladesh is still high, 0.6 and 0.3 per thousand populations respectively. In the rheumatic process mitral is the frequently involved valve, mostly in the form of mitral stenosis. Choice of a treatment modality and its success largely depend on the accurate assessment of severity of disease especially the extent and distribution of calcification. Echocardiography has a key role in the determination of the severity of mitral stenosis as well as assessment of details calcification. Conventionally 2 dimensional and Doppler echocardiography is used. Now a days, 3D echocardiography offers better cardiac imaging for detail evaluation. The heart being a complex structure, the 3D evaluation would certainly offer better imaging for the accurate assessment of the mitral stenosis, especially details of presence & distribution calcification. This cross-sectional observational study was done from May 2012 to October 2012 in University Cardiac Centre, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data were collected with informed written consent, from 50 subjects who underwent transthoracic 2D and 3D Echocardiography for the assessment of rheumatic mitral valve with special emphasis on accurate assessment of severity, extent and distribution of calcification. Precise measurement of MV area is essential in the assessment of severity, which is found comparable by both 2DE (0.98±0.24cm²) and 3DE (0.92±0.23cm²). But in identifying calcification and accurate assessment of severity, more importantly commissural involvement is better detected by 3DE (p=0.002). This has extreme importance in therapeutic decision making in the treatment of chronic rheumatic MS. So, to formulate an efficient management plan, three-dimensional echocardiography has promising prospects in detecting severity & extent of rheumatic calcification.

Prediction of Un-erupted Canine and Premolar Tooth Size in Mixed Dentition among Bangladeshi Population

Accurate prediction of the space available to accommodate the size of the un-erupted canines and premolars plays an important role in mixed dentition in Orthodontics. This Descriptive cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Orthodontics of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University from July 2014 to June 2015. Dental study models of 140 patients were taken as sample. The sample was consisted of 54 Bangladeshi males and 86 females aged between 12 to 17 years and without any previous orthodontic treatment fully erupted permanent teeth and with no dental anomalies were recruited. The study was done by measuring the mesio-distal dimensions of teeth over the dental cast. A pre-structured data collection form which includes the particulars of the patient and data was filled. All patients were having a serial number to maintain their confidentiality. The study protocol was approved by "Institutional Review Board" of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Un-paired t test were used to examine differences between genders, correlation coefficients and linear regression equations were used to carry out the analysis. Descriptive statistics including means, standard deviations, and minimum-maximum values were calculated. Unpaired sample 't' tests were carried out to compare tooth size between the sexes. Logistic regression for development of new prediction formula on the basis of study sample of our population. Pearson correlation coefficient test for found the correlation between mandibular incisors and mandibular and maxillary canine and premolars in each quadrant. The difference between the present study with that of Moyers and Tanaka and Johnston were statistically significant (p<0.001). The values from Moyers and Tanaka and Johnston methods exceed while comparing to Bangladeshi population. Therefore, Moyers and Tanaka and Johnston method of prediction are not applicable for our population.

Surgical Treatment of Hepatolithiasis: Our Experience in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University

Recurrent cholangitis and sepsis are common complications after surgical treatment for hepatolithiasis as total clearance is not always possible. This retrospective study is designed to see the effect of our treatment for hepatolithiasis on stone clearance and post operative complications. We have treated 60 patients with hepatolithiasis surgically from September 2010 to September 2016 in the Department of Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Various operative procedures were applied on the basis of location of stone and status of biliary tree. Choledocoscopic examination was performed during surgery for checking and cleaning of intrahepatic duct. Regular follow up was given and outcome was assessed. The chronological changes of treatment methods for patients with hepatolithiasis were analyzed for appropriate treatments for particular type. There were 22 males and 38 females with age ranges from 15 to 60 years. The stone were located in left duct (56.6%), right duct (10%) and both duct (33.4%). The most commonly performed operation was extended choledocholithotomy and hepatolithotomy and it was performed in 28 patients (46.7%). Segmentectomy and lobectomy was performed in 17 patients (28.3%). Common bile duct (CBD) excision, hepatolithotomy and hepaticojejunostomy with or without segmentectomy, lobectomy and Houston access loop formation was performed in rest of the patients. Stones could be removed completely in all patients who underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy. In contrast stone clearance was possible only in 57.2% and 55.5% who underwent extended choledocholithotomy and hepatolithotomy, and excision of CBD, hepatolithiasis with hepaticojejunostomy for unilateral or bilateral hepatolithiasis respectively. Houston's access loop to stomach was made in 2 patients for future endoscopic removal of stone. There was no mortality in the present series but morbidity occurred in 18 patients; wound infection (n=15, 25%), bile leakage (n=1, 1.7%), and renal dysfunction (n=1, 1.7%), septicemia (n=1, 1.7%). Patients who underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy did not develop cholangitis or sepsis on 1 to 3 years follow up. In contrast who underwent extended choledocholithotomy and hepatolithotomy, 70.8% patients developed cholangitis and sepsis, and the patients who underwent excision of CBD, hepatolithotomy with hepaticojejunostomy 50% developed cholangitis and sepsis within 1 to 3 years of follow up, required re-operations or conservative treatment. The difference of developing postoperative cholangitis and sepsis is significant (p<0.05) between patient who underwent extended choledocolithotomy and hepatolithotomy, and who underwent excision of CBD, hepatolithotomy and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. In conclusion, lobectomy or segmentectomy is the best option for hepatolithiasis if the stones are limited to a lobe or segment. Excision of CBD, hepatolithotomy with hepaticojejunostomy is better than extended choledocholithotomy and hepatolithotomy for bilateral hepatolithiasis. Huston's access loop formation associated with other procedures may be considered for bilateral hepatolithiasis for future minimal invasive stone retrieval procedure as residual stones and recurrent stone formation is common.

