Arsenic load in rice ecosystem and its mitigation through deficit irrigation.

Rice the staple food is a notable intake source of arsenic to the rural population of eastern India through food-chain. A field survey was carried out to study the variation of arsenic load in different parts of rice genotype Shatabdi (most popular genotype of the region) exposed to varying level of arsenic present in the irrigation water and soil. As irrigation is the primary source of arsenic contamination, a study was conducted to assess arsenic load in rice ecosystem under deficit irrigation practices like intermittent ponding (IP), saturation (SAT) and aerobic (AER) imposed during stress allowable stage (16-40 days after transplanting) of the crop (genotype Shatabdi). Present survey showed that arsenic content in water and soil influenced the arsenic load of rice grain. Variation in arsenic among different water and soil samples influenced grain arsenic load to the maximum extent followed by straw. Deviation in root arsenic load due to variation in water and soil arsenic content was lowest. Arsenic concentration of grain is strongly related to the arsenic content of both irrigation water and soil. However, water has 10% higher impact on grain arsenic load over soil. Translocation of arsenic from root to shoot decreased with the increase in arsenic content of water. Imposition of saturated and aerobic environment reduced both yield and grain arsenic load. In contrast under IP a marked decrease in grain arsenic content recorded with insignificant reduction in yield. Deficit irrigation resulted in significant reduction (17.6-25%) in arsenic content of polished rice and the values were lower than that of the toxic level (<0.2 mg kg-1). In contrast the decrease in yield was to the tune of 0.9% under IP regime over CP.

Comparison of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of Wilson's score and intubation prediction score for prediction of difficult airway in an eastern Indian population-A prospective single-blind study.

INTRODUCTION: Unidentified difficult airway leads to significant adverse events and therefore prediction of a difficult airway is of importance. Independent bedside tests for the prediction of a difficult airway have poor accuracy. The airway assessment scores have not gained popularity as they are cumbersome to perform at the bedside. They also have a varying degree of interobserver variability because of their subjective parameters. Therefore, there is a need to search for a simple score with objective parameters that can be performed at the bedside. AIM: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the Wilson score andiIntubation prediction score for predicting difficult airway in the Eastern Indian population. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A prospective single-blind study was done including 150 consecutive patients, ASA grade I and II between the ages of 18 and 70 years, undergoing surgery requiring general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Preoperatively, the airway was assessed in all patients using Wilson Score and Intubation Prediction Score. General anesthesia with endotracheal intubation was done in all patients. The airway was assessed for ease laryngoscopy and intubation using the Intubation Difficulty Scale. An IDS >5 was taken as difficult airway. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of the two predictive tests to predict a difficult was calculated. RESULTS: The sensitivity, positive predictive value and accuracy of Intubation Prediction Score was 77.8%, 58.3%and 90.7% respectively as compared to 38.9%, 25.95% and 78.33% respectively of Wilsons score. CONCLUSION: Intubation Prediction score with its objective parameters can be preferred as a simple and accurate bedside test to predict a difficult airway in an Eastern Indian population.

Immunochemotherapy for Leishmania donovani infection in golden hamsters: combinatorial action of poly ICLC plus L-arginine and sodium stibogluconate (Stibanate).

We demonstrate that golden hamsters infected with Leishmania donovani amastigotes develop the capacity to eliminate intracellular pathogens on treatment with low-dose standard antileishmanial sodium stibogluconate (Stibanate) in combination with polyinosinic-polycytidilic acid stabilized with polylysine and carboxymethycellulose (poly ICLC), a potent inducer of interferon (IFN) and immune enhancer, plus L-arginine. Data suggest that low doses of both Stibanate and poly ICLC plus L-arginine provide marginal inhibition against L. donovani infection in golden hamsters. When given in combination, however, a significant inhibition was achieved without toxicity, as all the animals survived up to 45 or 60 days. These results suggest that combination therapy using Stibanate and poly ICLC plus L-arginine may be very effective in reducing the dose of Stibanate and, hence, its dose-dependent toxicity in clinical situations.

An epidemic of picornavirus and adenovirus conjunctivitis.

