Can Application of Pressmud Mediated Plant Nutrient Dynamics Under Lead Contaminated Soils of Indian Vertisol?

Long- term application of marginal quality water accumulated significant amount of pollutant into the soil. It reduces soil health parameters, and crop yield and their quality. In this regards, graded application of pressmud (PM), i.e. 0, 2.5, 5 and 10 g/kg was applied on lead (Pb) contamination level (0, 100, 150, 300 mg/kg) and evaluated interaction effect on plant nutrients uptake by spinach. Analytical data showed that increasing the PM levels enhanced the macro (phosphorus, potassium, sulphur) and micro-nutrient (zinc, copper, manganese, iron) concentration into the soil. Whereas, increasing the level of Pb significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced the P, K and S nutrient concentration and uptake pattern by spinach crop. Increasing PM levels (control to 10 g/kg soil) improved P, K and S by 46.99, 98.96 and 76.79%, respectively in soil. This study is useful to formulate management strategies for minimizing Pb contamination in the food chain by the application of PM mostly in peri-urban areas.

Immobilization of chromium bioavailability through application of organic waste to Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) under chromium-contaminated Indian soils.

Industrialization results in production of large volume of wastewaters, and disposing of them become a serious problem. The wastewaters may have range of heavy metals, which have an impact on soil and plant health. The objective was to evaluate the influence of farm yard manure (FYM) and pressmud (PM) applications on Indian mustard growth and chromium (Cr) uptake in tannery effluent irrigated Cr-contaminated soil. Soil was collected from the tannery effluent irrigated fields (chromium contaminated) of Shekhpura village of Kanpur, India. A pot culture experiment was carried out by growing Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) var. RH 749 on the Cr-contaminated soil with application of different levels and combinations of FYM and PM (at 0, 2.5, and 5 g kg-1 each). Biomass yield, Cr uptake, bioconcentration factor (BCF), transfer factor (TF), transfer efficiency (TE), and Cr removal indices were examined. Higher doses of FYM and PM resulted in reduction of Cr concentrations in shoot (6.60 to 2.50 µg g-1) and root (27.27 to 9.43 µg g-1); and absorption in plant tissues and had improved total dry matter yield (14.56 to 30.94 g pot-1). The use of FYM and PM had a substantial (p ≤ 0.05) impact on phytoremediation parameters like BCF (0.128 to 0.045), TE (59.61 to 64.51%), and Cr removal (0.65 to 0.51%). Combined application of FYM (5 g kg-1) and PM (5 g kg-1) had enhanced the dry matter yield of shoot (12.51 to 26.40 g pot-1) and root (2.05 to 4.54 g pot-1) and reduced the Cr uptake (138.54 to 108.79 mg pot-1) than the individual amendment addition of FYM (138.52 to 135.89 mg pot-1) and PM (126.02 to 130.52 mg pot-1). Combined application of FYM (5 g kg-1) and PM (5 g kg-1) could be beneficial for remediation of Cr-contaminated areas for cultivation of crops.

Pressmud overcome lead toxicity by improving spinach biomass in lead-contaminated soils.

Lead (Pb) pollution is a severe problem that primarily affects food chain in developing countries. Continuous use of Pb containing effluent for growing food crops builds up measurable concentration of Pb in soils; and adversely affects the soil properties and crop produce quality. To reduce the Pb metal toxicity in contaminated soil, a pot experiment was conducted with graded doses of pressmud (PM) (0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 g/kg) and Pb (0, 100, 150, and 300 mg/kg soil). Various metal dynamics parameters were computed after spinach crop was harvested. Result showed that higher doses of Pb (300 mg/kg) diminished the spinach root and shoot biomass during the study; whereas, application of PM improved the spinach biomass. However, increasing the pressmud reduced the Pb concentration in shoot from 6.16, 5.99, 4.94, and 3.39 µg/g. Maximum reduction was measured in highest PM applied treatment in shoot (44.92%) and root (57.33%). In this experiment, increasing level of Pb significantly uptake was recorded with higher application rate of Pb (150 and 300 mg/kg). However, elevated doses of PM from control initially enhanced the small chunk of Pb and drastically reduced the shoot Pb uptake (0.060 to 0.049 mg/pot) in maximum level of PM applied treatment. This study is very useful to improve the soil health by immobilizing the labile fraction of Pb by addition of PM in Pb-contaminated soils.

Reuse of poor-quality water for sustainable crop production in the changing scenario of climate.