Impact of feeding chromium supplemented flaxseed based diet on fatty acid profile, oxidative stability and other functional properties of broiler chicken meat

A total of 240 broiler chicken of same hatch with uniform weight were used in a biological experiment with completely randomized design to investigate the effects of incorporating organic chromium (Cr) in flaxseed meal based diet on the fatty acid profile, oxidative stability and functional properties of broiler chicken meat. Five diets were formulated as per the recommendations of BIS (Nutrient requirements for poultry 13: 9863, Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi, 1992) in which flaxseed meal was used to replace 10% of soyabean in basal diet and four levels of Cr (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg/kg diet) as Cr-picolinate were used. The results revealed that flaxseed feeding significantly increased the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids, including MUFA, PUFA, ω-3, ω-6 fatty acids and ω-3:ω-6 and PUFA:SFA ratios, whereas, significant decline was seen in saturated fatty acids and no effect of Cr was observed on the fatty acid profile of broiler chicken. Flaxseed feeding significantly reduced the cholesterol and fat percentage of meat, whereas, significant progressive reduction was observed with increasing Cr levels. The combination of 10% flaxseed with 1.0 mg Cr/kg diet increased the final pH of broiler meat. The addition of flaxseed significantly reduced water holding capacity, extract release volume and antioxidant potential of broiler meat, whereas, increasing Cr supplementation progressively increased them. Flaxseed feeding significantly increased the drip loss and lipid peroxidation of broiler meat, whereas, Cr supplementation decreased them. It was concluded that inclusion of 10% flaxseed and 1.5 mg Cr/kg diet results in desirable fatty acid profile, oxidative stability and functional properties of broiler chicken meat.

Non Infectious Complications Related to Blood Transfusion: An 11 year Retrospective Analysis in a Tertiary Care Hospital

In India transmission of transfusion transmissible infections (TTI) has shown a relative decrease as a result of mandatory screening of donated blood for TTI's. However, reducing the incidence of non infectious complications poses a major challenge, mainly due to the fact that a number of adverse reactions go unreported. Blood transfusion reaction, can be categorized based on the time interval between transfusion of blood products and the presentation of adverse reactions as acute i.e. those presenting during or within 24 h and as delayed i.e. those presenting anytime after 24 h. Transfusion reactions can further be classified as immune and non immune or infectious and non infectious based on the pathophysiology. In this retrospective study which was undertaken with an aim to determine the type and frequency of non infectious complications due to transfusion of blood and blood products recorded the incidence of febrile non hemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTR) 51.40 %, allergic reactions 40.14 %, non immune hemolytic reactions 4.22 %, hypothermia 2.81 %, anaphylaxis 0.70 % and iron overload 0.70 %. FNHTR which was found to be the most common complication in this study can certainly be minimized, if not completely eliminated by adopting a policy of universal leucodepletion, the implementation of which solely depends on the financial and infrastructure resources available. This study also reiterates the importance of hemovigilance as a tool to improve the safety of blood transfusion.

To study the effects of gamma irradiation on single donor apheresis platelet units by measurement of cellular counts, functional indicators and a panel of biochemical parameters, in order to assess pre-transfusion platelet quantity and quality during the shelf life of the product

BACKGROUND

The occurrence of transfusion associated graft versus host disease can be prevented by gamma irradiation of blood components. This study was undertaken to assess the effects of gamma irradiation on single donor platelet (SDP) concentrate units.

METHOD

SDPs were collected by a continuous flow apheresis technique (n = 400). The SDPs from each donor were divided into two parts, one gamma-irradiated with 25 Gy and the other used as a non-irradiated control. Swirling and morphological features, cellular counts, biochemical parameters including blood gas analysis, and platelet activation levels (CD62P: p-selectin) by flow cytometry were analyzed on Day 1 and on Day 5.

RESULTS

Swirling and morphology were maintained in all products, in both the groups throughout the shelf life. No significant change was seen in both groups, on the first and fifth day, as far as pO2, pCO2, Na(+), K(+), HCO3 (-) & Ca(2+) were concerned. However, lactate increased and glucose decreased significantly in irradiated products over 5-day storage period. A small but significant decrease in pH and platelet count was found in the irradiated PCs after 5-day storage. The mean proportion of platelets expressing CD62P over 5-day storage increased significantly.

CONCLUSION

After an overall assessment of all our in vitro parameter results and observations, a few of which were significant, while most were not significant, we concluded that a well-preserved quality of gamma irradiated apheresis platelets is maintained throughout the entire 5-day shelf life of the platelet product, with minimal difference compared to non-irradiated platelets.

Phosphorus sorption characteristics of some representative soils of south India

Studies were conducted to investigate P sorption characteristics of representative soils from ten locations of alfisol and ultisol of India using Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The P sorption maxima (b) of soils derived from Langmuir equation in alfisol varied from 520.6 to 574.7 ?g g-1 and ultisol varied from 561.6 to 678.1 ?g g-1. The maximum phosphorus buffering capacity (MPBC) in alfisol ranged from 80.7 to 180.2 ml ?g-1 and ultisol ranged from 162.1 to 284.4 ml ?g-1. Phosphorus sorption maxima was significantly correlated with clay (r2=0.70), Al (r2= 0.73) and Fe (r2=0.81) forms, MPBC (r2=0.67) and Freundlich constants (r2=0.82). The standard P requirement (SPR) to maintain 0.2 mg l-1 P in soil solution for alfisol ranged from 15.62 to 27.62 mg kg-1 and ultisol from 41.98 to 46.35 mg kg-1. The SPR (0.2 mg l-1) was significantly correlated with binding strength coefficient (r2= 0.97) and binding strength coefficient supporting the fact that energy coefficient of a soil is an important index for planning P management strategies. Among the two soil orders in order to maintain optimum P concentration in soil solution for crop growth, ultisol will be required to supply with more P fertilizer as compared to alfisol.SAARC J. Agri., 13(1): 14-26 (2015)

Plankton as an indicator of heavy metal pollution in a freshwater reservoir of Madhya Pradesh, India

Halali Reservoir is an important freshwater body of Madhya Pradesh. The water of the reservoir is used for drinking, irrigation and aquaculture practices. It receives untreated sewage, wastes from small scale industries and agricultural runoff from the catchment area. Various heavy metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) levels were measured in plankton of Halali Reservoir during 2006-2007 by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Mean concentration ranges for Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were 0.0018-0.0037, 0.0038-0.2257, 0.0013-0.0228, 0.0011-0.0086, 0.0133-0.0494 and 0.0130-0.1168 μg g⁻¹, respectively. Overall, mean Cr concentrations in the plankton were generally the highest of the six metals at four of the five study sites. Metal concentrations at these four sites generally followed the order: Cr > Zn > Pb > Cu > Ni > Cd. Mean concentrations of all metals at a fifth site were consistently lower than at the other sites. The high levels of Cr in the plankton are in agreement with high Cr levels that have been reported in fish from this reservoir, indicating that plankton may serve as a useful indicator of metal pollution in fish.

