Antidiabetic and antiulcer activity of methanolic extract of Tradescantia spathacea in rats.

The present study was designed to assess Tradescantia spathacea's antidiabetic ability, as well as the antiulcer activity of the entire plant extract. The diabetic condition was evaluated using Streptozotocin's oral glucose tolerance test, diabetes-alloxan and diabetes-models. Antiulcer activities were observed in rats where gastric ulcers were either caused by oral administration of ethanol, or pyloric ligation. Standards include ranitidine, glibenclamide and sucralfate. In all models, the blood glucose levels of animals treated with the test extract were found to be significantly lower compared to diabetic care. Similarly, in all models, the ulcer index in the animals treated with the test extract was found to be significantly lower relative to the animals under vehicle supervision. Our findings say T. Spathacea extract has essential anti-diabetic properties, as well as antiulcer properties.

Provision of Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Depression and Anxiety Disorders by Medical Student Trainees.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the article is to evaluate an innovative education program in which medical students were trained in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and provided CBT treatments under supervision to uninsured individuals with depressive, anxiety, adjustment, and trauma-based disorders. METHODS: The authors assessed improvements in trainees' CBT knowledge using the Cognitive Therapy Awareness Scale before and after their didactic training. CBT supervisors rated trainees' clinical competencies utilizing standardized checklist evaluations based upon supervision reports. The authors employed mixed effects ANOVA and regression modeling to test the association between the addition of CBT to treatment as usual (TAU) and improvements in patients' depressive and anxious symptom severity. The authors collected feedback and self-assessment of functioning with a Psychotherapy Feedback Questionnaire. RESULTS: Medical students showed increases in CBT knowledge that were maintained six months later and demonstrated satisfactory competency in CBT techniques. The addition of CBT to TAU was associated with greater improvements in depressive, but not anxious, symptom severity. However, among the TAU + CBT group, there was an association between the number of CBT sessions received and the magnitude of improvement in anxious symptoms from baseline. Patients gave positive feedback to medical student CBT providers and reported improvements in broad domains of psychosocial functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students can provide competent and clinically beneficial CBT treatments for depression and anxiety disorders. These findings have implications for medical training and support the use of medical students to deliver care for individuals with limited access to psychotherapy.

Advancements in Myocardial Infarction Management: Exploring Novel Approaches and Strategies.

In the landscape of healthcare, the management of myocardial infarction (MI) stands as a pivotal challenge and a critical juncture where advancements are reshaping the trajectory of patient care. Myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, remains a foremost contributor to global morbidity and mortality. Conventional management strategies have historically focused on rapid restoration of blood flow through revascularization techniques. However, the last decade has witnessed a profound transformation, with a burgeoning emphasis on precision medicine and innovative interventions. This contextual backdrop sets the stage for a deep dive into the realm of novel diagnostic modalities, spanning high-sensitivity biomarkers, advanced imaging techniques, and data-driven algorithms. These innovations facilitate not only early detection but also the stratification of patients, paving the way for individualized treatment plans. By targeting the underlying mechanisms of myocardial damage, these interventions hold the promise of attenuating the impact of MI and promoting cardiac regeneration. It examines the integration of telemedicine, wearable devices, and remote monitoring platforms, bridging the gap between patients and caregivers while enabling timely interventions. Additionally, the psychosocial aspects of MI recovery are explored, highlighting the integration of psychological support and lifestyle interventions to enhance long-term well-being. By exploring novel diagnostics, innovative therapies, and holistic patient-centered strategies, it underscores the collaborative efforts of medical practitioners, researchers, and technological pioneers in reshaping the trajectory of MI care. As we stand at the intersection of medical advancement and compassionate patient management, embracing these novel approaches promises a future where the impact of myocardial infarction can be mitigated, and lives can be extended and enriched.

