Vertical Distribution of TOC, TN and Other Important Soil Attributes and Their Relationship in Alfisol and Entisol of West Bengal

A study to assess the profile distribution of important soil attributes in Alfisols and Entisols of West Bengal was conducted during 2016-17. Purposefully selected random sampling was carried out to collect the soils from different locations of two study sites, viz., Kalinagar (25º27'33.9"N, 88º19'10.2"E) from Malda district and Durganagar (26º09'62.7"N, 89º53'51.7"E) from Cooch Behar district of West Bengal at 0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 cm depths. Understanding of vertical distribution of soil fertility indicators like soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and other important properties in two different soil and climatic conditions will provide an insight regarding the behaviour of soil with the change in environmental conditions. Soil bulk density (BD), porosity, pH, SOC, TN, C:N ratio and texture were determined using standard laboratory procedures and computations. Obtained results were subjected to statistical analyses. Soils of Kalinagar sites were slightly acidic in nature while soils of Durganagar were neutral in nature. Kalinagar soils were silt clay loam in texture where Durganagar soils classified as loam to sandy loam. Soil BD values increased with depth in both Kalinagar (Alfisol) and Durganagar (Entisol). The porosity percentage progressively decreased with an increase in depth. Soils of Durganagar reported higher soil porosity at all the depths studied. An increase in soil pH with increasing depth was observed in both the sites. The mean total organic carbon (TOC) content recorded maximum in surface soil and its concentration decreased with the depth. Kalinagar soils observed 7.63% higher TOC (17.94 g kg-1) content than Durganagar (16.57 g kg-1) at surface depth (0-15 cm) and its accumulation at the lower depths was also maximum in former soil. Mean TN values were also found to decrease by increasing the depth. The accumulation of total nitrogen at the subsequent depths was relatively higher in Kalinagar than Durganagar. Increase in C:N ratio with increasing depth was noticed in Kalinagar site but the opposite trend was accorded in case of Durganagar. Accumulation of SOC and TN throughout the soil depth was found to be greater in Alfisol (Kalingar) due to higher clay and silt fractions as compared to Entisol (Durganagar). There was a significant positive relation of TOC with clay and silt (r = 0.285, p<0.05, r = 0.314, p<0.01, respectively) and of TN with clay and silt (r = 0.328, p<0.01, r = 0.262, p<0.05, respectively) irrespective of soil orders. Alfisols with high bulk density have a greater capacity to accumulate SOC and TN throughout the soil profile due to higher clay and silt fractions in comparison to Entisols with loose textural properties.

Microfilaria In Bone Marrow Aspirate: A Case Report

Wuchereria bancrofti is the most common parasite causing lymphatic filariasis. Microfilariae are dem­onstrated in the peripheral blood, body fluids, fine needle aspirates and in onchial ushings but it is an uncommon finding in the bone marrow. We report a case of a 45-year old male who presented with pyrexia of unknown origin and on peripheral blood and bone marrow examination found to have pan­cytopaenia with megaloblastoid changes in the bone marrow and W. bancrofti microfilariae.

Colorectal Cancer In Adolescents And Young Adults As Compared To Adults With Review Of Literature

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancers are relatively uncommon malignancies in India as compared to the western world as here there is less consumption of red and processed meat. According to recent cancer data in India, incidence of colorectal cancer is 4th in men and 3rd in women. Rectal cancers are more common in India[1].Considering such a low incidence in adults, it would be rare to find colorectal cancers in pediatric age group. We present a study on total 46 cases of colorectal cancers, among which 6 cases were in age below 25 years including two cases of adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A two year retrospective study from June 2016 to May 2018 was done. We came across total 46 cases of colorectal cancers, among which 18 cases were of females and 28 of males. Maximum number of cases were in age group 41- 50 i.e 14 cases. Two very rare cases of age 10 and 14 years were encountered which had very dismal prognosis at diagnosis itself. Other four cases were below 25 years of age and were also in advanced stage. CONCLUSION: Colorectal cancers are generally cancers of 5th to 6th decades. They are less commonly encountered before 30 years of age; being extremely rare in pediatric age group i.e 1 case/ million. If they do so, they usually present in advanced stage and have poor histological stage and grade thus making them inoperable. A high level of suspicion coupled with a digital rectal examination followed by sigmoidoscopy and/or colonoscopy if required can result in early diagnosis which will go a long way in providing effective therapy [2].