A pandemic of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis occurred in south-east Asia during 1970 and 1971, and became epidemic in Lucknow in May 1971. From the conjunctival swabs adenovirus-like agents were isolated in monkey kidney tissue culture; one was typed as adenovirus 2. In paired sera rising antibody titres were found against an adeno-like agent isolated and the picornavirus (EC2/71) isolated in Singapore. The epidemics in south-east Asia were caused by a picornavirus while in Lucknow both adenovirus and picornavirus appeared to be implicated.

Geophysical expression of natural recharge in different geological terrains.

Behavior of the Dar-Zarrouk parameters--longitudinal unit conductance, transverse unit resistance, longitudinal resistivity, and transverse resistivity--has been compared with the behavior of the natural recharge in two geological terrains. Contour patterns of the geophysical parameters and those of natural recharge have been analyzed and a qualitative relation in their behavior was recognized. Graphical comparison of the geophysical and hydrogeological parameters clearly illustrates a qualitative relationship between the two parameters. Use of such qualitative relation in the field of ground water exploration and management studies is explained. A modest beginning is attempted to arrive at a quantitative relation between natural recharge and Dar-Zarrouk parameters.

Effect of undernutrition on succinate dehydrogenase and acetylcholinesterase in developing rat brain.

Pups (5 days old) were undernourished by separating them for 14 hr daily from their mothers for 7, 10, 13, 16 and 20 days. The undernourished rats showed significant decrease in body and brain weight, protein and nucleic acid contents at all stages of observation as compared to controls. The activities of SDH and AChE enzymes were decreased significantly after 10 days and onwards in undernourished rat brain. However, maximum decrease in brain protein, nucleic acid contents and enzyme activities was observed during suckling-weaning-transition (20-21 days). Such alterations in enzyme activities may be correlated with the reduced oxidative and neurotransmission function in undernourished developing rat brain.

Serum prolactin and cortisol in children with some paroxysmal disorders.

Postictal serum prolactin and cortisol levels were estimated in 73 children having either epilepsy, febrile seizures, breath-holding spells, or fever without other manifestation and in 20 normal controls. Mean serum prolactin levels (28.6 +/- 2.3 ng/ml) were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in the epileptic group than in the group with febrile seizures (12.7 +/- 2.8 ng/ml), non-specific febrile illness (12.2 +/- 2.4 ng/ml), breath-holding spells (8.8 +/- 1.1 ng/ml) and normal controls (9.8 +/- 2.6 ng/ml). Mean serum cortisol levels were non-specifically elevated in children with epilepsy (32.8 +/- 2.2 ug/dl), febrile convulsion (34.2 +/- 4.1 ug/dl) and non-specific febril illness (30.6 +/- 2.4 ug/dl). Our observations suggest that elevated prolactin levels associated with afebrile epileptic seizures may help in differentiating epilepsy from febrile seizures and breath-holding spells. Cortisol levels appear to be non-specifically elevated in all stressful conditions.

Fulminant hepatitis in Kala-azar.

One hundred and fifty cases of Kala-azar were studied for evidence of hepatic involvement. The hepatic function was mildly affected in 25 cases and 3 cases had fulminate hepatitis. Most of the cases were cured after anti-Kala-azar therapy except 2 cases, who died of hepatic failure. This study suggests that fulminant hepatitis may be the outcome of Kala-azar, itself.

Ciprofloxacin in children: is arthropathy a limitation?

Two hundred and nineteen children treated with Ciprofloxacin were observed for drug related adverse reactions (ADR). ADR was observed in 35/219 (15.98%) children, arthropathy in 2/219 (0.9%) children only. All the ADR were reversible even on continuation of therapy except one child with arthropathy and no permanent sequele or death occurred as a drug related ADR.

Cerebrospinal fluid C-reactive protein in the diagnosis of meningitis in children.

C-reactive protein was evaluated in the cerebrospinal fluid of 250 patients to determine if its measurement is of any clinical value in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. The C-reactive protein was found to be significant in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis.

Plasma prolactin in epilepsy and pseudoseizures.

Postictal values of plasma prolactin levels were measured in 15 children with generalized seizures, 8 children with pseudoseizures and 6 control subjects. In patients with generalized seizure, the mean plasma prolactin level was 28.6 +/- 2.3 ng/ml, whereas in patients with pseudoseizures and in controls, its mean values were 10.4 +/- 3.8 ng/ml and 9.8 +/- 2.6 ng/ml, respectively. Thus, prolactin levels were significantly (p < 0.001) elevated following generalized seizures but were almost normal following pseudoseizures. Plasma prolactin levels may, therefore, be helpful in differentiating between generalized seizures and pseudoseizures.