Effect of Different Substrate on Growth and Yield of Button Mushroom

An experiment was conducted at the Mushroom growth house and Tissue Culture Laboratory, Horticulture Demonstration and Training Centre (HDTC), Kewatkhali, Mymensingh during February to May, 2006 to investigate the effect of different substrate on growth and yield of Button mushroom (Agaricus biporus). The substrates which were used in the experiment were wheat: paddy (1:1) straw compost, paddy straw compost and decomposed cowdung. The parameters observed in first and second flush were number of primordia, number of fruiting bodies and fresh weight of mushroom. Data were statistically analyzed following Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Data revealed that different substrate significantly affected the production of number of primordia, number of fruiting bodies and fresh weight. In both the first and second flush, all the three observed parameters were obtained highest in wheat: paddy straw compost and the lowest were in decomposed cowdung.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jesnr.v5i2.14810 J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 5(2): 177-180 2012

Presentation of primary hyperparathyroidism due to adenoma

This descriptive study was done to evaluate the clinical, biochemical and radiological findings of primary hyperthyroidism (pHPT) patients with parathyroid adenoma. This study was done in the department of Otolaryngology and Head-Neck surgery, BIRDEM, Dhaka from July 2000 to June 2007. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical presentation, biochemical and radiological features from the case records from the last 7 years of 32 patients at a tertiary care centre in Dhaka who had documented pHPT due to adenoma. Of them 18 were male and 14 were female. Mean age±SD of the patients was 42.16±11.64 years. Median preoperative serum calcium, serum phosphate and serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were 11.42 mg/dL (range 8.4-14.0mg/dL), 3.11 mg/dL (range 2.5-4.5) and 293.22 pg/mL (range 65-700 pg/mL), respectively. Of all patients 75% had raised serum calcium level and 100.0% had raised serum PTH levels but all had normal serum phosphate level. Common radiological features were nephrocalcinosis, renal calculi, osteopenic changes in finger and toe, Brown tumour in forearm, 'Salt and pepper' appearance in skull, fracture of femur, fracture radius. pHPT due to adenoma in Bangladesh continues to be a symptomatic disorder with skeletal and renal manifestations.

Parathyroid failure following thyroid surgery

This cross-sectional study was done to see the association of post thyroidectomy parathyroid failure with thyroid disease and type of surgery. It was carried out in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka during the period of July 2008 to June 2010. Total 50 cases of thyroid malignancy and multinodular goiter who had undergone total or near total thyroidectomy with or without neck dissection were studied. In this study highest number of cases were found in 3rd decade of age (28%) and there was female predominance (M:F=1:3.54). Overall frequency of post operative hypocalcaemia was 30% (26% was temporary hypocalcaemia and 4% was permanent). Hypocalcaemia revealed clinically in 20% cases and remained subclinical in 10% cases. Hypocalcaemia developed in 42.30% cases of malignant thyroid disease and 16.66% cases of benign thyroid disease (p<0.05). It was found in 54.54% cases with neck dissection and 23.07% cases without neck dissection (p<0.05). Hypocalcaemia developed in 62.5% cases where parathyroid gland were not identified and 23.8% cases where parathyroid gland was identified. Hypocalcaemia developed most commonly on the 2nd post operative day (73.33%). There is a significance difference with development of parathyroid failure after thyroid surgery between benign and malignant thyroid disease and also between thyroid surgery with or without neck dissection.

Comparative study of outcome of the endoscopic sinus surgery and conventional surgery for nasal polyposis

This is a cross-sectional study done in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka Medical College & Hospital (DMCH) & Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation of Diabetic Endocrine and Metabolic Disorder (BIRDEM), Dhaka during the period of January 2009 to August 2010. This study included 60 cases of nasal polyposis, among them in 30 cases Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) was done and in 30 cases conventional surgical procedure was done as treatment procedure. Here mean age of patient in FESS was 45.43 years and in conventional surgery was 45.13 years and male female ratio was 3.3:1. In this study postoperative complication of FESS were found in 07(23.33%) cases whereas in conventional surgery it were in 16 (53.33%) cases (p = <0.01, df = 1, Chi-squire = 7.65). In case of outcome, complete relief of symptoms occur in 22(73.33%) cases by FESS and 14(46.66%) cases by conventional procedure (p = <0.05 df = 2, Chi-squire = 9.29). In FESS 22(73.33%) cases and in conventional technique 14(46.67%) cases discharged within 24-48 hours (p = <0.05, df = 1, Chi-squire = 4.44). Recurrence after FESS was 6.67% cases and conventional surgery was 30% cases. The results of this series reveled that FESS had the combined advantages of precise removal of the disease with minimal complication.

Congenital absence of one tonsil without any other congenital abnormality: a rare presentation

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bmrcb.v38i1.10451Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 2012; 38: 39-40

Tubercular lymphadenitis - diagnostic evaluation

Tuberculosis is one the commonest disease affecting peripheral lymph node and cervical tubercular lymphadenitis are frequently encountered in Otolaryngological practice. Three hundred fifty six (356) cases of Fine Needle Aspiration for Cytology (FNAC) positive tubercular lymphadenitis were studied from January 2006 to December 2008. FNAC positive but histopathologically negative cases were excluded from the study. Among 356 cases of FNAC positive cervical lymphadenopathy 300 cases (84.27%) were confirmed tuberculosis on histopathological examination. Remaining 50 cases (15.73%) were diagnosed as nontubercular lymphadenitis where nonspecific lymphadenitis was the commonest finding 34(9.55%) followed by metastatic carcinoma 7(1.97%), lymphoma 6(1.08%), Kikuchiz's disease 6(1.08%), Kala-Azar 2(0.56%) & Leukemia 1(0.28%). Most of the patients presented with only multiple lymph node swelling with other symptoms, such as fever 18(5.06%), pain (15.7%), tenderness 53(14.88%), weight loss 29(8.14%), anorexia 33(9.26%). Following observations are evident from this study: i) Disease is comparatively common between 12-35 years ii) Multiple matted/discrete lymph nodes are the earliest presentation iii) Multiple lymph node is the most consistent finding for clinical diagnosis. iv) Very few patients have constitutional symptoms v) Suppuration with or without abscess formation although confirms the diagnosis even then certainty is very essential. Though the evidence of cervical tuberculosis was thought to be decreasing in developing countries the real picture seems to be different. Random survey among the whole population was not done in any country rather hospital based laboratory research was made.

