Ammonia fluxes and emission factors under an intensively managed wetland rice ecosystem.

Nitrogen (N) loss from rice production systems in the form of ammonia (NH3) can be a significant N loss pathway causing significant economic and environmental costs. Yet, data on NH3 fluxes in wetland rice ecosystems are still very scarce which limits the accuracy of national and global NH3 budgets. We measured the NH3 fluxes in situ in a wetland rice field and estimated emission factors (EF) under two soil management systems (i.e. conventional tillage, CT and strip tillage, ST); two residue retention levels (i.e. 15%, LR and 40% crop residue by height, HR); and three N fertilization rates (i.e. 108, 144 and 180 kg N ha-1) in two consecutive years (2019 and 2020). The highest NH3 peaks were observed within the first 3 days after urea application. The mean and cumulative NH3 fluxes significantly increased with the increases in N fertilization rates and were 18.5% and 18.6% higher in ST than in CT in 2020 but not in 2019. Overall, the highest mean NH3 fluxes were in 180 kg N ha-1 coupled with either HR or LR and ST or CT. In 2019, the NH3 EF was unchanged by any treatments. In 2020, the lower EF was in CT coupled with LR (15%) than all other treatment combinations, where ST with HR showed the highest EF (20%). Likewise, the lowest N rate (108 kg N ha-1) in ST had the highest NH3 EF (20%) that was similar to higher N rates (144 and 180 kg N ha-1) in the same tillage treatment and to 180 kg N ha-1 in CT. Our results highlight that NH3 fluxes in rice field particularly the effects of ST correlated with higher soil pH and NH4+ content and lower redox potential. Our results highlight that NH3 fluxes are a potentially large N loss pathway in wetland rice under conventional and decreased soil disturbance regimes.

Situational analysis of varying models of adherence support and loss to follow up rates; findings from 27 treatment facilities in eight resource limited countries.

OBJECTIVES: Large-scale provision of ART in the absence of viral load monitoring, resistance testing, and limited second-line treatment options places adherence support as a vital therapeutic intervention. We aimed to compare patient loss to follow up rates with the degree of adherence support through a retrospective review of patients enrolled in the AIDSRelief program between August 2004 and June 2005. METHODS: Loss to follow up data were analysed and programs were categorised into one of four tiered levels of adherence support models: Tier I, II, III, and IV which increase from lowest to highest support. Bivariate and t-test analyses were used to test for significant differences between the models. RESULTS: 13,391 patients at 27 treatment facilities from six African and two Caribbean countries began antiretroviral therapy within the first year of the AIDSRelief program. The mean loss to follow up within the first year was 7.5%. Eight facilities were Tier I, three (Tier II), nine (Tier III), and seven (Tier IV). Facilities in Tier I had a loss to follow up rate of 14%, Tier II (10%), Tier III (5%), and Tier IV (1%). The proportion of loss to follow up for Tier I and Tier III were significantly different from each other (P < 0.02), as were Tier I and Tier IV (P < 0.006). There were differences between Tier II and Tier IV (P < 0.009) as well as Tier III and Tier IV (P < 0.017). CONCLUSION: These data strongly support the use of proactive adherence support programs, beyond routine patient counselling and defaulter tracking to support the'public health approach'to ART.

Increased concentrations of plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine in patients with eclampsia.

We measured plasma catecholamine concentrations on admission (after eclamptic fit) and after 6 days of delivery in 21 eclamptic patients and on admission in 15 normotensive pregnant women in Bangladesh. Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations in eclamptic patients were significantly higher on admission than those of normotensive pregnant women (P < 0.0001). Plasma catecholamine concentrations and mean arterial blood pressure had return to be almost normal as normotensive pregnant women after 6 days of delivery, resulting in no correlation between mean arterial blood pressure and plasma catecholamines. On admission (after eclamptic fit) mean arterial blood pressure was positively correlated with plasma epinephrine (r = 0.626, P < 0.002) and norepinephrine (r = 0.553, P < 0.008) concentrations in patients with eclampsia. The amount of proteinuria was also significantly correlated with plasma epinephrine (r = 0.515, P < 0.02) and norepinephrine (r = 0.606, P < 0.003) concentrations. Number of convulsions was significantly correlated with concentrations of plasma epinephrine (r = 0.514, P < 0.02), norepinephrine (r = 0.521, P < 0.01) and mean arterial blood pressure (r = 0.535, P < 0.01). A positive correlation was found between time passed after convulsion with plasma epinephrine (r = 0.515, P < 0.02) and norepinephrine (r = 0.570, P < 0.006) concentrations. These suggested that the increased plasma levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine in eclamptic patients were well correlated with the severity of the clinical features of eclampsia.