Role of Positive Emotions in Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, also known as "broken heart syndrome," is a transient cardiac condition characterized by sudden left ventricular dysfunction, often triggered by emotional stress or significant life events. While research has predominantly focused on the impact of negative emotions and emotional stressors, there is a growing interest in understanding the role of positive emotions in this unique cardiac syndrome. This narrative review explores the emerging research on positive emotions and Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy. It provides an overview of studies investigating the relationship between positive emotions and the condition, highlighting key findings and observations. Positive emotions, such as joy, happiness, gratitude, and optimism, have been associated with improved emotional well-being, better-coping mechanisms, and potential cardiovascular protection. Some studies suggest that individuals experiencing higher levels of positive emotions may have a reduced risk of developing Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy. However, the research in this area is still limited, with small sample sizes and challenges in quantifying positive emotions. Additionally, the interplay between positive and negative emotions requires further exploration to fully understand their impact on cardiovascular health. Despite these limitations, harnessing positive emotions in cardiac care holds promise for enhancing patient outcomes and emotional well-being. Integrating positive psychology into clinical practice and cardiac rehabilitation may lead to more holistic and patient-centered approaches to cardiovascular care. Further longitudinal studies, interventional trials, and mechanistic investigations are needed to strengthen the evidence base and identify potential therapeutic perspectives. As research progresses, addressing these gaps will provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between emotions and cardiovascular health, benefiting patients affected by Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy and other cardiovascular conditions.

Aducanumab for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review.

Aducanumab is a novel disease-modifying anti-amyloid-beta (Aß) human monoclonal antibody specifically targeted to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It was granted for treating AD in June 2021 by the United States Food and Drug Administration. We systematically analyzed available trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of aducanumab treating AD. We followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. We conducted an extensive literature search using the electronic databases MEDLINE through PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus for suitable studies on aducanumab. We considered human clinical trials of aducanumab, assessing its efficacy and adverse effects in treating AD, excluding any experimental animal studies. We included three randomised controlled trials. Studies reported that aducanumab reduced brain amyloid-beta plaques in a time- and dose-dependent manner (dose-response, P < 0.05) and a slowed decline in cognition (22% reduction) in the high-dose treated group, difference of -0.39 versus placebo in Clinical Dementia Rating Scale Sum Boxes (95% CI, -0.69 to -0.09; P = 0.012) along with a reduced amyloid positron emission tomography standard uptake value ratio score (P < 0.001) and plasma p181-tau (phosphorylated tau) level. Amyloid-related imaging abnormality was reported as a serious adverse event and was profound in high-dose treated group (425/1029 in 10 mg/kg). Aducanumab has been reported to affect two main pathophysiologic hallmarks (Aß and tau) of AD. We suggest future studies addressing aducanumab's efficacy and safety to confirm that the benefit of this drug outweighs the risk.

Fentanyl Versus Dexmedetomidine for the Prevention of Emergence Agitation in Children After Sevoflurane Anaesthesia: A Comparative Clinical Study.

Introduction Sevoflurane is widely used in pediatric anesthesia due to its rapid onset and offset of action, smooth induction, and less hepatotoxicity. However, it is associated with emergence agitation, which can be frightening and harm the patient or the caregiver. While a definite preventive measure of emergence agitation is in search, the use of some drugs is associated with a lesser incidence of emergence related to sevoflurane.  Aims and objective This study aimed to compare the efficacy of fentanyl with dexmedetomidine in preventing emergence agitation in children undergoing surgery with sevoflurane anesthesia. Also, we assessed the perioperative hemodynamic and postoperative recovery characteristics and side effects, if any, between children receiving the two groups of drugs. Material and method We conducted a prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial after getting approval from the institutional ethical committee. A total of 120 patients were recruited into the study and divided into two groups, F and D, of 60 patients each. Patients in group F received an infusion of injection fentanyl at 1 mcg/kg and patients in group D received infusions of injection dexmedetomidine at 0.15 mcg/kg, respectively, after induction of general anaesthesia. Additionally, all patients received a caudal epidural block with 0.125% isobaric levobupivacaine. After the conclusion of surgery, we transferred the patients to the post-anaesthesia care unit for further observation and assessment. Result The Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) score for emergence agitation was significantly greater in the fentanyl group compared to the dexmedetomidine group at 0 minutes (7.08 ± 1.03 vs. 6.43 ± 1.33, p = 0.003) and 15 minutes (5.51 ± 1.7 vs. 4.01 ± 1.08, p = 0.0001) postoperative period. The mean time to eye-opening was significantly earlier amongst children receiving fentanyl than those receiving dexmedetomidine (9.3 ± 1.1 min vs. 10.12 ±1.05 min, p = 0.0001). The modified Aldrete Score for adequacy of recovery was statistically insignificant initially, but as the duration progressed to 15 minutes, the children in the fentanyl group had significantly higher scores than those in the dexmedetomidine group (8.05 ± 0.67 vs. 7.76 ± 0.62, p = 0.01). Conclusion Prophylactic administration of dexmedetomidine (0.15 mcg/kg) or fentanyl (1 mcg/kg) administered is effective in preventing emergence agitation. Although we found emergence agitation was higher amongst children receiving fentanyl than those receiving dexmedetomidine during the early recovery period, this difference became insignificant as the postoperative period increased to 30 minutes.