Seasonal variation in physicochemical parameters and heavy metals in water of Upper Lake of Bhopal

Heavy metal pollution of fresh water is the single most important environmental threat to the future. Upper Lake is a freshwater lake, which is the major source of drinking water in the city of Bhopal, the capital city of M.P., the central province of India, but due to anthropogenic activities this lake is being polluted. During the investigation heavy metals and physicochemical parameters were analyzed to determine the water quality seasonally in the year of 2006 and 2007. All the physicochemical parameters except DO (6.50-6.97 mg l⁻¹), Free CO₂ (0.8-1.6 mg l⁻¹) and BOD (5.47-6.85 mg l⁻¹) were below the prescribed limit as recommended by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for drinking water standards. In case of heavy metals, Ni (0.173-0.253 mg l⁻¹) and Cr (0.047-0.087 mg l⁻¹) were found beyond the prescribed limits (0.02 and 0.05 mg l⁻¹, respectively), whereas Pb (0.057-0.087 mg l⁻¹), Cu (0.016-0.020 mg l⁻¹) and Hg (0.0006-0.0011 mg l⁻¹) were within the safe limit. This study reveals that water of upper lake is partially polluted with heavy metals. It is recommended that strict vigilance and constant monitoring are needed to maintain water quality of the lake, which is a major source of potable water for the Bhopal city.

Efficacy of soy protein isolate as a fat replacer on physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of low-fat paneer

The nutritional and textural properties of low fat paneer using soy protein isolate (SPI) as fat replacer was investigated. The physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of 4 types of paneer made of low-fat milk (3% milk fat (MF) and 10% solids-not-fat (SNF)) and SPI of 0 (T1), 0.1 (T2), 0.2 (T3) and 0.3% SPI (T4) were compared with high fat paneer (TC) made of high fat milk (6% MF and 9% SNF). CaCl2 (0.2%, w/v) was used as coagulant at 75 ± 1°C. Increased level of SPI in paneer increased yield, protein, ash, moisture content and decreased fat, moisture protein ratio, lactose and calorie contents. Titratable acidity and pH varied in narrow range. Instrumental firmness was higher (p ≤ 0.05) in T1-T4 than in TC. The gumminess, chewiness and firmness showed the same trend. Resilience and cohesiveness values showed no significant difference among the samples. Hunter colour L values showed a decreasing, and a and b values increasing trend with increasing levels of SPI. Sensory appearance and colour scores were lower (p ≤ 0.05) for T1-T4 than TC. More than 0.2% SPI imparted beany flavour to paneer.

Temporal variations in arsenic uptake by rice plants in Bangladesh: the role of iron plaque in paddy fields irrigated with groundwater

The transfer of arsenic to rice grains is a human health issue of growing relevance in regions of southern Asia where shallow groundwater used for irrigation of paddy fields is elevated in As. In the present study, As and Fe concentrations in soil water and in the roots of rice plants, primarily the Fe plaque surrounding the roots, were monitored during the 4-month growing season at two sites irrigated with groundwater containing approximately 130microgl(-1) As and two control sites irrigated with water containing <15microgl(-1) As. At both sites irrigated with contaminated water, As concentrations in soil water increased from <10microgl(-1) to >1000microgl(-1) during the first five weeks of the growth season and then gradually declined to <10microgl(-1) during the last five weeks. At the two control sites, concentrations of As in soil water never exceeded 40microgl(-1). At both contaminated sites, the As content of roots and Fe plaque rose to 1000-1500mgkg(-1) towards the middle of the growth season. It then declined to approximately 300mgkg(-1) towards the end, a level still well above As concentration of approximately 100mgkg(-1) in roots and plaque measured throughout the growing season at the two control sites. These time series, combined with simple mass balance considerations, demonstrate that the formation of Fe plaque on the roots of rice plants by micro-aeration significantly limits the uptake of As by rice plants grown in paddy fields. Large variations in the As and Fe content of plant stems at two of the sites irrigated with contaminated water and one of the control sites were also recorded. The origin of these variations, particularly during the last month of the growth season, needs to be better understood because they are likely to influence the uptake of As in rice grains.

Increased financial accessibility and targeted education messages could increase ownership and use of mosquito nets in Purulia District, West Bengal, India

Insecticide-treated mosquito nets are effective in reducing malaria transmission and mortality, yet they are underused for prevention. In this study, 561 households in 33 clusters were surveyed to estimate the coverage of net ownership and the frequency of use according to selected characteristics. Of the 540 participating household heads, 247 (46%) owned mosquito nets. Of 1681 individuals in households with mosquito nets, 1359 (81%) used the nets. A household monthly income > or =2000 Indian rupees (US$45) was strongly associated with mosquito net ownership (prevalence ratio=12, 95% CI 7.8-82). Factors independently associated with net use in multivariate analysis included age < 35 years (P<0.001), sleeping inside (P<0.001), use of repellent (P=0.03) as well as knowledge that mosquitoes cause malaria (P=0.002) and that malaria is severe in children (P<0.001). Whilst household income is the strongest determinant of mosquito net ownership, selected knowledge elements are associated with net use. It is necessary to improve financial accessibility to nets and to communicate that malaria is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that could be fatal in children.

Chemical, biochemical, and biological impact of untreated domestic sewage water use on Vertisol and its consequences on wheat (Triticum aestivum) productivity

In the peri-urban areas of central India, sewage water is a valuable resource for agricultural production. In this study, impact of domestic sewage water irrigation for 5 years on Vertisol with no previous history of sewage irrigation was investigated in an ongoing field experiment at Bhopal (India) under subtropical monsoon type climate. The wheat (Triticum aestivum) crop was grown during post-rainy winter season with 30 cm of irrigation (groundwater or sewage water) and four nutrient treatments (T(1), 0; T(2), 100%; T(3), 50%; and T(4), 50% of general recommended doses of NPK + FYM at 10 Mg/ha). Results showed that sewage irrigation of about 150 cm over a period of 5 years resulted significant increases in salinity as well as available fractions of N, P, K, and micronutrients, viz., Zn, Fe, and Mn in soils. Carbon and phosphorus applied through sewage water were accumulated more in subsoil layer compared to topmost plough layer. Soil microbiological activity, as indicated by soil respiration, microbial biomass C, as well as dehydrogenase enzyme activity was higher in sewage water-irrigated soils. There was also significant increase in fungal and actinomycetes as well as total coliform population in such soils. Nutrients supplied through sewage water were not able to raise the productivity of wheat to the level that obtained through fertilizers at the recommended level which indicated that additional nutrients through fertilizers are required to obtain higher productivity of wheat under sewage farming. Protein and Zn content in wheat grains were more when the crop was grown with sewage irrigation. Overall results show that except for increase in coliform population, short duration (5 years) of municipal sewage water irrigation did not have any appreciable harmful effect on soil quality as well as crop productivity; rather, it proved beneficial in improving soil fertility, wheat productivity, and produce quality.