Successful management of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis with atropine sulfate.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of atropine sulfate in management of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS). DESIGN: Prospective observational. SUBJECT: Patients attending the hospital with complaints of persistent vomiting and later clinically and sonographically diagnosed as cases of IHPS were selected for the trial. METHODS: Atropine was initially administered intravenously in a dose of 0.06 mg/kg/day in eight divided doses, increased by 0.15 mg/kg/day till vomiting ceased and remained so for a period of 24 hours at a stretch and ultrasonography showed a transit time (of gastric contents through pyloric canal) of less than 1 minute. Intravenous atropine was then substituted by oral atropine at double the effective IV dose for 3 weeks. Ultrasonographic evaluation of pyloric muscle thickness and length was done at the commencement of IV treatment, after completion of oral treatment and at 3,6,9,12 and 15 months follows up. Transit time of gastric contents was measured at the commencement of intravenous treatment and then daily after the vomiting stopped for more than 24 h at a stretch. RESULTS: Medical treatment of IHPS with atropine was successful in 50/52 (96.2%) cases. Vomiting ceased in 1-3 days in all patients with mild hypertrophy and in 4-7 days in all the cases with moderate hypertrophy. In all except 2 patients with severe hypertrophy, vomiting ceased in 8-12 days. These two cases continued to vomit at least once daily even after 2 weeks of IV treatment and ultimately opted out for pyloromyotomy. All the 50 medically treated children made uneventful recovery during oral therapy except 3 cases (6%) in whom vomiting recurred during the follow-up. These 3 children later responded by increasing the dose of oral atropine. All of them began to gain weight by the time oral therapy was commenced and ultrasonographic evidence of normalization of pylorus was observed in all these children 3-15 months after completion of oral therapy. CONCLUSION: Atropine sulfate proved to be an effective and safe treatment option for IHPS.

C-reactive protein as an indicator of complications in bacterial meningitis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) estimation in the follow-up of bacterial meningitis (BM). DESIGN: Longitudinal follow-up. SETTING: Urban hospital. METHODS: Sequential serum CRP estimation was done in 50 healthy children and in 100 children with BM. Serial serum CRP value was correlated with the clinical picture in BM. RESULTS: Serial serum CRP in 14 patients with complicated BM was significantly different than the 72 uncomplicated BM cases. CONCLUSIONS: Serial determination of serum CRP may be a cheap, simple and reliable prognostic indicator in BM.

Comparative study of perinatal mortality and morbidity in the community and at Medical College Hospital, Patna.

PIP: This study determines the perinatal mortality rate (PMR) among births recorded at the Women's Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) in India, and from other centers in the Patna district community, where the ICDS program was not implemented. Births include all infants over 28 weeks of gestational development and who weighed over 1000 g at birth. Infants were grouped by birth weights as follows: 1001-1500 g, 1501-2000 g, 2001-2500 g, 2501-3000 g, 3001-3500 g, and 3500 g. Newborns were observed for 1 week after birth, and mothers were encouraged to breast feed. Mothers of normal infants were discharged in 2-3 days and advised to attend the Well Baby Clinic in 1 week, or earlier in the case of illness. The perinatal mortality among 1000 infants included 29 stillbirths at PMCH and 39 stillbirths in the community, and 21 neonatal deaths at PMCH and 26 neonatal deaths in the community. The PMR was 50/1000 at PMCH and 65/1000 in the community. The PMR in blocks that had implemented ICDS was 35-41/1000. The lowest PMR was among infants weighing 2501-3000 g; the highest PMR was among infants weighing 1001-1500 g. The lower PMR at PMCH was attributed to better prenatal care. The leading causes of perinatal death in both groups were trauma and stress of labor. The most common illnesses were diarrhea (51.2% of cases) and conjunctivitis (51.5%). 24.4% of infants born in the community suffered from various diseases, including diarrhea (7.7%), hyperbilirubinemia (1.1%), and umbilical sepsis, respiratory distress, and hypoglycemia (0.5%). Both the Medical College Hospital and other community health centers must improve health services in order to meet the target of 30-35/1000 PMR by the year 2000.^ieng

JE virus encephalitis: 1988 epidemic at Gorakhpur.