An Unusual Case Of Myocardial Tuberculosis Alongwith Involvement Of Kidneys

Pulmonary tuberculosis is one of the commonest infectious disease encountered in clinical practice and more so in the developing countries. Despite of effectiveness of treatment,it is still a major cause of death. Tuberculosis can effect almost every organ of the body with maximum cases in the lungs accounting to 80%[1]. It is seen that extrapulmonary site have increased morbidity and mortality. Cardiovascular involvement is rare about 1-2%[2] and that too seen usually in the pericardium.The involvement of myocardium is even rarer. Here is a case of autopsy finding in 47 years old female showing myocardial involvement due to tuberculosis. Tubercular findings were also found in the bilateral kidneys.

Profound Sensorineural Hearing Loss with Overlay of Middle Ear Pathology-Diagnostic Implications.

This study aimed to demonstrate the diagnosis of profound mixed hearing loss which is inappropriate to be studied vigorously to prove that at the level of profound degree of severity there is a little contribution of conductive pathology. Two groups of 15 subjects each in the age range of 18-25 years with mean age of 21 years were included. Group I consisted of pure sensorineural hearing loss of profound degree and Group II was made up of pure sensorineural hearing loss of profound degree who later reported with middle ear disorder. Pure tone measurements were conducted on all the subjects following standard procedures. Conductive hearing loss was induced with insertion of the insert ear plugs/ear moulds without sound bore for subjects in Group I and pure tone threshold measurements were repeated. Air-conduction and bone-conduction thresholds were compared for subjects in Group II prior and later to check for any middle ear pathology. Results showed that when Group I was induced with conductive hearing loss, the pure tone average did not change and for Group II, there was no change in air-conduction thresholds by later developed outer ear/middle ear pathologies. Diagnosis of profound sensorineural hearing loss with the overlay of middle ear pathology will bring insights into physiology of hearing and highlight the important issues of management of middle ear pathology, not for the purpose of improvement of absolute hearing thresholds but for the case of wearing of amplification device restricting the further growth of pathology, etc.

Primary disseminated extrapulmonary multidrug resistant tuberculosis.

Disseminated tuberculosis is a common mode of presentation of tuberculosis in patients both with and without HIV/AIDS in India. However, primary multidrug resistance in disseminated tuberculosis involving only the extrapulmonary sites in an immunocompetent adult is rare. Here, we report a case of a 19-year-old man who had disseminated tuberculosis involving left pleura, pericardium, peritoneum and intraabdominal lymph nodes. He was initially taking WHO category I antituberculous drugs, but was not responding in spite of 5 months of chemotherapy. Culture of the pleural biopsy specimen grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis which was resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin. He was put on therapy for multidrug resistant tuberculosis,following 24 months of chemotherapyhe had an uneventful recovery.

Colonic Strictures after Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Infants: Case Series.

The fate of neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis is variable, with colonic strictures being one rare phenomenon after the insult. We describe here two infants with colonic strictures, which developed secondary to neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. Infants recovered or in the process of recovery after it should be investigated for possibility of development of colonic strictures.

Studies on the Effect of Lugol’s Iodine on Reproductive Efficiency of Dairy Cattle.

The present investigation was conducted to study the effect of intra uterine infusion of 20 ml Lugol’s iodine (0.25 %) on day 5 (Group I; n= 18), day 17 (Group II n= 17) on reproductive performance as compared to untreated animals (Group III; n= 18). The average inter estrus interval in the animals in treatment group I (14.12 ± 0.396 days) was significantly (P<0.01) shorter than group II (23.93 ± 0.330 days) and control group III (20.93 ± 0.870 days). The average duration (days) for first postpartum fertile estrus was shortest (88.93 ± 10.053 days) in group I, followed by group II (106.46 ± 8.743 days) and control group III (113.72 ± 7.131 days). The number of artificial insemination (A.I.) required per conception was observed to be only 1.38 in group I while the values were 1.50 and 1.91 for group II and III, respectively.

Childhood Intussusception: A Prospective Institutional Study at BPKIHS.

