Potential of the system of rice intensification for systemic improvement in rice production and water use: the case of Andhra Pradesh, India

As opportunities to enhance the irrigation base for raising food production in the country are dwindling, India needs a more concerted effort to increase the efficiency and productivity of its irrigation systems. This study, based on an analysis of experience from the state of Andhra Pradesh, addresses the potential of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) to contribute to systemic corrections in present paddy cultivation, both with regard to agronomic productivity and irrigation water use efficiency. This study points to the considerable increase in rice productivity and farmer incomes, which is being achieved in Andhra Pradesh with substantial reduction in irrigation water application, labor, and seed costs through utilization of SRI methods. Potential public savings on water and power costs could be drawn upon not only for promoting SRI but also to effect systemic corrections in the irrigation sector, to mutual advantage

Prevalence and Pattern of Consanguineous Marriages Among Different Communities in Mangalore

Introduction: Consanguineous marriages are a common practice in the Middle East, Asian and African populations. Many studies have stated an association between first cousin marriages and the incidence of autosomal recessive diseases and congenital malformations. High frequency of consanguinity is reported by researchers among South India. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and type of consanguineous marriages among the different communities of Mangalore. Methods: This study was conducted on 1164 married women in Mangalore to investigate the prevalence and type of consanguineous marriages. All the women were interviewed personally using a structured questionnaire. Family pedigree was constructed to study the type of consanguineous marriages. Data analysis was done by SPSS Win 13.0. Results: A low percentage of consanguinity (6.53%) was observed with a mean inbreeding coefficient of 0.0339. Frequency of consanguinity between religions was highly significant. Of these the most frequent were first cousin marriages (43.42%). Within Hindu religion the highest rate of consanguinity was among the Billavas (47.62%) of which the most frequent were distant relative marriages (75%) followed by second cousin marriages (57.14%). There was no significant difference in the frequency distribution of the types of consanguinity between the religions and also between the different groups among Hindus. Conclusion: The frequency of consanguinity was found to be low in Mangalore. The findings contradict with the earlier reports of high prevalence of consanguineous marriages in South India. Increased female education, increased socio-economic status and decrease in parental decisions in marriages may be the reasons

Identification and characterisation of chloramine decaying proteins and control of impact in chloraminated systems

Chloramine is the second most popular disinfectant behind chlorine used in water distribution systems. The main advantages of using chloramine over chlorine are; it provides a longer lasting disinfectant residual and forms a less amount of the regulated halogenated disinfection by-products. However, at times, microbial chloramine decay can overwhelm stability and is identified as one of the serious problems that needs addressing. One of the mechanisms of microbial chloramine decay is by production of soluble microbial products (SMP), which substantially affects the chloramine decay. The SMP are usually composed of proteins, polysaccharides, humic acids, fulvic acids, nucleic acids, enzymes and structural compounds, but it was suspected that the chloramine decaying SMP could be protein(s) due to the catalytic effect that was noted in the samples. It was noted in soluble form in water after the onset of nitrification in a chloraminated system. When the SMP was filtered out of the water and was run on the SDS page to identify the compound 25 different proteins were seen with weaker signals. Therefore, the identity of chloramine decaying soluble microbial products (SMP), which microbes produce them and how to control them are not known. If SMP was produced by nitrifiers and since nitrifiers could be inhibited by higher organic carbon levels when changing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) level in the water, it could alter the production of chloramine decaying SMP. Therefore, batch rechloramination tests were conducted for reactor sets with variable DOC levels to understand their effect on the impact of SMP. The results revealed as the highest production of SMP had been stimulated with low DOC level (0-1mg-C.L-1) compared to other DOC levels (2-3, 4-5 and 7-8 mg-C.L-1). To recognize microbial community variations with the impression of identifying CDP producing micro-organisms, microbial community analysis was also carried out in the same reactor sets. Significant differences in bacterial types against DOC variations could not be detected. However, some of the bacterial types such as Micobacterium, AOB, Bradyrhizobium sp., Methylobacterium and family Sphingomonadaceae recognized in this study are known to produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). My early work has identified that SMP are proteins; hence, named as chloramine decaying proteins (CDP). In Relation to the context of these experiments, the proteins consisting within EPS can be considered as CDP. Questioning if nitrifiers always produce CDP, two nitrified reactors - one with chloramine (chloraminated reactor) and the other with ammonia (ammoniated reactor) - were operated using nutrient added Milli-Q water as the feed water in a way nitrification occurs within the reactor. MilliQ was selected since it produced the highest concentration of CDP. It was expected that CDP could be easily separated amongst 25 previously found proteins. Therefore, nitrified bulk water and biofilm samples from both reactors were subjected to protein separation (2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) and protein identification (mass spectrometry-MS). Furthermore, bacterial community variations on ammoniated and chloraminated reactors were characterised by sequencing of 16S RNA. The batch rechloramination results obtained from the reactors for the first time established the production of CDP as a microbial response to chloramine stress. The bacterial community characterisations on each of the reactors did not show major differences in identified bacterial strains. However, the EPS producing bacterial strains (AOB, Bradyrhizobium sp. and family Sphingomonadaceae) identified in chloraminated reactors were suspected to be responsible for CDP production. Chloraminated and ammoniated bulk water samples were not resulting in enough concentrations, therefore, for comparison of protein spots and MS analysis, the biofilm samples (which are believed to have more CDP) were analysed. The major proteins detected were ammonia monooxygenase subunit A and putative porin related to Nitrosomonas sp. and Bradyrhizobium sp., respectively. However, their relation to CDP has to be further investigated. Conclusively, every aspect of this study is directing towards discovering a better control mechanism for the microbial/ CDP induced accelerated chloramine decay. Silver is a known inhibitor for several micro-organisms. Therefore, experiments were conducted to reveal the optimum dose of silver on inactivating nitrifying microbes and CDP for controlling the fast decay of chloramine. Interestingly, 2 μg-Ag.L-1 silver (which is far lower than the recommended level- 0.1 mg-Ag.L-1) was found to be effective for improving chloramine residuals in tested bulk waters. This study concludes by further emphasising the need for extensive study/research in further identification of CDP and bacteria communities responsible for chloramine decay in chloraminated drinking water distribution systems