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish tissues of a freshwater lake of Bhopal

Contamination of heavy metals, namely, lead, cadmium, zinc, nickel, copper, chromium and mercury was evaluated in the samples of water and tissues of Labeo rohita and Ctenopharyngodon idella of Upper Lake of Bhopal collected during summer, rainy and winter seasons of 2005-2006. Different organs of the fishes accumulated varying quantities of different heavy metals. In L. rohita, accumulation of heavy metals was in the sequence liver>kidney>gills>muscles, and in C. idella, it was gills>liver>kidney>muscles. Zn was the highest accumulating metal in fish, whilst Hg was the lowest and was well corroborated with those of water. The values of heavy metals were so far well within the maximum permissible standard value of heavy metals for drinking water and for fish culture as prescribed by various national and international agencies.

Cryopreservation of asian Dioscorea bulbifera l. and D. alata l. by vitrification: importance of plant growth regulators

The aim of this study was to develop cryopreservation protocols for Asian races of Dioscorea bulbifera and D. alata with high survival and plant regeneration after cryopreservation. Using a vitrification procedure, survival of shoot tips postcryopreservation of up to 89% in D. bulbifera and up to 82% in D. alata were recorded when excised shoot tips were pretreated overnight with 0.3 M sucrose in MS medium, followed by loading with 2 M glycerol plus 0.4 M sucrose for 20 min at 25 degrees C, exposure to PVS2 solution for 90 min at 0 degrees C, immersion in liquid nitrogen for 1 h, rewarming at 40 degrees C for 2 min, unloading in medium with 1.2 M sucrose for 20 min and culturing on growth recovery medium. During growth recovery, 58% shoot regeneration was obtained in D. bulbifera when cryopreserved shoot tips were initially cultured for 40 days on MS medium with 1.5 mg/L BAP, 0.15 mg/L NAA and 0.2 mg/L GA3 followed by culturing on a medium with 0.05 mg/L BAP and 0.15 mg/ L NAA. However, a maximum of 39% shoot regeneration was recorded in D. alata when cryopreserved shoot tips were initially cultured for 40 days on medium M2 (MS containing 1/5 NH4NO3 and 40 g/L sucrose) supplemented with 1.0 mg/L BAP, 1.0 mg/L zeatin, 0.15 mg/L IAA and 0.2 mg/L GA3. Subsequently, the regenerating shoots were cultured for 30 days on medium M2 with 1.0 mg/L BAP, 0.3 mg/L zeatin, 0.02 mg/L NAA and 0.2 mg/L GA3 followed by culturing for another 30 days on medium with 0.5 mg/L BAP, 0.02 mg/L NAA and 0.2 mg/L GA3. Finally, transfer onto medium with 0.05 mg/L BAP and 0.15 mg/L NAA stimulated production of fully grown plantlets. Alteration of post-thaw culture media with plant growth regulators and their application at various stages of growth recovery was crucial for regeneration of shoot tips and formation of plantlets in D. alata.

Simple multiresidue method for monitoring of trimethoprim and sulfonamide residues in buffalo meat by high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple, specific, and rapid analytical method for the determination of trimethoprim (TMP) and three sulfonamide (SA) antimicrobial drug residues in buffalo meat is developed and validated. This method is based on a solid-phase extraction technique followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-photodiode array (PDA) detection. Target compounds were extracted from the meat by acetonitrile and water, cleaned up on a Bond Elute C 18 cartridge column, and separated on a RP-C 18 column during HPLC analysis. Acetonitrile along with water appears to be an excellent extractant as recovery of the analytes at maximum residues levels (MRLs) in spiked sample was in the range of 75-108%, with coefficient of variations (CVs) ranging between 1.34 and 22%. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.031 and 0.062 microg/g, respectively, for all of the compounds. Intra- and interday assay precisions of the method at 0.125 microg/g concentrations for any drug ranged between 3 and 4%. The linearities of the TMP, sulfadimidine (SDM), sulfadoxine (SDO), and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) were 0.9989, 0.9999, 0.9998, and 0.9997, respectively. For robustness, the analytical method was applied to 122 buffalo meat samples obtained from export meat processing plants.

Development of NaCl-tolerant line in Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. through shoot organogenesis of selected callus line

Plants were regenerated successfully through shoot organogenesis of a NaCl-selected callus line of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. cv. Maghi Yellow (a salt sensitive cultivar), developed through stepwise increase in NaCl concentration (0-100mM) in the MS medium. The stepwise increase in NaCl concentration from a relatively low level to cytotoxic level was found to be a better way to isolate NaCl-tolerant callus line, since direct transfer of callus to high saline medium was detrimental to callus survival and growth. The selected callus line exhibited significant increase in superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1), ascorbate peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.11) and glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) activities compared to control callus (grown in medium devoid of NaCl). Stability of salt tolerance character of the selected callus line was checked by growing the calli in NaCl-free medium for 3 consecutive months followed by re-exposure to higher salinity stress (120mM NaCl). Among different growth regulator treatments, a combination of 5mgl(-1) TDZ (Thidiazuron) along with 0.25mgl(-1) NAA and 0.5mgl(-1) GA(3) was found to be the most effective for shoot organogenesis in selected callus line. The regeneration potential of the NaCl-tolerant callus ranged from 20.8% to 0% against 62.4% to 0% in control callus line. Under elevated stress condition (medium supplemented with 250mM NaCl), selected calli derived regenerants (S1 plants) exhibited significantly higher SOD and APX activities over both PC (positive control: control callus derived plants grown on MS medium devoid of NaCl) and NC (negative control: control callus derived plants subjected to 250mM NaCl stress) plants. In addition, the NC plants showed stunted growth, delayed root initiation, and had lesser number of roots as compared to S1 plants. Based on growth performance and antioxidant capacity, the S1 plants could be considered as NaCl-tolerant line showing all positive adaptive features towards the salinity stress. Further study on agronomic performance of these S1 plants under saline soil condition need to be undertaken to check the genetic stability of the induced salt-tolerance.