The availability of freshwater is limited for agriculture systems across the globe. A fast-growing population demands need to enhance the food grain production from a limited natural resources. Therefore, researchers and policymakers have been emphasized on the production potential of agricultural crops in a sustainable manner. On the challenging side, freshwater bodies are shrinking with the pace of time further limiting crop production. Poor-quality water may be a good alternative for fresh water in water scarce areas. It should not contain toxic pollutants beyond certain critical levels. Unfortunately, such critical limits for different pollutants as well as permissible quality parameters for different wastewater types are lacking or poorly addressed. Marginal quality water and industrial effluent used in crop production should be treated prior to application in crop field. Hence, safe reuse of wastewater for cultivation of food material is necessary to fulfil the demands of growing population across the globe in the changing scenario of climate.

Reducing chromium uptake through application of calcium and sodium in spinach.

In peri-urban areas, the use of wastewater for crop production is a common practice due to water scarcity. Moreover, in the recent years, large quantity of wastewater generation and discharge as industrial effluent in water resources is another issue for reduction of water quality. The leather industries are significantly contributing chromium (Cr) in effluent, whereas, other industries may have salt and cationic load in their discharges are mixed up. Therefore, it is mandatory to study the interactive effect of different effluent constituents on crop plants. In this connection, a pot culture experiment was conducted at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal to compute the effect of application of calcium (Ca) and sodium (Na) ions on Cr uptake by spinach crop in Vertisol of central India. Three levels of Cr (0, 50, 100 mg kg-1), calcium (0, 2, 4 mM), and sodium (0, 40, 80 mM) were applied in combinations. The spinach variety All Green was used as a test crop and harvested at full maturity. Results showed that application of Ca and Na reduced the Cr uptake in spinach crop. The reduction of Cr uptake was more in the root than shoot. Applied calcium acted as an essential plant nutrient and enhanced the crop biomass. Sole applications of Na adversely affected the crop biomass and Cr uptake in both root and shoot of spinach. In conclusion, application of Ca fertilizers reduced the Cr toxicity in spinach and could be used as a strategy for the safe utilization of tannery industrial effluents for crop production.

Chromium toxicity mediated by application of chloride and sulfate ions in Vertisol of Central India.

Chromium (Cr) is one of the toxic metals adversely affecting organisms including humans in the ecosystems, and it is present in considerable concentration in the tannery industrial effluent. Toxicity expression of Cr is suspected to be influenced considerably by other accompanying ions present in the effluent used for irrigation. In a screen house experiment, interactive effects of chloride and sulfate ions in a Vertisol on uptake of Cr by spinach crop were investigated and treatments imposed were three levels each of Cr (0, 50, 100 mg kg-1), chloride (Cl-) (0, 25, 50 mM kg-1), and sulfur (S) (0, 4, 8 mM kg-1) in possible combinations. Plant growth parameters and leaf Cr concentrations were recorded to find out the effect of anions on Cr dynamics in the plant. Increasing the concentration of Cl- ions in soil reduced the Cr concentration in both root and shoot. Similarly, increasing the concentration of S from 4 to 8 mM kg-1 also reduced the concentration and uptake of Cr. Application of sulfate ions augmented the plant growth and counters the negative effect of Cl- ions and Cr. Thus, the study revealed that the addition of S fertilizers could minimize the Cr toxicity in high Cr contaminated soils.

Impact of Long-Term Application of Sewage on Soil and Crop Quality in Vertisols of Central India.

Shortfall of rain and the decreased groundwater level force farmers to use poor quality water for crop production in developing countries. In this study, the quality of agricultural produce and soil health affected by sewage water (Patranala) irrigation was evaluated. Sewage sediment, soil and crop samples were analyzed for physico-chemical properties. Sewage water found to contain trace concentration of heavy metals. However, long-term application of this water for crop production could build up a significant amount of trace metals in both soil and sediments. The DTPA extractable heavy metals ranged Cu 2.7-7.59, Cd 0.04-0.06, Pb 1.29-2.05, Cr 0.01-0.04, Ni 0.24-1.03 and Zn 0.63-2.59 mg kg-1 soil. The heavy metal risk assessment (hazard quotient, HQ) was calculated and found that HQ for these metals in the crops under study was in safe limits. From the study, it is concluded that growing vegetables using sewage water of Patranala is safe, but periodic monitoring to be carried out to avoid food chain contamination.

