Impact of 28 year old agroforestry systems on soil carbon dynamics in Eastern Himalayas.

Globally, various estimates are available on the above-ground (plant parts) carbon (C) sequestering potential of agroforestry systems (AFSs). However, information on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration potential is limited for AFSs. Furthermore, the impacts of AFSs established for the restoration of C in degraded soils (prone to soil erosion, C and nutrients loss, etc.) of Himalayas are rarely investigated. Thus, a study was conducted on an agroforestry block established in 1989 at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Research Complex for North Eastern Hill (NEH) Region, Lembucherra, Tripura, India. The AFSs comprised of four multipurpose tree species viz., teak (Tectona grandis Linn), sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. Ex DC.), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus L.), and neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) in combination with pineapple (Ananas comosus L. merr.). Planted in three times replicated randomized block design. After 28 years of establishment, the impacts of these AFSs were assessed on SOC stocks and its fraction pools. Results revealed that sissoo + pineapple system stored the highest SOC stocks in 0-15 cm (22.1 ± 1.4 Mg/ha) and 30-60 cm (18.0 ± 4.3 Mg/ha) depths, whereas the SOC stocks in 15-30 cm (12.2 ± 1.2 Mg/ha) and 0-30 cm (34.0 ± 1.6 Mg/ha) were the highest under teak + pineapple. When considering the entire 0-100 cm soil profile, the SOC stocks ranged between 65.3 and 71.6 Mg/ha across the diverse AFSs which was significantly higher than that under cultivated land (52.8 ± 2.6 Mg/ha). The sissoo + pineapple system had the highest SOC stock in 0-100 cm (71.6 ± 5.8 Mg/ha). The share of passive carbon (PC, less labile + non-labile) pools to SOC stocks under AFSs followed the order of sissoo + pineapple > teak + pineapple > neem + pineapple > eucalyptus + pineapple. The PC or recalcitrant pools of SOC stocks at 0-100 cm were 54.2-60.6% under various AFSs. Results revealed that the establishment of AFSs with pineapple on degraded lands increased a significant amount of C and had a considerable effect on soil quality in comparison to C present in soils under cropland. Thus, a large scale adoption of AFSs may restore C lost through the cultivation of the crop in degraded lands and provide a feasible option for livelihood through concurrent cultivation of multipurpose tree species and agri-horticulture crops.

Comparative Study of Clinical and Sonographic Estimation of Foetal Weight at Term.

A cross sectional comparative study was conducted at Dhaka National Medical College, Dhaka from January to June 2012, to observe the accuracy of clinical and ultrasonographic estimation of foetal weight at term in our environment. Seventy five pregnant women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria had their foetal weight estimated independently using clinical and ultrasonographic methods. Accuracy was determined by percentage error, absolute percentage error and proportion of estimates within 10% of actual birth weight (birth weight fetus of +10%). Statistical analysis was done using the paired t-test, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and the chi-square test. The study sample had an actual average birth weight of 2989.60 ± 408.76 (range 2310-4000 gm). Overall, the clinical method overestimated birth-weight, while ultrasound underestimated it. The mean absolute percentage error of the clinical method was more than that of the sonographic method, and the number of estimates within 10% of actual birth weight for the clinical method (41.3%) was less than for the sonographic method (57.3%); the difference was not statistically significant. In the low birth-weight (<2,500 gm) group, the mean absolute percentage error of sonographic estimates were significantly smaller. Significantly more sonographic estimates (75%) were within 10% of actual birth-weight than those of the clinical method (0%). No statistically significant difference was observed in all the measures of accuracy for the normal birth-weight range of 2,500-<4,000 gm and in the macrosomic group (≥ 4,000 gm). Clinical estimation of birth-weight is as accurate as routine ultrasonographic estimation, except in low-birth-weight babies.

Outcome of Surgical Treatment in Medically Refractory Epilepsy.