A heat stable protein toxin (drCT-I) from the Indian Viper (Daboia russelli russelli) venom having antiproliferative, cytotoxic and apoptotic activities

A heat stable 7.2kDa protein toxin (drCT-I) has been purified and crystallized from Indian Daboia russelli russelli venom (Roy Choudhury et al., 2006. Acta Cryst. F Struct Biol Cryst Commun, 62(Pt. 3), 292). The N-terminal (first 20) amino acid sequence of drCT-I was LKCNKLVPLFYKTCPAGKNL, which showed sequence homology to cytotoxins isolated from Naja venom. drCT-I has been evaluated for anticancer activity against EAC cells in vivo and human leukemic cells (U937, K562) in vitro. drCT-I (125 microg/kg, i.p/day for 10 days) significantly decreased EAC cell count, cell viability (p<0.001) and significantly increased the survival time of tumour bearing mice (T/C% 178.64, p<0.01) in comparison to untreated tumour bearing control. drCT-I, produced dose and time-dependent inhibition of U937 and K562 cell growth and had an IC50 of 8.9 and 6.7 microg/ml respectively after 24h treatment. The reduced MTT values after drCT-I treatment indicated its cytotoxic nature, which supported its antiproliferative action. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy in U937 and K562 cells after drCT-I treatment indicated certain features of apoptosis such as membrane blebbing, perforations, nuclear fragmentation. The induction of apoptosis was further confirmed by phosphatidylserine externalization observed using annexinV-FITC/PI staining and flow cytometric analysis. drCT-I brought about apoptosis by G1 phase arrest of the cell cycle. The effect of drCT-I on normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMNC) viability and cytotoxicity was studied in culture and was found to be lower than that on U937 and K562 cells. Thus both in vivo and in vitro experimental results suggested that drCT-I possessed anticancer potential.

Antiproliferative, cytotoxic and apoptogenic activity of Indian toad (Bufo melanostictus, Schneider) skin extract on U937 and K562 cells

The antiproliferative, cytotoxic and apoptogenic activities of Bufo melanostictus (Indian common toad) skin extract (TSE) on U937 and K562 leukemic cell line has been investigated. TSE significantly (P<0.001) reduced the time-dependent cell proliferation and decreased MTT values in U937 and K562 cells. TSE (IC50 doses) suppressed the proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression in both the cells. It was demonstrated that, TSE (IC50 doses) primarily arrested the U937 and K562 cells at G1 phase of the cell cycle. Confocal microscopy showed the altered fragmented nuclei and apoptotic bodies formation in TSE (IC50 doses) treated U937 and K562 cells. Membrane blebbing, cell surface shrinkage and perforation were observed through scanning electron microscope. TSE-induced DNA fragmentation in U937 and K562 cells was reflected in single-cell gel electrophoresis. TSE significantly (P<0.001) increase the length-width ratio of DNA mass as compared to control in comet assay. The flow cytometric analysis of annexin-V binding to the cancer cells further supported the apoptotogenic activity of TSE. The effect of TSE on normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells viability and cytotoxicity was studied in culture and found to be less cytotoxic than on the U937 and K562 cells. The findings from the present study suggested that TSE might possess potent antineoplastic agent having antiproliferative, cytotoxic and apoptogenic activity against U937 and K562 myeloid leukemic cells.

Development of NaCl-tolerant strain in Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. through in vitro mutagenesis

One NaCl-tolerant chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) variant (E2) has been developed in a stable form through IN VITRO mutagenesis using ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS) as the chemical mutagen. Salt tolerance was evaluated by the capacity of the plant to maintain both flower quality and yield under stress conditions. Enhanced tolerance of the E2 variant has been attributed to the increased activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and, to a lesser extent of membrane damage than NaCl-treated control plants. Isoform analysis revealed that an increase in total SOD activity in the E2 variant was solely due to significant activation of the Cu/Zn isoform. Elevated levels of carotenoids and ascorbate in E2 leaves have been reflected in their higher free radical scavenging capacity (RSC) expressed in terms of DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging ability. Data reflect that a proper balance between enzymatic and non-enzymatic defence systems is required for combating salinity stress in chrysanthemum. Better performance of the E2 progeny under same salinity stress condition, even in the second year, confirms the genetic stability of the salt-tolerance character. On the whole, the E2 variant, developed through 0.025 % EMS treatment, might be considered as a NaCl-tolerant strain showing positive characters towards NaCl stress.

Occurrence of non-protein low molecular weight cardiotoxin in Indian King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) Cantor 1836, venom

Pathophysiology due to snakebite is a combined effect of various actions of the complex venom constituents. Importance of protein toxins in snake envenomation is well known. The present investigation reports the existence of nonprotein/nonpetide low molecular weight toxin in Indian King Cobra venom, which plays an important role in envenomation consequences in experimental animal models. A group of non-peptidic toxins (OH-NPT1) was isolated from Indian King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah by thin layer chromatography and silica gel column chromatography. UV, IR, NMR and (ESI) TOF-MS studies characterized the OH-NPT1 as a mixture of aliphatic acids having molecular weights 256, 326 and 340Da. The minimum lethal dose of OH-NPT1 was found to be 2.5 microg/20g (iv) and 4microg/20g (ip) in male albino mice. The cardiotoxic property of OH-NPT1 was established through studies on isolated guinea pig heart and auricle preparations, ECG studies in albino rat and estimation of LDH1/LDH and CPK-MB/CPK ratio in Swiss albino mice. Commercial antiserum failed to neutralize the lethality and cardiotoxicity of the toxin. However, calcium and magnesium effectively neutralized the lethal action.

CNS and anticonvulsant activity of a non-protein toxin (KC-MMTx) isolated from King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) venom

In the present study, King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) venom was subjected to TLC followed by column chromatography/HPLC to isolate and purify a non-protein toxin designated as KC-MMTx. (1)H NMR, IR and EIMS studies showed KC-MMTx likely to be a 282 D unsaturated aliphatic acid having molecular formula C18H34O2. The minimum lethal dose of KC-MMTx was 200 microg/kg (i.v.) and 350 microg/kg (i.p.) in Swiss albino male mice. It significantly increased pentobarbitone induced sleeping time and significantly decreased the body temperature of male albino mice. It provided protection against amphetamine aggregate toxicity in mice but failed to protect amphetamine stereotypy in male albino rats. KC-MMTx provided significant protection against drug (strychnine, pentylenetetrazole, yohimbine) induced convulsions in male albino mice. It increased serum Na+ and decreased serum Ca2+ significantly in male mice. MAO activity and brain neurotransmitter levels in male mice were altered significantly. Further detailed study is warranted on the CNS, anticonvulsant potential of KC-MMTx, which may lead to the development of newer therapeutic tools in the near future.