Physical and nutritional characteristics of less common traditional rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties of Sri Lanka

Consumption and cultivation of traditional rice varieties have increased considerably in recent years due to the increased prevalence of non-communicable diseases in our country. However, the physical properties and nutritional composition of most traditional rice have not been scientifically studied to a satisfactory level. Therefore, this study determined the physical and nutritional properties of some less common rice varieties namely Pokkali, Murugakayan, Rathdel, Madathawalu, Kuruluthuda, Pachchaperumal, Suduheenati, Suwadel and Kaluheenati without subjecting to processing treatments such as polishing and parboiling. Length, width, thickness, diameter, volume and length/ width (shape) ratios as physical properties and moisture content, ash, crude fat and protein, total and digestible carbohydrate contents, resistant starch and insoluble soluble and total dietary fiber contents were determined according to standard methods. Length, width, and thickness of grains varied between 4.0- 6.4 mm, 2.2-2.9 mm and 1.5-2.2 mm respectively. Diameter, volume and length-width ratio were between 2.4-3.3 mm, 3.8-10.5 mm3 and 1.7-2.6 respectively. Accordingly, the varieties were categorized as bold or medium. Moisture contents of varieties were between 5.4-8.3% and ash contents less than 2% (DM). Low crude fat (4.2-4.9% DM) and high protein (5.5-9.2% DM) contents were observed. Digestible carbohydrate and total carbohydrate contents ranged between 77.5-84.6% (DM) and 79.1-85.2% (DM) respectively. Resistant starch content varied between 0.4- 3.2%. Corresponding insoluble, soluble and total dietary fiber contents ranged between 2.8-4.9%, 1.5-2.7% and 4.3-6.5% (DM). According to the data obtained the studied traditional rice varietiesare good sources of digestible carbohydrate, protein with low fat and moisture.KEYWORDS: Nutritional properties, physical properties, traditional ric

The role of brush cytology in diagnosing lesions of biliary tract

Background: Biliary brushing during endoscopic retrograde cholangiography pancreatography (ERCP) helps in the diagnosis of lesions of biliary tract. We compared the cellular and diagnostic results of various samples taken from the stricture site with the help of brushings taken from stricture site. The aim of this study was to know the age and sex prevalence in subjects suffering from biliary tract lesions and to know the role of ERCP guided brush cytology smears in diagnosing various lesions of exrtrahepatic biliary tract.Methods: It is a hospital based study conducted in the Department of Pathology, Andhra Medical College. Brush cytology smears were obtained from twenty patients and cytological examinations was conducted. All the clinical details and investigation reports were collected.Results: The age group of patients in this study ranged from 30 to 75 years. The numbers of cases analyzed during this period were 20. The mean age of presentation was 55 years. Male: Female ratio was 3:2. Majority of these cases presented with obstructive jaundice. Brush cytology smears from distal bile duct showed malignant cells hence our study revealed distal bile duct is more vulnerable to malignancy. Among all the 20 cases, 12 cases (60%) were reported as cholangiocarcinoma and the remaining 8 cases (40%) were included under benign/reactive. Among benign/reactive lesions, one case showed Micro-filarial infestation with reactive atypia of cells.Conclusions: The current study was conducted to assess the relative accuracy of brush cytology for diagnosis of malignant biliary strictures