Geo-Accumulation Indices of Heavy Metals in Soil and Groundwater of Kanpur, India Under Long Term Irrigation of Tannery Effluent.

Soil and groundwater from long-term (>50 years) tannery effluent irrigated areas of Kanpur were analyzed and significant buildup of heavy metals such as Cr, Ni, Cd, Pb, Zn, and As in the range of 252-972, 23-30, 2.3-14.1, 23.7-58.8, 138-338 and 6.8-11 mg kg-1, respectively in soil was found. Few groundwater samples in the effluent irrigated areas also exhibited high Cr concentration above the permissible limit of United States Environmental Protection Agency. The tannery effluents contained 1.53-57.3 ppm Cr, 0-0.12 ppm Ni, 0-0.02 ppm Cd, 0-0.07 ppm Pb, 0-0.48 ppm Zn and 0-0.03 ppm As. The Geo-accumulation index (Igeo) revealed that soil samples were unpolluted to moderately polluted with Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb and As; moderately polluted in case of Cd; and heavily to extremely polluted by Cr.

Impact of pigeon pea biochar on cadmium mobility in soil and transfer rate to leafy vegetable spinach.

Introduction of heavy metals in the environment by various anthropogenic activities has become a potential treat to life. Among the heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) shows relatively high soil mobility and has high phyto-mammalian toxicity. Integration of soil remediation and ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration in soils through organic amendments, may provide an attractive land management option for contaminated sites. The application of biochar in agriculture has recently received much attention globally due to its associated multiple benefits, particularly, long-term carbon storage in soil. However, the application of biochar from softwood crop residue for heavy metal immobilization, as an alternative to direct field application, has not received much attention. Hence, a pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of pigeon pea biochar on cadmium mobility in a soil-plant system in cadmium-spiked sandy loam soil. The biochar was prepared from pigeon pea stalk through a slow pyrolysis method at 300 °C. The experiment was designed with three levels of Cd (0, 5, and 10 mg Cd kg(-1) soil) and three levels of biochar (0, 2.5, and 5 g kg(-1) soil) using spinach as a test crop. The results indicate that with increasing levels of applied cadmium at 5 and 10 mg kg(-1) soil, the dry matter yield (DMY) of spinach leaf decreased by 9.84 and 18.29 %, respectively. However, application of biochar (at 2.5 and 5 g kg(-1) soil) significantly increased the dry matter yield of spinach leaf by 5.07 and 15.02 %, respectively, and root by 14.0 and 24.0 %, respectively, over the control. Organic carbon content in the post-harvest soil increased to 34.9 and 60.5 % due to the application of biochar 2.5 and 5 g kg(-1) soil, respectively. Further, there was a reduction in the diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable cadmium in the soil and in transfer coefficient values (soil to plant), as well as its concentrations in spinach leaf and root, indicating that cadmium mobility was decreased due to biochar application. This study shows that pigeon pea biochar has the potential to increase spinach yield and reduce cadmium mobility in contaminated sandy soil.

Comparison of Success of Clomiphene citrate and Letrozole in Ovulation Induction.

The study was carried out to evaluate which drug is better in ovulation induction between clomiphene citrate and letrozole. The study was carried out in the infertility unit of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka and Centre for Assisted Reproduction (CARE) at Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (BIRDEM), Dhaka from January 2007 to December 2007. One hundred and sixty five cases were taken for the study. It was a prospective interventional comparative study of clomiphene citrate and letrozole in infertile cases. The patients were divided into three groups. Group I--newly detected cases of sub fertility studied with clomiphene citrate. Group II--clomiphene citrate resistant cases studied with letrozole, Group III--newly detected cases of sub fertility studied with letrozole. The cases were followed up for outcome; (ovulation). The TVS was done on 12th or 13th day of menstruation and level of serum progesterone on 21st day of menstrual cycle to see the evidence of ovulation. Endometrial thickness was also measured. The data was collected on a predesigned questionnaire. The variables that influenced the study were-age, occupation, socioeconomic status, menstrual cycle, marital age, parity, history of MR, history of abortion, past medical and surgical history. In the current study it was observed that the signs of ovulation were significantly (p<0.05) higher in Group I treated with clomiphene citrate in comparison to Group II clomiphene citrate resistant cases treated with letrozole. The rate of ovulation was higher in Group I than that of Group III treated with letrozole, but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The signs of ovulation were present in 45(81.8%) cases in Group I, 33(60.0%) cases in Group II and 37(67.3%) cases in Group III. This findings of the study suggested that clomiphene citrate is higher successful than letrozole though not statistically significant. Letrozole can be preferred in clomiphene citrate resistant cases before starting other expensive therapies.