Decline in ascorbate peroxidase activity--a prerequisite factor for tepal senescence in gladiolus

Flower senescence was studied in Gladiolus cv. "Snow Princess" over five arbitrarily divided developmental stages (stage 1, half bloom; stage 2, full bloom; stage 3, beginning of wilting; stage 4, 50% wilting; stage 5, complete wilting) in terms of changes in fresh weight, antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD; ascorbate peroxidase, APX; glutathione reductase, GR) activities and membrane integrity. A significant decrease in tepal fresh weight was observed over the senescence period (after stage 2). Membrane integrity was studied by measuring lipid peroxidation [in terms of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content] and membrane stability index (MSI) percentage. Maximum TBARS content was recorded in stage 4 (50% wilting). This increase in lipid peroxidation over the senescence period was in close association with high degree of membrane deterioration expressed as decrease in membrane stability index percentage. A significant decrease (two and half-fold) in MSI% in stage 5 (as compared to stage 1) indicates complete membrane deterioration. Progressive increase in endogenous H2O2 level was recorded over senescence period. Maximum H2O2 content (19.7+/-1.4 micromol g(-1) DW) was recorded at stage 5 (complete wilting). Three different patterns were observed in antioxidant enzymes behavior over the senescence period. APX activity was declined significantly as, the flower entered stage 3 (beginning of wilting) from full bloom condition (stage 2). Progressive and significant increase in SOD activity was measured as a function of time. Maximum SOD activity (24.2+/-0.8 U mg(-1) DW) was recorded in stage 5 (three-fold increase over stage 1). GR activity initially increased up to stage 4 (50% wilting) and declined significantly thereafter (approximately seven-fold). An increase in endogenous H2O2 level during senescence may be the result of a programmed down-regulation of APX enzyme activity, which seems to be the prerequisite factor for initiating senescence process in gladiolus tepal.

Physico-chemical treatment of wastewater from clusters of small scale cotton textile units

Small scale industries can not own individual wastewater treatment facility due to non-availability of land and skilled manpower for operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants. A centralized wastewater treatment facility for clusters of small scale industries is appropriate. This concept is gaining popularity in recent years. In India, various textile process operations are undertaken by individual small scale units. The wastewater generated at these units is conveyed to a common effluent treatment facility comprising of equalization, flocculation-clarification, activated sludge process, secondary clarification and finally discharge into inland surface water bodies. The wastewater from small scale cotton textile processing units was highly coloured and alkaline with average BOD and COD concentration of 205 and 790 mg l(-1), respectively. Due to the presence of several dyes, particularly reactive dyes, the biological treatment is often found less effective. Therefore, applicability of various physico-chemical treatment methods needs to be investigated in pursuit of an alternative to biological treatment of textile wastewater. A physico-chemical treatment scheme, involving chemical coagulation-sedimentation, dual media filtration, activated carbon adsorption followed by chemical oxidation was investigated in this paper. The quality of final treated wastewater in terms of BOD and COD was 18-24 and 230-240 mg l(-1), respectively through this scheme. A scheme of treatment comprising coagulation-sedimentation, dual media filtration, activated carbon, chemical oxidation may be considered as an alternative to biological treatment of textile wastewater.

Isolation and partial structural evaluation of a cardiotoxic factor from Indian common murrel (Channa striatus L.) skin extract

It was earlier reported from this laboratory that, Channa striatus, L a common edible fish, whose skin extract (CSSE) was pharmacologicaclly potent and contains several bioactive compounds. In the present communication a cardiotoxic factor was isolated and purified by thin layer chromatography followed by silica gel and neutral alumina column chromatography. Spectroscopic studies (UV, IR, 1H and 13C NMR, FAB-MS) indicated that the lethal cardiotoxic factor (CSS-CTF II) was an aromatic alkaloid compound with -NH, > C = C < and -OH functional groups. The molecular weight was found to be 413 dalton. LD50 of CSS-CTF II was found to be 42.5 mg/kg (i.v) in Swiss albino male mice. Pharmacological studies showed that CSS-CTF II possesses hypotensive and cardiotoxic activities and produced death through apnoea in experimental animals but had no effect on nerve muscle preparations. The haematological and biochemical data also indicated the toxic nature of CSS-CTF II, through significant fall in haemoglobin, total RBC, WBC, platelet count and increased cardiac marker enzyme CPK and CPK-MB value in experimental animals. The present investigation thus established the toxic nature of CSS-CTF II isolated from edible fish C. striatus skin extract. Further work is needed to identify CSS-CTF II's mechanism of action and its antagonism for therapeutic purpose.

Workshop 3 (synthesis): water, poverty alleviation and social programs

Poverty is a complex issue, which must be understood in a holistic manner. Low and variable income is certainly a key element, but it is far from enough to portray poverty. The various characteristics of poverty and their relative strength are determined through contextually specific circumstances, in terms of history, environmental preconditions, socio-cultural traits, etc. Much of this context is made up of local and national circumstances. The consequences of globalisation must, however, increasingly to be taken into account. At a larger scale, it is also relevant to mention that climate change will have a negative, although largely unpredictable, impact for the people in some parts of the world. For those who are already living on marginal lands or who are exposed to water problems, climate change is likely to create considerable adverse effects.

Effect of distillery effluents on some physiological aspects in maize

A field experiment was conducted for two years to study the effect of application of different distillery effluents: raw spent wash (RSW), biomethanated spent wash (BSW), lagoon sludge (LS), recommended NPK + FYM (farm yard manure) and control (no fertilizer and effluent) on some physiological aspects in maize. The study revealed that the application of distillery effluents resulted in increased leaf area, chlorophyll content, nitrate reductase activity total dry weight and grain yield. Among the effluents, the highest grain yield (36.9 qha(-1)) was obtained in BSW followed by RSW (32.2 qha(-1)) and LS (28.3 qha(-1)). Overall, NPK + FYM treatment recorded the highest grain yield (51.8 qha(-1)). However, to achieve the full manurial potential of the effluents, some amount of fertilizer should be supplemented.

Effect of distillery effluent on seed germination in some vegetable crops

A laboratory experiment was conducted to study the effect of different concentrations (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) of distillery effluent (raw spent wash) on seed germination (%), speed of germination, peak value and germination value in some vegetable crops: tomato, chilli, bottle gourd, cucumber and onion. The distillery effluent did not show any inhibitory effect on seed germination at low concentration except in tomato, but in onion the germination was significantly higher (84%) at 10% concentration as against 63% in the control. Irrespective of the crop species, at highest concentrations (75% and 100%), complete failure of germination was observed. The speed of germination, peak value and germination value also followed a similar trend. We found that a concentration of 5% was critical for seed germination in tomato and bottle gourd, and 25% in the rest of the crops. Based on the tolerance to distillery effluent, the crops studied have been arranged in the following order: cucumber > chilli > onion > bottle gourd > tomato. We conclude that the effect of the distillery effluent is crop-specific and due care should be taken before using the distillery effluent for pre-sowing irrigation purposes.