Gorakhpur region experienced the most serious outbreak of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in 1988 in which 875 children were admitted in the Department of Pediatrics, BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur. Children between 7-10 years age group constituted half (49.3%) of these cases, convulsions (83.8%), altered sensorium (78.2%), headache (68.8%) and hypertonia (77.0%) were the main presenting features. IgM against JE virus was demonstrated in 18/25 CSF and 27/53 sera collected from these children. Significant titres of HI antibodies against JE were present in 498/670 patients. Patients were managed symptomatically. Dexamethasone and dopamine were given to only 137 (15.7%) children admitted with shock and peripheral circulatory failure. Almost a third (31.8%) of the patients expired, 51.4% recovered completely and 10.7% recovered partially. Corticosteroids did not improve the outcome. Twenty four patients had recurrence of symptoms after excellent recovery from acute attack of whom two died and 5 developed neurological deficits.

Acetylcholinesterase activity in developing rat brain during undernutrition.

The effect of low protein diet on rat brain AChE activity has been studied during gestation, lactation and postweaning periods. There was decrease in enzyme activity of pups undernourished either during gestation and lactation or lactation alone, the decrease being maximum in 18-day-old pups. In postweaning rats, a significant decrease was observed after 2 and 4 weeks of undernutrition compared to the control. However, the effect of undernutrition was annuled by 2-week rehabilitation, thereby indicating that imposed undernutrition only delays the normal level of the enzyme. Moreover, it appears that the enzyme activity depends both on the nutritional status and the development age.

Changing phage pattern of Staphylococcus in pyoderma cases.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen for pyoderma in India. Phage pattern of bacteria gives valuable information in epidemiological studies of infection. Two hundred and two strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from pyoderma cases at Gorakhpur, were phage grouped and phage typed. It was found that 43.1 percent strains were not typable. Most common group was mixed phage group (23.8 percent) followed by phage group III (12.4 percent). Predominant phage types in mixed phage group was 84/81/85 and in phage group III was 84/85.

Nutritional status of children in two districts of the mountain region of Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional status is a prime indicator of health. Generally, three anthropometric indicators are often used to assess nutritional status during childhood and adolescence: underweight (weight-for-age), stunting (height- for-age) and thinness (BMI-for-age). Malnutrition in children is a major public health problem in many developing countries. This study was conducted to assess nutritional status among children attending health camps in two mountainous districts in Nepal. METHODS: Five hundred and seventy five children below 15 years of age attending the medical camp in Humla and Mugu districts in October 2011 were assessed for nutritional status. For children less than five years, weight for age, weight for height and height for age as per WHO classification, and for children between five to 15 years age specific values of height, weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) were calculated. RESULTS: In Humla district, 28.2% children were undernourished, 8.8% wasted and 22.4% stunted in less than five years. In the same age group, 31.7% children were undernourished, 9.4% wasted and 29.4% stunted in Mugu district. In the age group five to 15 years, thinness was seen in 22.4% and 29.4% children in Humla and Mugu respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition (underweight, stunting, wasting and thinness) still constitutes a major health problem among Nepalese children, particularly in mountainous regions.

Development and Validation of a RP-HPLC Method for Estimation of Prulifloxacin in Tablet Dosage Form.

A simple, precise, rapid, accurate and economic reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the estimation of prulifloxacin in tablet dosage form. The separation was achieved by using octadecylsilane column (C(18)) and KH(2)PO(4) buffer: acetonitrile adjusted to pH 7.3 with triethyl amine in proportion of 10:90 v/v as mobile phase, at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The detection was carried out at 278 nm. The retention time of prulifloxacin was found to be 2.4 min. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation were found to be 0.14 µg/ml and 0.42 µg/ml respectively. The accuracy and reliability of the proposed method was ascertained by evaluating various validation parameters like linearity, precision, accuracy and specificity according to ICH guidelines. The proposed method provides an accurate and precise quality control tool for routine analysis of prulifloxacin in tablet dosage form.