Tumour, Oxidative Stress and Host T Cell Response: Cementing the Dominance.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals are produced intrinsically during normal cellular metabolic processes or extrinsically due to ionizing radiations, UV rays, xenobiotic insult, etc. ROS are important signal mediators and are used by the immune system to destroy pathogens, but as these are highly reactive, they also have the capacity to cause DNA damage and alter protein and lipid components of a cell. As a result, cells have evolved a tight regulation of internal redox environment that involves a balanced interplay between free radicals produced and quenched by cellular antioxidants and enzyme systems. Any deregulation of this subtle balance can result in oxidative stress that can lead to various pathological conditions including cancer. Oxidative stress can be a cause of neoplasia, or it can be induced by a growing tumour itself. The link existing between oxidative stress and inflammation is also very strong. Suppressed cellular immune system, especially effector T cell system, is a characteristic of tumour-bearing host. Both the direct oxidative stress caused by tumour cell(s) and oxidative stress mediators present in tumour microenvironment play a significant role in the suppression of effector T cell function and induction of T cell death. This review discusses in detail the complex interplay between tumour-stroma-immune system in the light of oxidative stress that dominates every phase of cancer including initiation, progression and establishment. This review also addresses in detail the mechanisms of oxidative stress-induced T cell dysfunction in tumour-bearing host and also briefly points out the possible therapeutic interventions.

Impact of different types of polluted irrigation water on soil fertility and wheat grain yield in clayey black soils of central India.

This study was carried out in three different cities of western Madhya Pradesh (India) to investigate the effects of long-term irrigation with industrial waste water (IWW), contaminated groundwater (CGW), and untreated municipal sewage water (USW) on soil fertility as well as on wheat crop yield. Irrigation with these three types of polluted water increased organic matter content as well as contents of available P (with IWW and USW only), available K, available S, available Zn, available Cu (IWW only), and available Mn (IWW and CGW only). The magnitude of improvement in soil fertility status was the highest in the case of USW, followed by IWW and finally, by CGW. Concentrations of Na in wheat leaf tissue increased by 198 and 58% whereas concentrations of Ca decreased significantly by 16 and 13% due to the use of IWW and CGW, respectively, resulting in poor Ca nutrition to the crop. Although wheat grain yield increased considerably due to USW, the same recorded significant decreases with IWW and CGW. In spite of the enhancement in the available nutrient status, decrease in wheat grain yield with the use of IWW and CGW could be due to the build-up of salts in the soil and an imbalance in the Na/Ca ratio in wheat crops irrigated with IWW and CGW. The adverse effect on wheat productivity was more pronounced with IWW as compared to CGW.

Value addition of Palmyra palm and studies on the storage life.

Palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer L.) belonging to the family Palmae is referred to as tree of life with several uses including food, beverage, fibre, medicinal and timber. Unfortunately, the nutritionally enriched pulp of ripened palm has limited commercial use. Extraction of pulp has been accomplished by using water and heat to ensure maximum pulp recovery. Different recipes were tried for the preparation of two uncommon value added products like palm spread and palm toffee. On the basis of biochemical composition, organoleptic scores, microbial estimation and storage study both under ambient and refrigerated conditions; the suitable recipe was selected with the maximum acceptability. Gradual increase in total soluble solid (TSS), total sugar and reducing sugar while decrease in ascorbic acid, pH, ß-carotene and protein content of processed products have been observed irrespective of storage condition. The results obtained from sensory evaluation and microbial status revealed that palm spread and toffee remained acceptable up to 9 months and 8 months, respectively at ambient temperature. The income per rupee investment for these two products was found to be remunerative.

Observation of 2p3d(1Po)→1s3d(1De) radiative transition in He-like Si, S, and Cl ions.

We present an experimental determination of the 2p3d(1Po)→1s3d(1De) x-ray line emitted from He-like Si, S, and Cl projectile ions, excited in collisions with thin carbon foils, using a high-resolution bent-crystal spectrometer. A good agreement between the observation and state-of-the-art relativistic calculations using the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock formalism including the Breit interaction and QED effects implies the dominance of fluorescent decay over the autoionization process for the 2p3d(^{1}P^{o}) state of He-like heavy ions. This is the first observation of the fluorescence-active doubly excited states in He-like Si, S, and Cl ions.