Serratia sp. scl1: isolation of a novel thermostable lipase producing microorganism which holds industrial importance.

Lipase being a hydrolysable enzyme plays a major role in serving various purposes of the industries. Thus, it is very important to have a sustainable and efficient source of this enzyme. In this present study, several microorganisms were isolated from medicinal effluent of a pharmaceutical industry that could produce efficient lipase activity. Among these isolates, a designated strain scl1 was isolated and based on the molecular and biochemical characterisation was tentatively assigned to the genus Serratia. Preliminary studies confirmed the strain scl1 was found to exhibit the highest production of lipase at a temperature and pH of 35 °C and 7, respectively under the incubation for 48 h. Further, the lipase activity was measured by following spectrophotometric method using pNPP as the substrate in which the Km and Vmax of the crude enzyme was found to be 3.349 × 10-3 M and 5.68 × 10-1 unit/mL, respectively. The extracellular crude lipase was found to show a temperature and pH optima of 75 °C and 8, respectively which gave a strong indication that the enzyme appeared to be highly thermostable. This study revealed the strain scl1 is able to produce a thermostable lipase which can meet the needs of the modern-day industrialization techniques. However, more work is required to purify the enzyme and get it ready for commercial applications.

Design of and outcomes in a student-run free mental health clinic serving the uninsured in East Harlem.

BACKGROUND: Safety-net clinics are an important source of low-cost or free mental healthcare to those with limited financial resources. Such clinics are often staffed by trainees in early stages of their career. Only limited data exist on best practices in treatment-implementation and on clinical outcomes attained in such clinics. The primary purpose of this article is to describe the design of an outpatient psychiatry student-run free clinic (SRFC) serving uninsured individuals in New York City's East Harlem neighborhood and to analyze the quality of services provided and the clinical outcomes attained. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of n = 69 patients treated in the EHHOP Mental Health Clinic (E-MHC) to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of the study population. Utilizing Health Effectiveness Data and Information Set metrics, they estimated the likelihoods of patients meeting metric quality criteria compared to those in other New York State (NYS) insurance groups. The authors derived linear mixed effect and logistic regression models to ascertain factors associated with clinical outcomes. Finally, the authors collected patient feedback on the clinical services received using a customized survey. RESULTS: Almost all patients were of Hispanic ethnicity, and about half of patients had more than one psychiatric disorder. The clinical service performance of the E-MHC was non-inferior on most measures examined. Factors associated with symptom improvement were the number of treatment sessions and certain demographic and clinical variables. Patients provided highly positive feedback on the mental healthcare services they received. CONCLUSIONS: SRFCs can provide quality care to vulnerable patients that leads to clinically meaningful reductions in psychiatric symptoms and is well-received by patients.

First karyotype report on Colocasia oresbia: a comparative cytogenetic study between two varieties / Primer reporte del cariotipo de Colocasia oresbia: un estudio citogenético comparativo entre dos variedades

ABSTRACT Karyotypes of two Colocasia oresbia botanical varieties from Bangladesh were analyzed and compared with orcein, chromomycin A3 (CMA) and 4´-6 diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Both varieties had 2n=2x=26 chromosomes (karyotypic formula: 20m+6sm) and a pair of satellites each. Total chromosome length was 144.18 ± 2.45 μm in C. oresbia var. oresbia and 133.02 ± 2.75 μm in C. oresbia var. stolonifera. The karyotype of Colocasia oresbia var. oresbia is 2A whereas that of C. oresbia var. stolonifera is 1A. Six CMA and four DAPI bands were observed in C. oresbia var. oresbia and eight CMA and six DAPI bands in C. oresbia var. stolonifera. However, in these two morphologically distinct C. oresbia varieties of two different ecological zones, the same somatic chromosome number, diversification in various karyotypic parameters and CMA/DAPI-banding patterns were observed. In addition to taxonomic characters, the studied karyotype features will contribute to the characterization of these two C. oresbia varieties and to establish a base for future research.