Effect of fertigation on the productivity of coconut

An experiment to study the effect of fertigation on the productivity of coconut was laid out at Horticulture Research Station, Arsikere, Karnataka during 2007-08 to 2011-12. Application of 25, 50, 75 and 100 per cent of recommended NPK through drip irrigation system was compared with the soil application of recommended NPK as well as control with no fertilizer application. Fertilizers were given through drip irrigation system throughout the year in ten equal splits at monthly interval excluding peak rainfall months of May and October. Application of 100 per cent NPK through drip irrigation recorded significantly higher number of female flowers and nut setting percentage compared to control and application of 25 per cent NPK through drip irrigation. The mean nut and copra yield per palm over five years was significantly higher with the application of 100 per cent NPK through drip irrigation compared to control and application of 25 and 50 per cent NPK through drip irrigation. However, the copra content was not significantly influenced by the fertigation treatments. Application of 75 per cent NPK through drip irrigation recorded nut and copra yield per palm on par with the application of 100 per cent NPK through drip irrigation and 100 per cent NPK through soil. The net returns and benefit-cost ratio in 75 per cent NPK through drip irrigation were also on par with the application of 100 per cent NPK through drip irrigation, but significantly higher than 100 per cent NPK through soil application. The study indicated the possibility of saving 25 per cent of the recommended fertilizers by adopting fertigation which ensures higher productivity in coconut

Uterine low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma: a case report with review of literature

Endometrial stromal sarcomas are rare uterine tumours usually seen in perimenopausal females. We report here a case of low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma in a 45 year female with a clinical diagnosis of fibroid uterus and final histological diagnosis of low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma

Biologics and biosimilars: role in modern pharmacotherapy and importance of pharmacovigilance

Biologics are highly sensitive large molecules with complex structure, difficult to characterize and reproduce, derived from living cells; used for treatment, diagnosis or prevention of disease. Examples are therapeutic hormones, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies etc. Biologicals are beneficial in the management of several health conditions which were once upon a time difficult to manage like cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes etc. Biosimilars are proteins that are similar to innovator biologics but not the same as they differ slightly in structure however with no clinically significant difference. Biosimilars are not the exact replicas of originator biologic and are therefore not generics. Biosimilars for their approval are not required to undergo intense clinical trials as innovator biologic but are required to produce data that demonstrates its similarity to an original biologic in terms of clinical efficacy and safety. However, manufactures of both the biologics and biosimilars are required to submit pharmacovigilance and risk management plans as part of their application. Marketing authorization for biosimilars was for the first time framed by EMA along with the guidelines for developing them. As biologics and biosimilars are derived proteins they have immunogenic potential and risk of adverse events which cautions their use. Pharmacovigilance is needed to ensure that adverse events are quickly detected, reported and attributed to the correct product and manufacturer. Regulations are implemented to improve identification and traceability of biologics. Automatic substitution should not be permitted for biologicals.

Clinicopathological study of carcinoma stomach over a period of 5 years

Background: Gastric cancer represents one of the most frequent neoplasias. Although its incidence decreased over the last few decades in industrialized countries, it still represents nowadays a major cause of death through cancer throughout the world. The purpose of this study was to identify clinicopathological parameters in gastric carcinoma.Methods: A total of 115 gastrectomy specimen received in 5 year period at a tertiary care center was analyzed. The clinical data was recorded. After fixing the specimen in 10% formal saline for 24 hours the gross appearance of the specimen was studied. The gross findings were recorded following Borrmann classification. The tissue blocks were routinely processed and stained with H&E stain. The results were tabulated.Results: The prevalence of gastric carcinoma was 4.46%, with male: female ratio of 3:1 and mean age of 50years.The prevalence of carcinoma stomach was more common in rural areas and poor socio economic status. Sixty percent of patients who consumed mixed diet suffered from carcinoma and 82.8% had history of intake of alcohol. Carcinoma stomach was more common in A blood group. The tumor was more common in pyloric antrum (73.04%). According to Borrmann classification type II tumour was the commonest (66.09%) of the lesions. Commonest histological pattern was adenocarcinoma; intestinal type (86.72%).Conclusions: The prevalence of carcinoma stomach in the present study was 4.46%. High prevalence of gastric carcinoma was seen in patients with history of smoking, intake of alcohol and consumption of mixed diet. Carcinoma stomach was more common in A blood group followed by B blood group. Adenocarcinoma of intestinal type was the commonest