Effect of methods of preparation on distribution of heavy metals in different size fractions of municipal solid waste composts.

The present study compares the distribution and nature of heavy metals in composts from 12 cities of India, prepared from different types of processed urban solid wastes, namely mixed wastes (MWC), partially segregated wastes (PSWC), and segregated bio-wastes (BWC). Compost samples were physically fractionated by wet sieving, followed by extraction of heavy metals by dilute HCl and NaOH. Bigger particles (>0.5 mm) constituted the major fraction in all three types of composts and had a relatively lower concentration of organic matter and heavy metals, the effect being more pronounced in MWC and PSWC in which a significant portion of the heavy metals was distributed in finer size fractions. Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn were extracted to a greater extent by acid than by alkali, the difference being greater in MWC, which contained a higher amount of mineral matter. In contrast, Cu and Cr were extracted to a greater extent by dilute alkali, particularly from BWC containing a higher amount of organic matter. Water-soluble heavy metals were generally related to the water-soluble C or total C content as well as to pH, rather than to their total contents. This study concludes that wet sieving with dilute acid can effectively reduce heavy metal load in MWC and PSWC.

Management of acid and alkaline phosphatase, dehydrogenase activities by sugarcane industry waste under lead contamination- A case study of Indian Vertisol.

Soil fertility management and crop productivity both are inter-related need extensive attention for sustainability. Industries are being built, which over time produces a lot of effluents containing heavy metal(s), which is then dumped on healthy soils and water bodies. Long-term discharge of lead (Pb)-containing wastewater resulted in significant Pb buildup as well as a decrease in soil biological activity. In this experiment, graded dose of Pb, i.e. 0, 100, 150 and 300 mg/kg and pressmud (PM) (0, 2.5, 5, 10 g/kg) were applied to monitor the Pb toxic effect on soil acid and alkaline phosphatase, dehydrogenase activity. Different treatment combinations were formulated and the experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. In this experiment, spinach crop was used as a test crop. According to the findings, increased Pb levels in the soil lowered dehydrogenase activity (DHA), acid and alkaline phosphatase. The addition of PM enhanced enzymatic activities by decreasing the labile fraction of Pb in the soil. Incorporation of PM improved the soil enzymatic activities as alkaline phosphatase activity > DHA > acid phosphatase activity in the study. This study suggested that the addition of 10 g/kg PM reduced Pb toxicity (contamination level 300 mg/kg) and improved the soil microbial properties in black soil. These findings are very useful for the remediation of Pb contaminated soil with the help of PM, particularly in peri-urban Pb effluent irrigated areas.

Antibodies Against Unusual Forms of Sialylated Glycans.

Previous studies have shown that in the blood of healthy donors (1) there are no natural antibodies against sialylated glycoproteins, which contain Neu5Acα (N-acetylneuraminic acid) as the most widespread form of human sialic acid, and (2) there is a moderate level of antibodies capable of binding unnatural oligosaccharides, where Neu5Ac is beta-linked to a typical mammalian glycan core. In the present study, we investigated antibodies against ßNeu5Ac in more detail and verified the presence of Kdn (2-keto-3-deoxy- D-glycero-D-galacto-nonulosonic acid) as a possible cause behind their appearance in humans, taking into account the expected cross-reactivity to Kdn glycans, which are found in bacterial glycoconjugates in both the α- and ß-forms. We observed the binding of peripheral blood immunoglobulins to sialyllactosamines (where "sialyl" is Kdn or neuraminic acid) in only a very limited number of donors, while the binding to monosaccharide Kdn occurred in all samples, regardless of the configuration of the glycosidic bond of the Kdn moiety. In some individuals, the binding level of some of the immunoglobulins was high. This means that bacterial Kdn glycoconjugates are very unlikely to induce antibodies to ßNeu5Ac glycans in humans. To determine the reason for the presence of these antibodies, we focused on noninfectious pathologies, as well as on a normal state in which a significant change in the immune system occurs: namely, pregnancy. As a result, we found that 2/3 of pregnant women have IgM in the blood against Neu5Acß2-3Galß1-4GlcNAcß. Moreover, IgG class antibodies against Neu5Acß2-3Galß1-4GlcNAcß and Neu5Acß2-6Galß1-4GlcNAcß were also detected in eluates from the placenta. Presumably, these antibodies block fetal antigens.

Selection for improved resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila in Indian major carp Labeo rohita: survival and innate immune responses in first generation of resistant and susceptible lines.

