Soil fertility mapping of a cultivated area in Resunga Municipality, Gulmi, Nepal.

Soil fertility maps are crucial for sustainable soil and land use management system for predicting soil health status. However, many regions of Nepal lack updated or reliable soil fertility maps. This study aimed to develop the soil fertility map of agricultural areas in Resunga Municipality, Gulmi district of Nepal using the geographical information system (GIS) technique. A total of 57 composite geo-referenced soil samples from the depth (0-20 cm) were taken from the agricultural land of an area of 52 km2. Soil samples were analyzed for their texture, pH, organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, available potassium, available boron, and available zinc. These parameters were modelled to develop a soil quality index (SQI). Using the kriging tool, obtained parameters were interpolated and digital maps were produced along with soil quality and nutrient indices. The result showed that the study area lies within the fair (0.4 to 0.6) and good (0.6 to 0.8) range of SQI representing 96% and 3% respectively. Soil organic matter and nitrogen showed moderate variability exhibiting a low status in 95% and 86% of the total study area. Phosphorous and potassium showed medium status in 88% and 75% of the study area, respectively. Zinc was low and boron status was medium in most of the area. To maintain soil fertility is by improving the rate of exogenous application of fertilizers and manures. The application of micronutrients like boron and zinc is highly recommended in the study area along with organic manures. The soil fertility map can be used as a baseline for soil and land use management in Resunga Municipality. We recommend further studies to validate the map and assess the factors affecting soil fertility in this region. Soil fertility maps provide researchers, farmers, students, and land use planners with easier decision-making tools for sustainable crop production systems and land use management systems.

Effect on knee motion of gradual intramedullary femoral lengthening.

Gradual femoral lengthening causes loss of knee motion due to soft tissue tightness. Lengthening with an intramedullary device would be expected to retain good knee movements since it avoids soft tissue transfixation. To ascertain this we looked at the knee movements recorded in 27 patients before, during and after bilateral simultaneous femoral lengthening using Albizzia nails. The mean gain was 6.2 cm and the mean follow-up 28.6 months. No significant difference was noted between the mean preoperative and final knee flexions (148.3 degrees vs. 148.4 degrees) and the mean preoperative and final knee extensions (2.3 degrees vs. 3.4 degrees). By their last visit, all patients were flexing to at least 120 degrees and only one patient had a flexion deformity over 5 degrees. Thus maintenance of good knee motion and early return to activities is possible when an intramedullary device like the Albizzia nail is used for femoral lengthening.

Anterior tibial artery pseudoaneurysm in a patient with hemophilia: a complication of ankle arthroscopy.

Arterial pseudoaneurysm formation as a complication of ankle arthroscopy is extremely rare. We present a case of anterior tibial artery pseudoaneurysm identified 10 days after ankle arthroscopy in a patient with hemophilia. The diagnosis was confirmed with a duplex ultrasound scan. The patient was referred to the vascular surgeon and underwent evacuation of the hematoma, resection of the damaged segment of the artery, and reconstruction with a reversed long saphenous vein interposition graft. The patient had an uneventful recovery after the second surgery. The prevention of this complication in patients with hemophilia is discussed, as well as diagnosis and management. Preventative measures include careful dissection while making the portals, preoperative mapping of the artery with a duplex or a handheld Doppler in patients with coagulopathy, and performance of open rather than arthroscopic surgery to excise large osteophytes.