Burn injury as a public health problem in Odisha: clinico-epidemiological study of patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital and prospects for control

Background: Burn injuries continue to pose a significant and preventable global health challenge, with developing countries like India experiencing a troubling rise in cases. This study aimed to investigate the socio-demographic characteristics and patterns of burn injuries among patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital's. Methods: Over a six-month period, a hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted using semi-structured questionnaires, with prior consent from patients or their caregivers. Clinical assessments were also conducted to determine the percentage of total body surface area (TBSA) affected and the most severely affected body part. Results: 145 patients included in the study, the females were (56.55%), primarily aged between 21 and 40 years. Hindus (58.62%), lived in rural areas (63.45%), and were married (66.90%). Accidental burns accounted for 81.38% of cases, mainly occurring at home (84.83%). Flame burns were more common among females, while electric burns were more prevalent among males. The majority of burn injuries covered up to 30% of TBSA (44.83%), with the upper limbs being the most severely affected (42.76%). Alarmingly, only 36.55% of patients were admitted on the same day as the injury. Infection (55.86%) and amputation (8.97%) were the most common complications observed, and 14 deaths (9.66%) occurred during the study period. Conclusions: This study highlights the vulnerability of females to flame burns, often stemming from unsafe cooking practices. Delayed hospital admissions were associated with a higher mortality rate. Efforts to promote safety and awareness, particularly in rural areas, are crucial to reducing the burden of burn injuries in India.

Vertical Variability of Physical Properties under Different Land - Use Practices in Vertisols and Inceptisols of Central India

A study was carried out after harvest of rabi season crop during 2020-2021 to find out the vertical variability in status of physical properties in Vertisol and Inceptisol under different land uses. Samples were collected in triplicate from six different land use practices (forest, uncultivated, soybean-wheat, rice-wheat, soybean - chickpea and maize-wheat) at four depths (0-15, 15-30 30-45 and 45-60 cm) Gwalior and Jabalpur regions. For statistical analysis of data in factorial RBD different soil type were considered as factor A ,land use practices as factor B and three replications. Physical properties significantly affected by soil type. It was observed in different land use practices significantly affected in WHC. Under different soil type content of sand, silt and bulk density were higher in Inceptisol as compared to vertisol, however content of clay, porosity and (water holding capacity) WHC were higher Vertisol as compare to Inceptisol. WHC, bulk density and clay was found increased down the depth except porosity, sand in Vertisol while content of sand and bulk density was found increased down to depth except WHC, porosity and clay in Inceptisol.

Phytochemical Evaluation and Antioxidant activity of Piper cubeba and Piper nigrum.

Indian spices that provide flavor, color, and aroma to food also possess many therapeutic properties. Ancient Indian texts of Ayurveda, an Indian system of medicine, detailed the medicinal properties of these plants and their therapeutic usage. Recent scientific research has established the presence of many active compounds in these spices that are known to possess specific pharmacological properties. The therapeutic efficacy of these individual spices for specific pharmacological actions has also been established by experimental and clinical studies. The medicinal effects traditionally ascribed to Indian spices are validated by modern pharmacological and experimental techniques, thus providing a scientific rationale to their traditional therapeutic usage. Many plant-derived molecules have shown a promising effect in therapeutics. Among the plants investigated to date, one showing enormous potential is the Piperaceae. Piperine is an alkaloid found naturally in plants belonging to the pyridine group of Piperaceae family, such as Piper nigrum and Piper cubeba. It is widely used in various herbal cough syrups and it is also used in anti inflammatory, anti malarial, anti leukemia treatment. So the present study was aimed to extract the phytochemical compounds in different solvent system in Piper nigrum and Piper cubeba. In preliminary screening and confirmatory test it was identified as alkaloid. High antioxidant activity was found in Piper cubeba ethanol extract i.e. 77.61±0.02% in comparison to Piper nigrum extracts with 74.61±0.02% with IC50 values10.54±0.12μg/mg and 14.15±0.02 μg/mg respectively.

Assessment of drain water receiving effluent from tanneries and its impact on soil and plants with particular emphasis on bioaccumulation of heavy metals.

In the present study, impact of tannery and other industrial effluents on the physico-chemical characteristics of loamy drain water and their consequent impact on soil and plants irrigated with effluent have been studied. The study reveals most of the parameter pH, BOD5 and COD at sampling station I was higher than station II. Waste water quality at both Stations I and II exceeded prescribed limits (BIS) for safe disposal of effluents into the surface water Samples of soil and vegetables from the land irrigated with loamy drain water has been collected and analyzed for Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr Pb and Cd. The different metals showed different enrichment factor for loamy drain water irrigated soil and are as follows: Cd 30% (max), Pb 26%, Zn 18%, Cr 5%, Cu 5%, Ni 2% (min). For plant samples collected at polluted sites are Ni 46% spinach (whole plant) (max), Zn 42% spinach (whole plant), Cr 39% spinach (whole plant), Cu 33% spinach (whole plant), Pb 20% potato tuber, Cd 20% potato tuber (min). The levels of Zn 145, Cu 5.25, and Ni 39.25 microg/ g in spinach, Pb 29.25, Cr 38. 25 and Cd 3.2 microg/g in potato tuber grown on polluted soil irrigated with contaminated drain water were found more than the reference value, which may create chronic health hazard problem to human and cattle through food chain in long run. Accumulation of toxic heavy metals may be build up in the agriculturally productive land where it is treated with contaminated effluent enrich with metals in turn bio-concentrated in the edible fodder/plants.

Assessment of industrial effluent and its impact on soil and plants.

The present study deals with the assessment of industrial water of an electronic component manufacturing unit with electroplating and its subsequent effects on soil and plants receiving the effluent. The physico-chemical parameters of the effluent samples showed higher value than that of ground water. The treated effluent was within the permissible limit. Microtox test was conducted and determined the degree of toxicity of untreated, treated effluents as well as the water sample collected at effluent discharge point of receiving river (confluence point). The physico- mechanical parameters of the soil samples were not changed due to irrigation of the treated effluent, but the concentration of metals were comparatively higher than the control soil. Higher accumulation of metals was found in the plant parts in naturally growing weeds and cultivated crop plant irrigated with treated effluent. Elevated accumulation of metals in Eichhornia crassipes and Marsilea sp. growing along the effluent channel has been identified as a potential source of biomonitoring of metals particularly for Cu and Ca and can be utilised for the removal of heavy metal from wastewater.