RESUMEN Se analizaron y compararon los cariotipos de dos variedades botánicas de Colocasia oresbia de Bangladesh con orceína, chromomicina A3 (CMA) y 4-6 diamidino-2-phenilindol (DAPI). Ambas variedades presentaron 2n=2x=26 cromosomas (fórmula cariotípica: 20m+6sm) y un par de satélites cada una. La longitud total de cromosomas fue 144,18 ± 2,45 μm en C. oresbia var. oresbia y 133.02 ± 2.75 μm en C. oresbia var. stolonifera. El cariotipo de Colocasia oresbia var. oresbia es 2ª, y 1ª el de C. oresbia var. stolonifera. Se observaron seis bandas CMA y cuatro DAPI en C. oresbia var. oresbia y ocho bandas CMA y seis DAPI en C. oresbia var. stolonifera. Sin embargo, en estas dos variedades morfológicamente distintivas de C. oresbia de dos zonas ecológicas diferentes se observó el mismo número cromosómico somático, diversificación en varios parámetros cariotípicos y en patrones de bandeo CMA/DAPI. En adición a los caracteres taxonómicos, las características de los cariotipos estudiados contribuirán a la caracterización de estas dos variedades de C. oresbia y a establecer una base para futuras investigaciones.

Using GIS tools to detect the land use/land cover changes during forty years in Lodhran District of Pakistan.

Land use/land cover (LULC) change has serious implications for environment as LULC is directly related to land degradation over a period of time and results in many changes in the environment. Monitoring the locations and distributions of LULC changes is important for establishing links between regulatory actions, policy decisions, and subsequent LULC activities. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) has the potential ability to identify the vegetation features of various eco-regions and provides valuable information as a remote sensing tool in studying vegetation phenology cycles. Similarly, the normalized difference built-up index (NDBI) may be used for quoting built-up land. This study aims to detect the pattern of LULC, NDBI, and NDVI change in Lodhran district, Pakistan, from the Landsat images taken over 40 years, considering four major LULC types as follows: water bodies, built-up area, bare soil, and vegetation. Supervised classification was applied to detect LULC changes observed over Lodhran district as it explains the maximum likelihood algorithm in software ERDAS imagine 15. Most farmers (46.6%) perceived that there have been extreme changes of onset of temperature, planting season, and less precipitation amount in Lodhran district in the last few years. In 2017, building areas increased (4.3%) as compared to 1977. NDVI values for Lodhran district were highest in 1977 (up to + 0.86) and lowest in 1997 (up to - 0.33). Overall accuracy for classification was 86% for 1977, 85% for 1987, 86% for 1997, 88% for 2007, and 95% for 2017. LULC change with soil types, temperature, and NDVI, NDBI, and slope classes was common in the study area, and the conversions of bare soil into vegetation area and built-up area were major changes in the past 40 years in Lodhran district. Lodhran district faces rising temperatures, less irrigation water, and low rainfall. Farmers are aware of these climatic changes and are adapting strategies to cope with the effects but require support from government.

Microbial diversity response in thallium polluted riverbank soils of the Lanmuchang.

Thallium (Tl) is a toxic element, but little is known about microbial communities' response to TI mobilization and sequestration. Here, we characterize the microbial communities and their feedbacks to Tl-pollution in riverbank soils to understand the distribution of microbial metal tolerance. These soils have been affected by pollution sourced from a Tl-rich mineralized area in Lanmuchang, Guizhou, China. In all studied soil samples, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria were revealed relatively in higher abundance at the phylum level. The results indicated that a number of microbial communities including Gemmatimonadetes, and Actinobacteria were correlated with total Tl, suggesting potential roles of these microbes to Tl tolerance. The patterns of phylogenetic beta-diversity in studied samples showed a high diversity of the microbial community in soils with high Tl concentrations. Sequence analysis of microbial community indicated that most of the environmental parameters in soils were associated with the major phylogenetic groups such as Gemmobacteria, Bryobacteria, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Rhodobacteria. Some species of microbes, Nocardioides (genus), Actinomycetales (Order), Ralstonia (phyla) and Sphingomonas (genus) might are tolerant of Tl. These results provide direction to the microbial communities in the presence of elevated Tl concentration in Lanmuchang and shed light on bioremediation of Tl polluted locations.

