Effect of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Brinjal Cultivars under the Agro-Climatic Conditions of Mansehra

The effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on Brinjal cultivars under the agro-climatic conditions of Mansehra was studied at Agricultural Research Station Baffa Mansehra, during crop season 2011. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with two factors having split plot arrangement. There were three treatments which includes control (No fertilizer), inorganic regime (NPK @ 100:50:50 kg ha-1) and organic regime (Farm yard manure + Poultry manure + Mashroom waste @ 25 t ha-1, 5 t ha-1 and 10 t ha-1 respectively) were assigned to main plot. Four brinjal cultivars i.e. Pusa Long, Long Black, Black Beauty and Purple Long were used as sub plot factors.  Both the growing regimes and cultivars significantly affected all the growth and yield parameters except the survival percentage of seedlings. Among the growing regimes the organic fertilizer significantly influenced most of growth and yield components of brinjal. However, minimum days to flowering (33.6), fruit set (46.6), fruit harvest (57.3) and the maximum fruit length (21.2 cm) and fruit diameter (7.0 cm) were recorded in plants grown under organic fertilizers.  The brinjal cultivars also significantly influenced most of the parameters. The cultivar Pusa Long significantly resulted in the maximum plant height (82.9 cm) and also took less number of days to flowering (37.8). While the maximum fruit length (20.8 cm), less number of days to fruit set (48.1) and days to harvest (58.6) were recorded for cultivar Purple Long. Regarding to interaction of growing regimes and cultivars, the organic regime and cultivar Pusa Long showed the best performance for most of the growth and yield characteristics of brinjal. It is concluded from the present findings that brinjal cultivar Pusa Long should be cultivated under organic regime to obtain the higher yield and maximum profitability at Mansehra, Abbottabad- Pakistan. Keywords: Brinjal, variety, organic, inorganic, fruit diameter

Effect of Various Levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash on the Yield of French Bean

The experiment was conducted at the farm of Agricultural Research Station, Baffa (Mansehra) during August 2014 to monitor the effect of various levels of fertilizer treatments on plant height, number of branches plant-1, pod length, pod weight and pod yield of French bean variety (paulista). The experimental results revealed that that all the fertilizer treatments increased the plant height, number of branches plant-1, pod length, pod weight and pod yield of French bean significantly over control treatment. Maximum plant height (39.03 cm), number of branches plant-1(18.25), pod length (14.10 cm),  pod weight (5.37 gm) and pod yield (8.26 t ha-1) were recorded in the treatment receiving 120 kg N, 90 kg P2O5 and 90 kg K2O ha-1. The economics of fertilizers were also worked out on the basis of current market prices and it was found that use of fertilizer was profitable. The cost benefit ratio ranged between 4.90. to 6.05.

Effect of Sowing Dates on the Yield and Seed Production of Okra Cultivars in Mansehra

To monitor the effect of different sowing dates on the yield and seed production of okra cultivars, an experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Baffa Mansehra during 2014. Six cultivars of okra i.e. Irka, Sabz Pari, Pusa Green, Pusa Sawani, Sarhad Green and Green Star were sown on three different sowing dates with 15 days interval i.e. 15th March, 30th March and 14th April, 2014. Maximum number of pods plant-1 (32.12), pod length (11.12 cm), pod diameter (1.54 cm), pod weight (15.24 gm), plant height (184.28 cm), pod yield (16.24 t ha-1), seed yield (1601.92 kg ha-1) and 1000-seed weight (86.92 gm) were recorded in cultivars, sown on 30th March, 2014. Maximum number of pods plant-1 (32.75), pod length (11.57 cm), pod diameter (1.67 cm), pod weight (16.04 gm), plant height (187.17 cm), pod yield (17.50 t ha-1), seed yield (1735.00 kg ha-1) and 1000-seed weight (89.32 gm) were recorded in cultivar Sabz Pari. Sowing of okra cultivar Sabz Pari on 30th March is recommended for realizing maximum fresh pod and seed yields under the agro-climatic conditions of Mansehra District. Key words: okra, cultivar, sowing date, pod yield, seed weight