The role of hyaluronic acid as a mediator and regulator of cervical ripening.

During pregnancy, hyaluronic acid (HA) concentration in the human cervix is very low, but increases rapidly at the onset of labour. HA has a high affinity for water molecules and hence can maintain tissue hydration. HA can stimulate collagenase production in rabbit cervix, and also stimulates migration and function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the tissues. It is an endogenous regulator of interleukin-1 (IL-1). We hypothesized that HA plays an essential role during cervical ripening. The effect of exogenous application of HA (20 mg) on non-pregnant and pregnant (day 23) rabbit cervices was compared with controls. HA induced cervical ripening in both pregnant and non-pregnant animals, and cervical water content was significantly increased. Tissue collagen was markedly decreased. The localization and distribution of HA and HA receptor CD44 was determined in non-pregnant and pregnant human cervical connective tissue using biotinylated HA binding protein and CD44 monoclonal antibodies. Both were widely distributed in the connective tissues, especially around the blood vessels and cervical glands. The effect of IL-8 (50, 100, 150 and 200 ng/ml) on HA production and hyaluronidase (HAase) activity was investigated in cultures of lower uterine segment collected during elective Caesarean sections. HA production was stimulated in a dose-dependent manner; there was no effect on hyaluronidase activity. HA administration (0.5, 1 and 2 mg/ml) stimulated the activities of collagenase and gelatinase together with IL-8 production in the culture supernatants. Thus HA may play an important role in cervical ripening, being involved in the regulation of cervical tissue water content, collagenolytic enzymes and cytokines.

Increased concentrations of plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine in patients with eclampsia.

We measured plasma catecholamine concentrations on admission (after eclamptic fit) and after 6 days of delivery in 21 eclamptic patients and on admission in 15 normotensive pregnant women in Bangladesh. Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations in eclamptic patients were significantly higher on admission than those of normotensive pregnant women (P < 0.0001). Plasma catecholamine concentrations and mean arterial blood pressure had return to be almost normal as normotensive pregnant women after 6 days of delivery, resulting in no correlation between mean arterial blood pressure and plasma catecholamines. On admission (after eclamptic fit) mean arterial blood pressure was positively correlated with plasma epinephrine (r = 0.626, P < 0.002) and norepinephrine (r = 0.553, P < 0.008) concentrations in patients with eclampsia. The amount of proteinuria was also significantly correlated with plasma epinephrine (r = 0.515, P < 0.02) and norepinephrine (r = 0.606, P < 0.003) concentrations. Number of convulsions was significantly correlated with concentrations of plasma epinephrine (r = 0.514, P < 0.02), norepinephrine (r = 0.521, P < 0.01) and mean arterial blood pressure (r = 0.535, P < 0.01). A positive correlation was found between time passed after convulsion with plasma epinephrine (r = 0.515, P < 0.02) and norepinephrine (r = 0.570, P < 0.006) concentrations. These suggested that the increased plasma levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine in eclamptic patients were well correlated with the severity of the clinical features of eclampsia.

Evaluating rural Bangladeshi women's perspectives of quality in family planning services.

Several frameworks for understanding the quality of family planning care have been proposed. However, efforts to measure and quantify their components remain underdeveloped, especially with regard to nonclinical care and community-based distribution. This study examines a large-scale field survey conducted among married women of reproductive age in rural Bangladesh in 1989 and 1990 to measure and evaluate rural women's perceptions of the quality of outreach services they received. Initial analysis indicates that rural women are able to distinguish between good and poor quality of care and that these perceptions can be accurately documented and quantified through sample survey approaches. Implications of the use of a survey in the measurement of quality of care are discussed, as well as implications of the results for managers within the Bangladesh government family planning program, which has been regarded by donor agencies as having limited responsiveness to clients' needs.

PIP: While frameworks have been proposed for understanding the quality of family planning care, there has been too little effort to measure and quantify program components, particularly with regard to nonclinical care and community-based distribution. Findings are presented from a study which analyzed data from a large-scale field survey conducted among 10,127 married women of reproductive age in rural Bangladesh during 1989-90 to measure and evaluate their perceptions of the quality of outreach services they received. The initial analysis indicates that rural women are able to distinguish between good and poor quality of care and that these perceptions can be accurately documented and quantified through sample survey approaches. The authors discuss the implications of the use of a survey in the measurement of quality of care, as well as the implications of the results for managers within the Bangladesh government family planning program.