Radiation efficiency and nitrogen fertilizer impacts on sunflower crop in contrasting environments of Punjab, Pakistan.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is the leading non-conventional oilseed crop in Pakistan. Nitrogen fertilizer can affect plant growth and productivity by changing canopy size which has an effect on the radiation use efficiency (RUE) of the crop. The response of sunflower hybrids in terms of phenology, fraction of intercepted radiation (F i), and RUE to nitrogenous rates (0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg ha-1) was studied in three field experiments conducted in three various environments: Multan (arid), Faisalabad (semi-arid), and Gujranwala (sub-humid) during spring seasons 2008 and 2009. The treatments were laid out according to a randomized complete block design with split plot arrangements, keeping the sunflower hybrids in main plots and nitrogen rates in sub-plots, and replicated three times. The results showed Hysun-38 took a maximum number of days to anthesis (101) as compared to Pioneer-64A93 (100) and Hysun-33 (99). The mean values of F i were 0.850, 0.903, and 0.978, and the estimated values of RUE for total aboveground dry matter were 2.14, 2.47, and 2.65 g MJ-1 at experimental locations of Multan, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala, respectively. The values of RUE for grain yield (RUEGY) were 0.78, 0.98, and 1.26 g MJ-1 at experimental locations of Multan, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala, respectively. The average RUEGY values over three locations were 2.61, 2.60, 2.43, and 2.36 g MJ-2 in N4 (180 kg ha-1), N5 (240 kg ha-1), N3 (120 kg ha-1), and N2 (60 kg ha-1) treatments, respectively. Increasing rates of N increased RUEGY over the standard treatment N3 (120 kg N ha-1); however, the averaged values over three locations were 1.22, 1.08, 0.99, and 0.92 g MJ-2 in N4, N5, N3, and N2 treatments, respectively. Therefore, optimum water and N doses are important for attaining higher RUE, which may enhance sunflower growth and yield.

Optimizing the phosphorus use in cotton by using CSM-CROPGRO-cotton model for semi-arid climate of Vehari-Punjab, Pakistan.

Crop nutrient management is an essential component of any cropping system. With increasing concerns over environmental protection, improvement in fertilizer use efficiencies has become a prime goal in global agriculture system. Phosphorus (P) is one of the most important nutrients, and strategies are required to optimize its use in important arable crops like cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) that has great significance. Sustainable P use in crop production could significantly avoid environmental hazards resulting from over-P fertilization. Crop growth modeling has emerged as an effective tool to assess and predict the optimal nutrient requirements for different crops. In present study, Decision Support System for Agro-technology Transfer (DSSAT) sub-model CSM-CROPGRO-Cotton-P was evaluated to estimate the observed and simulated P use in two cotton cultivars grown at three P application rates under the semi-arid climate of southern Punjab, Pakistan. The results revealed that both the cultivars performed best at medium rate of P application (57 kg ha-1) in terms of days to anthesis, days to maturity, seed cotton yield, total dry matter production, and harvest index during 2013 and 2014. Cultivar FH-142 performed better than MNH-886 in terms of different yield components. There was a good agreement between observed and simulated days to anthesis (0 to 1 day), days to maturity (0 to 2 days), seed cotton yield, total dry matter, and harvest index with an error of -4.4 to 15%, 12-7.5%, and 13-9.5% in MNH-886 and for FH-142, 4-16%, 19-11%, and 16-8.3% for growing years 2013 and 2014, respectively. CROPGRO-Cotton-P would be a useful tool to forecast cotton yield under different levels of P in cotton production system of the semi-arid climate of Southern Punjab.

A SURVEY OF DEATH ADJUSTMENT IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT.

BACKGROUND: The Death Adjustment Hypothesis (DAH) postulates two key themes. Its first part postulates that death should not be considered the end of existence and the second part emphasizes that the belief in immortal pattern of human existence can only be adopted in a morally rich life with the attitude towards morality and materialism balanced mutually. We wanted to explore Death Adjustment in the Indian subcontinent and the differences among, Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. We also wanted to find the relationship between death adjustment (i.e., adaptation to death), materialistic thoughts and death adjustment thoughts. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study, conducted from May 2010 to June 2013. Using a purposive sampling strategy, a sample of 296 participants from the Indian subcontinent [Pakistan (n=100), Bangladesh (n=98) and India (n=98)] was selected. Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS) was used to measure death adjustment. The rest of the variables were measured using lists of respective thoughts, described in elaborated DAH. Analyses were carried out using SPSSv13. RESULTS: The mean death adjustment score for Pakistani, Indian and Bangaldeshi population were 115.26 +/- 26.4, 125.87 +/- 24.3 and 114.91 +/- 21.2, respectively. Death adjustment was better with older age (r=0.20) and with lower scores on materialistic thoughts (r = -0.26). However, this was a weak relation. The three nationalities were compared with each other by using Analysis of variance. Death adjustment thoughts and death adjustment were significantly different when Indians were compared with Bangladeshis (p=0.00) and Pakistanis (p=0.006) but comparison between Bangladeshis and Pakistanis showed no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with lesser materialistic thoughts showed better death adjustment. There are differences between Muslims and non-Muslims in adjusting to death.