Selection for disease resistance in fish may be performed directly on basis of survival data obtained in controlled challenge trials, or indirectly using information from immunological or molecular markers linked to differential survival. In the present study, several key innate immune parameters were measured in aeromoniasis resistant and susceptible lines of rohu Labeo rohita to assess their suitability as immune markers for use in indirect selection for increased resistance. Experimental infection with Aeromonas hydrophila (9.55 × 10(6) cfu g(-1) fish) through the intraperitoneal route produced higher survival in the resistant line (73.33%) as compared to the susceptible line (16.67%). Blood and liver tissue samples from both lines were collected to study some of the innate immune parameters and immune-related gene expression. The respiratory burst activity of blood phagocytes, serum myeloperoxidase activity and ceruloplasmin level were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the resistant line compared to the susceptible line. Lower level of blood glucose and serum natural haemolysin titre were marked in the resistant line as compared to the susceptible line. No significant difference was measured in total serum protein concentration, antiprotease activity and bacterial agglutinin level between two lines, while the expression of transferrin, complement factor C3 and TLR 22-like transcripts were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in liver samples of the susceptible line. However, no such difference was found in ß(2)-microglobulin and lysozyme gene expression between lines. The study demonstrated the possibility of using some of the investigated innate immune parameters as indirect marker traits for selection for improved resistance to aeromoniasis in rohu.

Quality of diversified value addition from some minor fruits.

Diversified value added products like palm spread, palm toffee, palm burfi, passion-mango blended squash, passion rind pickle, passion rind candy, blended jamun nectar and jack-passion spread from various minor fruits including palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer L), passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims), jamun (Syzygium cumini Rom) and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam) were developed and their quality assessed. Among these two products viz. passion-mango blended squash and palm spread were rich in antioxidant properties. Passion rind pickle and passion-mango blended squash stored up to 1 year in sealed glass bottle under ambient temperature (25-37 °C). Similarly, passion-mango blended squash has a longer storage life of 15 months followed by jack-passion spread (14 months) under refrigerated temperature (8-10 °C). Passion rind pickle, jack-passion spread and passion-mango blended squash were the most acceptable with a score of above 3.5 out of 5.0. The microbial population of the products showed acceptable limit with respect to the yeast and bacterial count till their respective storage period.

Percuteneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty in patients with post surgical mitral restenosis: result of 70 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immediate results of balloon mitral valvulplasty in mitral restenosis patients with previous surgical mitral commissurotomy. METHODS: Percuteneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (BMV) was done in 145 cases of which 70patients had the history of previous surgical commissurotomy (Group I) and 75 patients were the new cases for the BMV (Group II). RESULTS: In group I the age range was 35-65 years. In group I the duration of surgical commissurotomy (SC) was of 2-18 years past. In this group the result of balloon mitral valvuloplasty (BMV) was successful in 69 cases. Mitral valve area (MVA) before the procedure was 0.5-0.9 sq cm with mean 0.7 +/- 0.2 sq cm. Following procedure the MVA was 1.2-2.0 cm2 with a mean of 1.6 +/- 0.4 cm2. Mean gradient across mitral valve (MV) before the procedure was 15-25 mm of Hg with a mean 20 +/- 5 mm of Hg and after the procedure was 3-5 mm Hg with a mean of 4 +/- 1 mm Hg. In Group I, MVA > 1.8 cm2 was achieved in 25 cases & > 1.2-1.8 cm2 in 44 cases. Mitral regurgitation > or = grade 1 occurred in 8 cases (compared to previous echocardiography). In group II the age range was between 35-60 years. The result of BMV was successful in 74 cases. MVA before the procedure was 0.4-1.2 cm2 with a mean of 0.8 +/- 0.4 cm2. Following the procedure MVA was 1.3-2.1 cm2 with a mean of 1.7 +/- 0.4 cm2. Mean gradient across the mitral valve before the procedure was 15-29 mm of Hg with a mean of 22 +/- 7 mm of Hg. Mean gradient across the mitral valve after the procedure was 2-4 mm of Hg with a mean of 3 +/- 1 mm of Hg. MVA more than 1.8 cm2 was achieved in 29 cases and between 1.3-1.8 in 45 cases. CONCLUSION: BMVin patients with mitral restenosis following Surgical mitral commissurtomy can be performed with almost similar success rate like that of BMV for the first time with low risk of major cardiac complication.