The aim of epilepsy surgery is not only to control seizures but also to curtail future adverse neurological sequelae and improve quality of life. Epilepsy surgery is a viable treatment option for selected cases of medically refractory epilepsy. A study was carried out with a series of 34 cases who underwent epilepsy surgery at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Science & Technology, Kerala, India during July, 2010 to December, 2010. Clinical features, operative procedures and early response to treatment were cha'racterized. Among 34 cases, main clinical manifestation was recurrent seizures. All cases were evaluated by Video Electro Encephalogram (EEG) & Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of brain with epilepsy protocol. Nearly 58% cases were diagnosed as mesial temporal sclerosis who were treated by anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) with amygdalohippocampectomy (AH). Excision of epileptogenic foci was confirmed by preoperative Electro Cardiogram. Early response to surgery was good. However, a prolonged longitudinal follow up is essential for accurate assessment of seizure outcome.

Demographic and clinical profile of myelopathy patients.

This descriptive type of cross sectional study was aimed to identify the demographic profile, clinical presentations of myelopathy and to find out the etiological factors associated with myelopathy. Total 65 patients having clinical features of myelopathy, admitted in Neurology and Medicine ward of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital from February 2009 to December 2010 were purposively studied. Patients underwent a detailed clinical evaluation followed by laboratory investigations and neuro-imaging studies. Out of 65 cases, 80.0% were male and 20.0% were female with mean age 39.15 ± 16.8 years. Highest number of cases (41.6%) was farmers. Most of the cases (72.3%) hailed from rural area. Mean duration of illness was 7.74 ± 15.8 months. 41.54% patients presented with paraplegia/paraparesis and 58.46% with quadriparesis/quadriplegia. 63.1% patients had sensory disturbance. It is observed that 58.5% had urinary sphincter disturbance and 21.5% had bowel sphincter disturbance. Among the causes of myelopathy found in this study, 29.23% patients had spondylotic myelopathy and 24.62% had transverse myelitis (ATM). In 12.31% patients the cause of myelopathy could not be identified. Myelopathy is more common in males and most of the patients are farmers. Spondylotic and Transverse myelopathy is the main etiology of compressive and non-compressive myelopathy respectively.

Effect of low dose levodopa on motor outcome of different types of stroke.

This case control study interventional study was carried out in Neurology out patient department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) from January 2004 to June 2005. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of low dose levodopa on motor outcome of patients with stroke both ischaemic and haemorrhagic. A total of 97 patients of stroke confirmed by computerized tomography (CT) scan of brain were included in the study. Of them 51 were treated with levodopa 125mg (L group) and physiotherapy while 46 patients (NL group) were treated only with physiotherapy without levodopa. The patients were followed up every 2 weeks interval for 8 weeks. Motor outcome was measured in Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI). Comparison was made between L & NL group irrespective of stroke types at the end of 4th visit. Also the effect of levodopa was assessed separately in ischaemic & haemorrhaegic stroke. The results of the study showed that the age of stroke patients was 54.70±15.07 years in L group & 58.10±14.69 years in NL group. Ischaemic stroke patients were 72% and haemorrhagic stroke patients were 28%. The mean increase RMI score in L group irrespective of stroke subtypes was 6.9 while in NL group was 3.0. The increase in motor outcome was significantly higher in levodopa group than non-levodopa group (p<0.001). Similarly motor outcome measured in RMI score were significantly better individually in ischaemic & haemorrhagic stroke patients of L group than NL (p<0.001). So, the study result concludes that low dose levodopa improves motor outcome in patient with stroke both ischaemic and haemorrhagic.

Tropical chronic pancreatitis.

Tropical chronic pancreatitis (TCP) is a juvenile form of chronic calcific non-alcoholic pancreatitis, seen almost exclusively in the developing countries of the tropical world. The classical triad of TCP consists of abdominal pain, steatorrhoea, and diabetes. When diabetes is present, the condition is called fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes (FCPD) which is thus a later stage of TCP. Some of the distinctive features of TCP are younger age at onset, presence of large intraductal calculi, more aggressive course of the disease, and a high susceptibility to pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic calculi are the hallmark for the diagnosis of TCP and in non-calcific cases ductal dilation on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, computed tomography, or ultrasound helps to identify the disease. Diabetes is usually quite severe and of the insulin requiring type, but ketosis is rare. Microvascular complications of diabetes occur as frequently as in type 2 diabetes but macrovascular complications are uncommon. Pancreatic enzyme supplements are used for relief of abdominal pain and reducing the symptoms related to steatorrhoea. Early diagnosis and better control of the endocrine and exocrine dysfunction could help to ensure better survival and improve the prognosis and quality of life of TCP patients.