Evaluation of climate-induced waterlogging hazards in the south-west coast of Bangladesh using Geoinformatics.

Climate-induced waterlogging has been significantly affecting the lives and livelihood of people in the south-west coastal region of Bangladesh for a couple of decades. The objective of this study is to investigate the waterlogging hazards of Tala, a south-western coastal Upazila of Bangladesh by analyzing satellite image. An empirical model based on velocity of flow, depth of flow, and inundation depth has been proposed to assess waterlogging hazard in pre monsoon, monsoon, and post monsoon period. Landsat TM images for the years 1989, 2000, and 2011 were analyzed by using Geoinformatics including GIS and remote sensing techniques to quantify the water hazard. Three dominant land use classes such as "water," "vegetation," and "bare lands and others" were selected to identify the land use land cover change. Both FGD (focus group discussions) and KII (key informant interviews) were also accomplished to assess the waterlogging hazard. It was revealed that 0.7% of the study area (246 ha) was under water in 1989, which increased alarmingly to 34% (11,525 ha) in 2011. There was an increase in 62.9% of water bodies during 1989 to 2000, which was further expanded to 77% during 2000 to 2011. Satellite image analysis between 2011 and 2015 also showed that nearly 89% of the waterlogged area including floodplain is inundated by tidal saline water that supports shrimp cultivation. On the contrary, 11% of the waterlogged area was occupied by trapped rain water. Confirmation of saline water and fresh water was done by measuring electrical conductivity and conducting "mouth taste" during field visit. The decreasing rate of "bare lands and others" category indicates that there is around 69.4% of reduction in this category to accommodate the increasing water covering areas. The hazard model shows that the middle part of the Tala along with the flood plain of the Kabodak River usually have to suffer waterlogged in both pre monsoon and post monsoon period. It was found that low flow in the upstream side, siltation in the Kabodak River, elevated riverbed, and recent increase in total annual rainfall have resulted in waterlogging problem. Combining inputs obtained from FGD, KII, and economic study of drainage, the TRM (tidal river management) followed by re-excavation of silted riverbed may provide a sustainable solution to solve the prolonged waterlogging situation.

Early versus Late Surgical Treatment for Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Objectives. To compare the outcome of early surgical intervention versus late surgical treatment in cases of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS). Design. Prospective study. Settings. Secondary care (Al-Minia University Hospital, Egypt) from 2007 to 2010. Participants. Thirty-five patients of NTOS (25 women and 10 men, aged 20-52 years), were classified into 2 groups. First group (20 patients) was operated within 3 months of the onset and the second group (15 patients) was operated 6 months after physiotherapy. Interventions. All patients were operated via supraclavicular surgical approach. Outcomes Measures. Both groups were evaluated clinically and, neurophysiologically and answered the disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) questionnaire preoperatively and 6 months after the surgery. Results. Paraesthesia, pain, and sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) of ulnar nerve were significantly improved in group one. Muscle weakness and denervation in electromyography EMG were less frequent in group one. The postoperative DASH score improved in both groups but it was less significant in group two (P < .001 in group 1 and P < .05 in group 2). Conclusions. Surgical treatment of NTOS improves functional disability and stop degeneration of the nerves. Early surgical treatment decreases the occurrence of muscle wasting and denervation of nerves compared to late surgery.

Arsenic transport in irrigation water across rice-field soils in Bangladesh.

Experiments were conducted to analyze processes impacting arsenic transport in irrigation water flowing over bare rice-field soils in Bangladesh. Dissolved concentrations of As, Fe, P, and Si varied over space and time, according to whether irrigation water was flowing or static. Initially, under flowing conditions, arsenic concentrations in irrigation water were below well-water levels and showed little spatial variability across fields. As flowing-water levels rose, arsenic concentrations were elevated at field inlets and decreased with distance across fields, but under subsequent static conditions, concentrations dropped and were less variable. Laboratory experiments revealed that over half of the initial well-water arsenic was removed from solution by oxidative interaction with other water-column components. Introduction of small quantities of soil further decreased arsenic concentrations in solution. At higher soil-solution ratios, however, soil contributed arsenic to solution via abiotic and biotic desorption. Collectively, these results suggest careful design is required for land-based arsenic-removal schemes.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of the tonsil.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours are aetiologically enigmatic, nosologically confusing and biologically unpredictable lesions. The lungs are the organs of apparent predilection. These tumours have also been documented in a number of extrapulmonary sites including the head and neck. So far only two cases of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of the tonsil have been reported in the English literature. We document another case, occurring in a 41-year-old man with history of cadaveric renal transplant nine years ago. A comprehensive review of the literature is also presented.