Relative efficacy of different distillery effluents on growth, nitrogen fixation and yield of groundnut

A field experiment with groundnut as test crop was conducted to evaluate the manurial potential of three distillery effluents: raw spent wash (RSW), biomethanated spent wash (BSW) and lagoon sludge (LS) vis-à-vis recommended fertilizers (NPK + farm yard manure (FYM)) and a control (no fertilizer or distillery effluent). It was found that all the three distillery effluents increased total chlorophyll content, crop growth rate (CGR), total dry matter, nutrient uptake (N, P and K) and finally seed yield compared to the control but inhibited nodulation and decreased nitrogen fixation. Among the three distillery effluents, BSW produced the highest seed yield (619 kg ha(-1)) twice that of control (3.10 kg ha(-1)), followed by RSW (557 kg ha(-1)) and LS (472 kg ha(-1)). However, the distillery effluents did not influence protein and oil contents. It was concluded that these distillery effluents because of their high manurial potential could supply nutrients, particularly potassium, nitrogen and sulphur, to the crops and thus reduce the fertilizer requirement of crops. Nevertheless, the crop performance and yield with three distillery effluents were overall less than that produced by recommended NPK + FYM probably on account of failure of the effluents to supply balanced nutrition to the plants for achieving their potential growth capacity.

Mass DEC campaign for filariasis in a hyper endemic district of West Bengal

As a part of the on-going National Filaria Control Programme, National Filaria Day was observed in Purulia district of West Bengal on 26th Nov 2000 with an extensively organized mass DEC consumption campaign preceded by IEC activities and followed by mopping up operations. In all 81.07% of the targeted population was covered, females (84.3%) being more available than males (78.3%). Percentage of coverage declines with increase in age. Municipalities and notified areas had less coverage as well as supervised consumption than in other areas. Consumption was highest in Balarampur block (88.6%). Supervised consumption among surveyed population was highest in Bandwan (56.0%). Overall patient compliance was very good, with side effects of vomiting, dizziness, headache and fever being 2.12% only among surveyed population. Disease prevalence among population covered showed 0.1% hand swelling, 0.6 to 0.8% leg swelling, while 1.1% of males had hydrocele.

Missing and neglected links in water management

In the current revolution in water management; issues that must be addressed include both urbanisation and ruralisation, water quality, and globalisation and energy policy. Water management must struggle against inappropriate research, myths and inadequate data.

Heart rate variability after acute traumatic brain injury in children

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate heart rate variability (HRV) by power spectral analysis of heart rate and its relationship to intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), and outcomes in children with acute traumatic head injury.

DESIGN

Prospective, case series.

SETTING

Pediatric intensive care unit in a level II trauma center/children's hospital.

SUBJECTS

Fifteen critically ill children with documented acute traumatic brain injury and four control subjects.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The normalized total power from 0.04 to 0.15 Hz was used to quantify low-frequency HRV and from 0.15 to 0.40 Hz to quantify high-frequency HRV. The ratio of low- to high-frequency (LF/HF) power was used as a measure of sympathetic modulation of heart rate. The power spectral data from the 5-min samples were averaged over each hour of data collection, and an hourly LF/HF ratio was obtained based on a 60-min electrocardiogram collection (twelve 5-min segments). The daily mean LF/HF ratio was calculated from the hourly LF/HF measurements. We found no linear correlation between the LF/HF ratio and either ICP or CPP (p = NS). There was a significant decrease in the LF/HF ratio when the intracranial pressure was >30 mm Hg (p < .001) or the cerebral perfusion pressure was <40 mm Hg (p < .001). Children with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3-4 had a lower LF/HF ratio compared with those who had a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 5-8 (p < .005). Patients who progressed to brain death had a markedly lower LF/HF ratio (p < .001), with a significant decrease after the first 4 hrs of hospitalization. Patients with more favorable outcomes had significantly higher LF/HF ratios.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that an ICP of >30 mm Hg or a CPP of <40 mm Hg may be associated with marked autonomic dysfunction and poor outcome. We speculate that HRV power spectral analysis may be a useful adjunct in determining the severity of neurologic insult and the prognosis for recovery in children. The LF/HF ratio may be helpful not only in identifying those patients who will progress to brain death but also in predicting which patients will have favorable outcomes.

Aprotinin in the management of life-threatening bleeding during extracorporeal life support

Contact with the synthetic surfaces of an extracorporeal circuit induces alterations in vascular components, derangements of the coagulation cascade and a systemic inflammatory response. Aprotinin reduces intraoperative and postoperative bleeding in adults undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass; however, trials in children have not had similar favorable results. While there have been some anecdotal reports, there have been no prospective clinical trials exploring the utility of aprotinin in the prevention of or as a therapy for bleeding while on extracorporeal life support (ECLS). We present a case series on our experience utilizing aprotinin for the treatment of life-threatening bleeding during ECLS. The combination of a loading dose followed by a continuous infusion resulted in significant reduction in blood loss and blood product utilization. This suggests that aprotinin may have clinical efficacy in the management of massive blood loss while on ECLS; however, larger controlled trials will be essential to determine the efficacy and appropriate dosing regimens before widespread use in ECLS can be advocated.

[Detection mode of leprosy and its disability grading in Khulna City, Bangladesh]

The early case detection followed by WHO/MDT is the most important in leprosy control program not only for the destruction of linkage of infection but also the prevention of disability in leprosy. PIME Sisters leprosy program has been carrying out active case detection for leprosy since 1986 in Khulna, the third biggest metropolitan city in Bangladesh. The relation between several detection modes and their associated disability grading was analyzed in order to see the contribution of each detection mode to disability grading. The disability grading of new registered patients from 1995 to 1997, 1,115 cases in total was analyzed according to its detection mode. Voluntary reporting patients from "out of control area" had both high disability grading of G = 2 (38.0%) and high MB rate (39.3%). On the other hand voluntary reporting patients in control area had less disability grading of G = 2 (12.2%) and less MB rate (25.3%). The number of patients referred by local doctors was still small and had both high disability grading of G = 2 (27.0%) and high MB rate (51.4%). Children detected under school surveillance did not have any marked disability of G = 2 (0%) and were almost PB patients (88.6%). (Prevalence rate of school surveillance was low.) Patients detected under general surveillance had low disability grading of G = 2 (2.6%). The disability grading (G = 2) of voluntary patients from control area (12.2%) was three times as much as that of patients from general surveillance (2.6%). Lastly patients of family contacts who were aware of the first symptoms had relatively less disability grading (5.9%). The small number of patients referred by local doctors (3.3% of total number) with high disability grading meant that there would be still great need of information programs on leprosy for local medical professions to think about leprosy. The high disability grading of patients from "out of control area" meant that the more effective leprosy control program should be done in "out of control area".