Introduction: Intussusception is the commonest cause of bowel obstruction in infancy and childhood. The present study deals with the presentation, management and outcome of children presenting with intussusception at the Department of Surgery, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. Materials and Methods: Forty-seven children presenting at Department of Surgery, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences over a 5-year period were prospectively studied. Results: There were 27 (58.6%) males and 20 (41.4%) females, with male-to-female ratio of 1.4:1. The ages ranged from 2 months to 13 years, with a median age of 30 months. The mean duration of presentation was 10.7 ± 30.66 days (range 1-180 days). The triad of abdominal pain, bloody mucoid stools and palpable abdominal mass was seen in 10 (21%) of the cases. Surgical exploration was done in 42 (89.3%) patients. The commonest lead point was non-specific hyperplastic lymph nodes, occurring in 22 (54.3%), followed by idiopathic variety (16.6%), Meckel’s diverticulum (9.5%), ileocaecal junction (7.1%), submucous lipoma (4.7%), Non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma (4.7%), appendix (2.3%) and a mucosal polyp (2.3%). Overall mortality rate was 6.3%. Conclusion: The presenting age group and the time of presentation are higher than other studies. The mortality rate of 6.3% is comparable to other studies in the developing world. Earlier presentation could have avoided surgery, with a higher possibility of cases being managed conservatively.

Cysts of the central nervous system : a clinicopathologic study of 145 cases.

Non-neoplastic, non-inflammatory cysts of the central nervous system may cause symptoms because of pressure, rupture or secondary inflammation. A total of 145 cases of cysts were reviewed during a study period of 12 years. The clinical details and histological features were noted in all cases. During this period 53 epidermoid cysts, 16 dermoid cysts, 38 colloid cysts, 23 arachnoid cysts, 5 neurenteric cysts, 5 ependymal and glial cysts, 2 Rathke's cleft cysts and 3 unclassified cysts were encountered. The possible histogenesis is also discussed.

Antibody response to outer membrane proteins in Shigella dysenteriae type 1 infection with special reference to appearance of murine antibodies.

In shigellosis, the protective immune mechanism is not well established. The bacterial outer membrane proteins (OMPs) may have a role in the induction of immunity due to their outwardly location. The serum antibody response of S. dysenteriae type 1 infected patients against OMPs was assessed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A striking elevation of serum IgG response was noted during the convalescent phase. Murine antiserum directed against S. dysenteriae 1 OMPs was found to be highly cross reactive with the OMPs isolated from heterologous species. A major antigenic OMP was partially purified and showed distinct immunodominance in ELISA. These observations suggest that the specific component may have some immunoprophylactic potential.

Special features of coronary heart disease in people of the Indian sub-continent.

Contrary to the popular belief, coronary heart disease (CHD) is indeed common in the Indian sub-continent. Expatriate Indians in their newly adopted countries have 3 to 5 times more chance of developing CHD than the native population or the other immigrant groups. The well-known risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia, hypertension and smoking do not appear to play a major role, while the syndrome of insulin resistance seems to be an important risk factor for CHD in people of this sub-continent. Abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and low plasma HDL cholesterol are the markers of this syndrome. Increased plasma insulin levels or even better, the C-peptide measurement may help in identifying the abnormality early. As CHD among Indians has been found to be severe and more diffuse with serious complications and increased mortality at a younger age, preventive measures need to be instituted early. Low fat and complex carbohydrate diet along with regular aerobic exercise may help reduce abdominal obesity, improve insulin sensitivity and HDL cholesterol levels. Hypertriglyceridemia uncontrolled by above measures may require pharmacotherapy with agents such as gemfibrozil. Smoking must be stopped to help reduce insulin resistance and improve HDL levels and endothelial function. Those with hypertension should be considered for therapy with ACE inhibitors, which may improve insulin sensitivity. In patients with insulin resistance, therapy with metformin or troglitazone may be helpful.

Effect of cigarette smoking on lipid profile in the young.

