Organic Amendments for Soil Reclamation: A Review

The principle that presents human activities and forms the basis of sustainable soil management must not negatively impact future generations. The soil can be degraded by human activity, natural events like erosion and other factors. Degraded or disturbed soil sometimes lacks organic matter when compared with neighbouring undisturbed areas. Organic amendments that are produced in huge quantity worldwide and have the potential to be widely used for soil reclamation include animal manure, biosolids, waste from fruit pulp, kitchen trash, paper mills, wood scraps, crop residues, etc. This review article explores the mechanisms through which organic addition alters physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil and defines significance of organic amendments in the soil reclamation, with a focus on amendment types and application rates for soil amelioration and biomass production. A large-scale use of organic amendments can speed up the initial reclamation process and produce self-sustaining net production. Though easily decomposable organic additions may have immediate but transient impacts, stable and less decomposable molecules may cause effects that last longer. Organic additions consisting of waste products from the forestry, urban and agricultural sectors are used to achieve land reclamation to attain mutual benefits.

Addition of temozolamide as radiosensitizer in brain metastasis: experience from a resource limited centre in sub-Himalayan region

Background: Brain metastasis is a common, debilitating and undesirable neurological complication of systemic cancer and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Methods: 39 patients of brain metastasis with Ca breast/Ca lung as primaries were randomized into a study arm and control arm in between 1st August 2018 to 31st July 2019 at IGMC Shimla. Control arm consisted of WBRT (30 GY/10 fractions/5 days a week). Study arm consisted of WBRT with same dose and temozolamide administered 75mg /m2/day during RT days. Results: Out of 39 patients 34 patients completed treatment out of which 17 in study and 17 in control arm. Response to brain lesions could not be assessed in 20 out of 39 patients. In remaining 19 patients 36.8% patients in study arm and 20% patients in control arm had partial response (PR). 5.3% patient in study arm and none in control arm has complete response (CR). 25% patients in control arm and 15.8% patients in study arm had stable disease. Improvement in QOL (FACT- G) seen in both study and control arm post Rx, however improvement sustained in study arm at 1st F/u. Conclusions: Leveraging the additional radio-sensitizing effect of TMZ may hold promise as an attractive strategy to enhance the quality of life in patients with a favourable performance status. Moreover, RPA could serve as a decisive factor in tailoring the treatment approach, guiding the choice between palliative radiotherapy and best supportive care for these individuals.

An analytical survey among academic satisfaction and mental stress of students’ in COVID-19

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has shown a significant impact on the psychological wellbeing of health care workers. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health of allied health sciences students in Bangalore. During the months of January and April 2022, 200 completed a survey containing measures of depression, anxiety and stress [using depression anxiety and stress-21 scale (DASS-21)] and questions regarding potential predictors such as the role of COVID-19 perception, availability of mental health support and study-related factors. The student t-test revealed factors associated with the presence of significant psychiatric symptoms. Methods: An online survey of a sample consisting of 140 students assessed sociodemographic, DASS 21 and their emotions and concerns during the outbreak. Results: Among the participants, 63,6% screened positive for moderate depression, 25% for moderate and sever anxiety and 35% and 64.7% for mild stress. Girls reported significantly more depression, anxiety, and stress than boys. Those who received mental health support reported significantly lesser depression, anxiety, and stress. Those who felt that quality of life was heavily impacted due to COVID-19 reported significantly high depression, anxiety, and stress. Most of the students were having mild degree of depression, anxiety and stress. Conclusions: Poor psychological well-being was prevalent in allied health sciences students; however, mental health measures have been shown to significantly reduce the mental health burden academically.

Comparative study between liquid-based cytology & conventional Pap smear for cytological follow up of treated patients of cancer cervix

Background & objectives: Cancer cervix is one of the most common forms of genital malignancy among Indian women. Recurrence is seen in a significant number of cases. The conventional cervical smear technique has inherent problems and screening and interpretation errors. This study was undertaken to assess the efficacy of liquid-based cytology (LBC) as a method for cytological follow up and detection of recurrence in treated cases of cancer cervix and to compare it with conventional Pap smear technique to find the best screening method for detection of recurrence in these patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of one year. Patients attending Gynecology and Radiotherapy outpatient departments for follow up after treatment of cancer cervix were included. Pap smear and LBC were taken in all cases. Colposcopy and biopsy were done for those having epithelial cell abnormality in cytology report. Colposcopy and biopsy were taken as gold standard for diagnosis of cancer cervix recurrence. Results: Ninety four treated patients of carcinoma cervix were studied. The diagnostic accuracy for detection of recurrence of conventional Pap smear was 79.16 per cent, and that of LBC was 97.6 per cent. The difference between the two methods was significant (P<0.001). Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings showed that LBC performed better than the conventional method of cytology to detect recurrence of squamous cell carcinoma. Its sensitivity, specificity as well as accuracy were much higher than conventional method. LBC can be a better method of cytological follow up of post-treated patients of cancer cervix.

Prognostic significance of pre discharge one hour electrocardiographic monitoring in patients recovering from acute myocardial infarction.

During a 15 months period, 97 patients with AMI were monitored continuously at hospital discharge for one hour. The VPCs or no VPC noted during this period of continuous monitoring were correlated with subsequent cardiac events during one year follow up. Patients with complicated VPCs had a significantly higher incidence of cardiac deaths and non-fatal re-infarctions during one year follow up (54.5%) as compared to patients with no VPCs (6.5%) (p less than .001). Patients with higher grades of VPCs had more complicated course (30.3% to 66.7% for Lown Grade II to IV) as compared to 6.5% and 20.8% for grade Lown O and I. Though, the results of this 1 hour continuous monitoring at hospital discharge are not as sensitive as with ambulatory Holter monitoring as is evident from this study where complicated VPCs were detected in 11.4% patients vs. 33% with Holter monitoring, it could be a useful tool in institutions where the facility of Holter monitoring does not exist.