Visual inspection of cervix with acetic acid: a good alternative to pap smear for cervical cancer screening in resource-limited setting.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of visual inspection of cervix using 3% acetic acid as a screening test for early detection of cervical cancer taking histopathology as the gold standard. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Civil Hospital Karachi from July 1 to December 31, 2012 and comprised all sexually active women aged 19-60 years. During speculum examination 3% acetic acid was applied over the cervix with the help of cotton swab. The observations were noted as positive or negative on visual inspection of the cervix after acetic acid application according to acetowhite changes. Colposcopy-guided cervical biopsy was done in patients with positive or abnormal looking cervix. Colposcopic-directed biopsy was taken as the gold standard to assess visual inspection readings. SPSS 17 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There were 500 subjects with a mean age of 35.74 ± 9.64 years. Sensitivity, specifically, positive predicted value, negative predicted value of visual inspection of the cervix after acetic acid application was 93.5%, 95.8%, 76.3%, 99%, and the diagnostic accuracy was 95.6%. CONCLUSION: Visual inspection of the cervix after acetic acid application is an effective method of detecting pre-invasive phase of cervical cancer and a good alternative to cytological screening for cervical cancer in resource-poor setting like Pakistan and can reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index as a tool for wheat yield estimation: a case study from Faisalabad, Pakistan.

For estimation of grain yield in wheat, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is considered as a potential screening tool. Field experiments were conducted to scrutinize the response of NDVI to yield behavior of different wheat cultivars and nitrogen fertilization at agronomic research area, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) during the two years 2008-09 and 2009-10. For recording the value of NDVI, Green seeker (Handheld-505) was used. Split plot design was used as experimental model in, keeping four nitrogen rates (N1 = 0 kg ha(-1), N2 = 55 kg ha(-1), N3 = 110 kg ha(-1), and N4 = 220 kg ha(-1)) in main plots and ten wheat cultivars (Bakkhar-2001, Chakwal-50, Chakwal-97, Faisalabad-2008, GA-2002, Inqlab-91, Lasani-2008, Miraj-2008, Sahar-2006, and Shafaq-2006) in subplots with four replications. Impact of nitrogen and difference between cultivars were forecasted through NDVI. The results suggested that nitrogen treatment N4 (220 kg ha(-1)) and cultivar Faisalabad-2008 gave maximum NDVI value (0.85) at grain filling stage among all treatments. The correlation among NDVI at booting, grain filling, and maturity stages with grain yield was positive (R(2) = 0.90; R(2) = 0.90; R(2) = 0.95), respectively. So, booting, grain filling, and maturity can be good depictive stages during mid and later growth stages of wheat crop under agroclimatic conditions of Faisalabad and under similar other wheat growing environments in the country.

Abruptio placenta and adverse pregnancy outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk factors in pregnancies complicated with abruptio placenta METHODS: Case-control study. The study was conducted at department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit 3, Civil Hospital, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi. The study period was from January to December 2008. All pregnant women who were diagnosed with abruptio placenta after 28 weeks of gestation were included in the study. They were compared with women who had live birth during the study period. This group was taken as controls. Both groups were identified from the admission, labour room registers. RESULTS: Total number of deliveries during the study period was 2610. Patients identified with abrupio placenta were 81, giving a frequency of 3.75%. Majority (44%) of women were between 26-30 years of age group. Forty three (54%) of the women were second, third or fourth gravida. The mean gestational age was 34 +/- 4.21 weeks. Forty one (51%) delivered preterm before 37 weeks and 40 (49%) delivered at or after 37 completed weeks of gestation. Vaginal delivery was the main mode of delivery, followed by Caesarean section. Vaginal bleeding was the most common clinical finding seen in 80% (68/81) women, followed by blood stained amniotic fluid in 45% (37/81). Foetal heart sounds were absent on admission in 65% (53/81). There were two maternal deaths due to postpartum haemorrhage. The perinatal mortality rate was 66% (54/81). Parity and gestational age were found to be significant risk factors for abruptio placentae (p < 0.031 and p < 0.001 respectively). CONCLUSION: Abruptio placenta is associated with poor maternal and foetal outcomes.