In view of the controversies existing regarding the atherogenic potential of smoking, this study was conducted in 40 healthy young male Cigarette smokers and 40 age and weight matched male non smokers, to find out the difference in the serum lipid profiles of both the groups. Subjects in both the groups were in the age range of 25 and 35 years having no history of alcohol abuse or diseases like diabetes mellitus or obesity. The mean serum total cholesterol (177.3 +/- 32.5 mg/dL) and LDL cholesterol (100.2 +/- 31.0 mg/dL) were significantly higher in smokers (p < 0.05) whereas mean serum HDL- Cholesterol was (43.2 +/- 5.8 mg/dL) was significantly lower (P < 0.05). Mean triglyceride (170.8 +/- 59.7 mg/dL) was significantly higher in smokers than in nonsmokers (p < 0.01). In the fed state the total serum cholesterol level and triglyceride level was increased by 10.4 mg/dL and 51.1 mg/dL respectively in smokers whereas the increase was 4.8 mg/dL and 24.3 mg/dL respectively in nonsmokers. There was less rise of HDL cholesterol (1.9 mg/dL) in smokers as compared to that in nonsmokers (3.4 mg/dL) and in LDL-cholesterol (1.8 mg/dL) in smokers compared to nonsmokers (3.4 mg/dL) in fed state.

Awareness of diarrheal disease control in rural and urban areas of Bihar.

Awareness regarding different aspects of prevention and treatment of diarrheal diseases among parents in rural and urban areas of Patna district were studied. Survey was done in 245 households from 30 villages of Bihta block and about 275 households from 30 different mohallas of Patna town. All aspects were poorly known to the rural community, particularly the illiterates and a large segment of literates of Bihta block. Rural people were significantly less aware than their urban counterparts regarding value of prolonged breast feeding, spoon feeding rather than bottle feeding, using hand pump and tap water for drinking and using latrine for nightsoil disposal in preventing diarrhea. Utility of measles immunization in prevention of diarrhea was unknown to the community. Generally parents thought antidiarrheal drugs a must for treatment. Knowledge regarding ORS and its use in diarrhea and vomiting was very poor and significant difference (p < 0.001) in awareness was observed between educated and illiterates. Majority parents did not know the correct method of preparation and uses of ORS and SSS. Due to high literacy rate and health consciousness, the educated and majority of literate parents of Patna town were better aware, more factual and had rational view regarding causes, method of prevention, fundamentals of use of ORS and home management of diarrhea in children, although certain aspects are yet to be cleared to them.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Inhibition of aflatoxin production & growth of Aspergillus flavus by eugenol & onion & garlic extracts.

Efficacy of natural non-toxic materials including extracts of onion and garlic as well as eugenol was tested against aflatoxin production by A. flavus in liquid SMKY medium and in maize grains. Maximum inhibition in the mycelial growth occurred with garlic extract (61.94%), whereas inhibition of aflatoxin production was highest (60.44%) due to onion extract. Eugenol was most suitable for inhibiting aflatoxin production (60.35%) on maize grains.

Immunoblot analysis of antibody responses to Shigella dysenteriae type 1 infection.

Immunoblot analysis was used to identify the antigenic components of the outer membrane protein (OMP) extract from Sh. dysenteriae type 1 that may be relevant in protection against infection. The OMPs were extracted by ultrasonic disruption followed by Sarkosyl extraction. The macromolecular bands were separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), electroeluted to a nitrocellulose matrix and complexed with peroxidase conjugated antibodies in human convalescent sera. IgG specific reaction was found to a major antigenic component at 57 kilodaltons. In addition, weakly reactive three antigenic determinants of greater than 57 kD and four of less than 57 kD were found. Control sera from a rabbit immunized against OMP also exhibited a similar pattern of antigenic reactivity. Some of the OMPs with high antigenicity may be important in immunoprophylaxis.

Blood group and shigellosis.

A study on the distribution of ABO blood groups was carried out on 85 patients with clinically and bacteriologically proven shigellosis. A significant association (P less than 0.01) of blood group B was observed with shigellosis cases in comparison to controls from whom no Shigella species or other enteropathogen could be isolated. Patients with isoagglutinin B or those who possess blood group B antigen may be at a relatively increased risk of shigellosis.

Declining age of menarche in West Bengal.

A steady fall in menarcheal age has been observed in many countries during this century. A study on 894 school girls of different parts of West Bengal was carried out by recollection method to verify whether the decline in menarcheal age is existing in West Bengal or not. Evidence of steady fall of menarcheal age has been confirmed in the present study.