Digital Gangrene:An Unusual Manifestation of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

BACKGROUND: Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) comprise a group of haematologic malignancies with different histologic subtypes. The clinical picture varies from indolent to aggressive presentation and nodal (lymphadenopathy) to extranodal (central nervous system, gastrointestinal, cutaneous plaque, or ulcer) involvement. Digital gangrene is seldom reported. Here, we describe a patient with pain and blackening of all fingers and toes as presenting symptoms of NHL. Case Presentation. A 32-year-old male weaver had been smoking three to five cannabis-containing cigarettes daily for about ten years and methamphetamine four to five tablets daily for five years. He had no history of Raynaud's phenomenon, fever, cough, weight loss, skin rash, joint pain, and atherogenic or thrombogenic risk factors. We found normal blood pressure and absent peripheral pulses in arms and legs, dry gangrene of all fingers and toes, generalized lymphadenopathy, and hepatomegaly with ascites. The chest X-ray was normal, as were blood sugar, lipid profile, and hepatic and renal function. Rheumatoid factor, antinuclear and antiphospholipid antibodies, C-ANCA and P-ANCA, hepatitis B and C, and HIV were negative. CT abdomen revealed hepatosplenomegaly with multiple intra-abdominal lymphadenopathies. The peripheral angiogram showed 90-99% stenosis of radial and dorsalis pedis arteries with normal proximal vessels. Diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma was confirmed by histopathology of cervical lymph node (diffuse type), immunohistochemically subtyped as peripheral T cell lymphoma (not otherwise specified). The digital ischemia worsened despite cessation of cannabis and methamphetamine and starting CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) treatment, making amputation necessary. CONCLUSION: We present, to our knowledge, the first report of peripheral T cell lymphoma, NOS presenting with gangrene in all digits complicated by methamphetamine and cannabis abuse. This uncommon vascular manifestation of non-Hodgkin lymphoma may cause a diagnostic dilemma and delayed initiation of treatment

Effect of nitrogen fertilization on growth, yield and proximate composition of selected sorghum varieties

A field experiment was conducted at the Crop Botany Field Laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to study the effect of varieties and different doses of nitrogen on growth and yield parameters of sorghum. It was a two factorial experiment. Factor one consisted of three levels of nitrogen viz. 69, 92, 115 kg N ha-1 and factor two consisted of four varieties of sorghum viz. BD700, BD707, BD722 and Hybrid Sorgo. The experiment was laid out following Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Result revealed that both variety and application of nitrogen doses had significant effect on all of the morphological and physiological characters (plant height, total number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf width, stem diameter, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root, relative greenness (SPAD value), Fv/Fm value); yield contributing characters (panicle length, branches per panicle, grain yield) at harvesting stage and proximate composition of grain and leaf (crude protein, crude fiber, ether extract, nitrogen free extract and total ash). The tallest plant, maximum fresh and dry weight of shoot, less crude fiber were recorded from BD722 when treated with 69 kg N ha-1. The longest panicles, highest number of branches per panicle, maximum grain yield were produced from the same variety (BD 722) with 92 kg N ha-1. The maximum SPAD value, nitrogen free extract and ash in leaf were found in the same variety (BD722) with 115 kg N ha-1. The maximum crude protein and ether extract in leaf was recorded in Hybrid Sorgo with treatment combination 90 and 92 kg N ha-1 respectively. The minimum plant height, fresh and dry weight of shoot, length of internodes, relative greenness of leaf, panicle length, grain yield, crude protein and ash was found in BD707. Among the varieties tested, BD722 was the best in terms of growth characters with 69 kg N ha-1 and in terms of physiological, yield and yield contributing characters with 92 kg N ha-1. Both BD722 and Hybrid Sorgo showed the best performance in chemical composition with different N treatments. On the other hand, BD707 showed inferior performance in all plant characters

Screening of Sorghum genotypes for salt-tolerance based on seed germination and seedling stage

Soil salinity is an increasing problem in the world and the main obstacle to agricultural productivity especially in areas where irrigation is necessary. Adoption of salt tolerant genotype is more important here and so screening of salt tolerant cultivars is essential. For that, quick method to screen salt-tolerant plants, particularly in early stages of their growth is important. Methodology: For this purpose, some laboratory studies using nine sorghum genotypes were conducted to screen salt tolerant genotypes during germination and seedling growth stages. The genotypes were Hybrid sorgo, Debgiri, BD 703, BD 706, BD 707, BD 713, BD 720, BD 725 and BD 738 and salinity levels were 0 dSm-1 (control), 6 dSm-1, 12 dSm-1 and 18 dSm-1. There were 36 (9×4) treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Saline treatments were imposed by sea water solution. To screen out the salt-tolerant genotypes germination percentage, rate of germination, vigor index and different physiological parameters i.e. germination stress tolerance index (GSTI), root length stress tolerance index (RLSI), shoot length stress tolerance index (SLSI) and fresh weight stress tolerance index (FSTI) were studied. Key findings: In this study, all the parameters were decreased with increasing salinity. On the basis of the results obtained using above mentioned germination and physiological criteria, sorghum genotypes Hybrid sorgo, BD 703 & BD 707 were categorized as tolerant while Debgiri and BD 713 were found as sensitive ones. Besides these, sorghum genotypes were not tolerant up to 18dSm-1 though some of them were tolerant at 12dSm-1. Conclusion: Overall, these tolerant and sensitive genotypes might be used in the further genetic improvement of the same and different crops