Understanding the neuroprotective effect of tranexamic acid: an exploratory analysis of the CRASH-3 randomised trial

Background: The CRASH-3 trial hypothesised that timely tranexamic acid (TXA) treatment might reduce deaths from intracranial bleeding after traumatic brain injury (TBI). To explore the mechanism of action of TXA in TBI, we examined the timing of its effect on death. Methods: The CRASH-3 trial randomised 9202 patients within 3 h of injury with a GCS score ≤ 12 or intracranial bleeding on CT scan and no significant extracranial bleeding to receive TXA or placebo. We conducted an exploratory analysis of the effects of TXA on all-cause mortality within 24 h of injury and within 28 days, excluding patients with a GCS score of 3 or bilateral unreactive pupils, stratified by severity and country income. We pool data from the CRASH-2 and CRASH-3 trials in a one-step fixed effects individual patient data meta-analysis. Results: There were 7637 patients for analysis after excluding patients with a GCS score of 3 or bilateral unreactive pupils. Of 1112 deaths, 23.3% were within 24 h of injury (early deaths). The risk of early death was reduced with TXA (112 (2.9%) TXA group vs 147 (3.9%) placebo group; risk ratio [RR] RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58–0.94). There was no evidence of heterogeneity by severity (p = 0.64) or country income (p = 0.68). The risk of death beyond 24 h of injury was similar in the TXA and placebo groups (432 (11.5%) TXA group vs 421 (11.7%) placebo group; RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.69–1.12). The risk of death at 28 days was 14.0% in the TXA group versus 15.1% in the placebo group (544 vs 568 events; RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.83–1.03). When the CRASH-2 and CRASH-3 trial data were pooled, TXA reduced early death (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.70–0.87) and death within 28 days (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.82–0.94). Conclusions: Tranexamic acid reduces early deaths in non-moribund TBI patients regardless of TBI severity or country income. The effect of tranexamic acid in patients with isolated TBI is similar to that in polytrauma. Treatment is safe and even severely injured patients appear to benefit when treated soon after injury. Trial registration: ISRCTN15088122, registered on 19 July 2011; NCT01402882, registered on 26 July 2011

Management and Outcomes Following Surgery for Gastrointestinal Typhoid: An International, Prospective, Multicentre Cohort Study

Background: Gastrointestinal perforation is the most serious complication of typhoid fever, with a high disease burden in low-income countries. Reliable, prospective, contemporary surgical outcome data are scarce in these settings. This study aimed to investigate surgical outcomes following surgery for intestinal typhoid. Methods: Two multicentre, international prospective cohort studies of consecutive patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal typhoid perforation were conducted. Outcomes were measured at 30 days and included mortality, surgical site infection, organ space infection and reintervention rate. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to adjust for clinically plausible explanatory variables. Effect estimates are expressed as odds ratios (ORs) alongside their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results: A total of 88 patients across the GlobalSurg 1 and GlobalSurg 2 studies were included, from 11 countries. Children comprised 38.6% (34/88) of included patients. Most patients (87/88) had intestinal perforation. The 30-day mortality rate was 9.1% (8/88), which was higher in children (14.7 vs. 5.6%). Surgical site infection was common, at 67.0% (59/88). Organ site infection was common, with 10.2% of patients affected. An ASA grade of III and above was a strong predictor of 30-day post-operative mortality, at the univariable level and following adjustment for explanatory variables (OR 15.82, 95% CI 1.53–163.57, p = 0.021). Conclusions: With high mortality and complication rates, outcomes from surgery for intestinal typhoid remain poor. Future studies in this area should focus on sustainable interventions which can reduce perioperative morbidity. At a policy level, improving these outcomes will require both surgical and public health system advances

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially