System Comparisons between Organic, Biodynamic, Conventional and GMO’s in cotton production & Organic, Biodynamic, Conventional systems in Soya and Wheat in Central India

Over the past 05 years the organic cotton production in India has grown many folds. In the conventional cotton arena the genetically modified cotton is growing at an unprecedented rate. Considering the above factors it was considered necessary to carry out a `System’ comparisons in which the four systems can be compared. Further the research hopes to answer the larger questions o Put the discussion regarding the benefits and drawbacks of organic agriculture on a rational footing; o Help to identify challenges for organic agriculture that can then be addressed systematically; o Provide physical reference points for stakeholders in agricultural research and development and thus support decision-making and agricultural policy dialogue at different levels. At the farmers level the following outcomes are expected: What happens to yields of the crops when you stop using fertilizers and pesticides ? What happens to the pests when you don’t usefertilizers and pesticides? How do the crops grow when only farmyard manure or compost is used? Can we effectively control pests in the organic and biodynamic systems using a range of botnaical sprays ? Are the biodynamic preparations effective? What are the costs of cultivation of the different systems that we are comparing? What are impacts on the qulaity of the produce in the different systems ? What are impacts on t soils of the different systems

Agronomic and economic performance of organic, conventional and GM-cotton in Central India - First results of a long-term farming systems comparison

Over the past five years the organic cotton production in India has grown many folds. In the conventional cotton arena, the genetically modified cotton is growing at an unprecedented rate. In view of these developments, it was considered necessary to carry out a systematic comparison between the various cotton production systems common in the area. Further, this research attempts to address the larger issues: • Put the discussion regarding the benefits and drawbacks of organic agriculture on a rational footing; • Help to identify challenges for organic agriculture that can then be addressed systematically; • Provide physical reference and meeting points for stakeholders in agricultural research and development and thus support decision-making and agricultural policy dialogue at different levels

Participatory cotton breeding for organic and low input farming in India

Organic cotton production currently takes place in 22 countries resulting in 241’697 metric tons of fibre and 1.1% of the global cotton production (Truscott et al. 2010). Up to 80% of world’s organic cotton is produced in India. However, this market is threatened due to the displacement of traditional cotton species and cultivars by genetically modified (GM) hybrids selected for high input farming. Organic cotton farmers are facing increased difficulties in finding suitable cultivars in India (Nemes, 2010). Moreover, there is a big risk of physical and genetic contamination of organic cotton with GM cotton and the loss of locally adapted genetic resources. Therefore fast action is needed to re-establish a GM-free seed chain and breeding programs for cultivars suited for organic and low input farming conditions

Evaluation of the efficacy of tamsulosin with or without deflazacort for stone clearance after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for upper ureteral and renal calculi

Background: Medical expulsive therapy in the form of alpha blockers, corticosteroids, calcium channel blockers is being used with success for medical treatment of lower ureteric calculus. Adjunctive use of these therapeutic agents in post extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy period is also being tried.With this background, we evaluated the efficacy of tamsulosin with or without deflazacort for various outcome factors after ESWL of upper ureteral and renal calculi.Methods: A Prospecive study during period from February 2014 to April 2015 including a total of 90 patients with solitary upper ureteral or renal calculus who underwent ESWL was conducted. Patients were divided into three groups. Group A(30 patients) were given standard therapy (analgesics and antibiotics for 5 days), Group B (30 patients) were given standard plus tamsulosin (0.4 mg once daily) for 4 weeks and Group C (30 patients) were given standard therapy plus tamsulosin (0.4 mg once daily) and deflazacort (6 mg twice daily) for 4 weeks . Patients were evaluated at 2 and 4 weeks post ESWL with X ray KUB and USG.Results: At the end of 4 weeks, 10, 17, and 26 patients in group A, B and C respectively cleared their stones. Out of these 2, 6 and 19 patients in group A, B and C respectively cleared their stones in first 2 weeks. Clearance in group C was significantly higher as compared to group A and B.Conclusions: Addition of alpha-blocker tamsulosin along with deflazacort post ESWL for renal and upper ureteric calculi increases the stone expulsion rate and reduces the expulsion duration as shown by highly statistically significant results in group C.

Role of serum CA 19-9 as a tumor marker in TCC bladder

Background: There is a dearth of reliable blood and urine markers for transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder. CA 19-9 is a well-known marker for gastrointestinal malignancies and is being investigated for other malignancies including carcinoma bladder. In this prospective study, we evaluated the role of serum CA 19-9 as a tumor marker and correlated its level with tumor grade and stage.Methods: One hundred and fifteen patients with transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder and 69 healthy volunteers, as controls were included in the study. Preoperative blood sample was analysed for level of CA 19-9 using ELISA kit (normal - 0 U/ml to 37U/ml) and were correlated with grade and TNM stage of tumor.Results: The range of the control group is 2-38U/ml (mean: 17.67±9.68U/ml); TCC group is 1-94U/ml (mean: 37.12±31.52U/ml) (p=0.304). When CA 19-9 level >37IU/ml was taken as cut-off for a positive test, sensitivity of detecting T3 disease, T4 disease, MIBC, presence of node and high grade tumour were 80%, 75%, 70.3%, 78% and 57.8% respectively. However, there was a statistically significant increase in levels of CA19-9 in relation to higher grade (<0.001), presence of muscle invasion (<0.001), T stage (<0.001) and N stage (<0.001).Conclusions: Serum CA19-9 is almost invariably raised in patients with high grade and invasive disease. Thus, it has a place as a prognostic marker rather than as a diagnostic tool due to its low sensitivity for TCC bladder

Influence of the Fast Spread of Bt Cotton on Organic Cotton Production: Examples from India and Burkina Faso

COTTON is grown in more than 120 countries by over 20 million cotton producers on 35 million ha in 2012 (Truscott, 2010, www.fas.usda.gov). In 2011, around 27 million tons of cotton were produced, mostly by smallholder producers in 'developing' countries which cultivate cotton as a cash crop on their own land averaging under 2 ha in size, or as contracted workers for bigger land owners. Cotton is usually grown as a monoculture. In industrialised countries, the level of mechanisation is high, thus cotton production does not provide a lot of work in rural communities. In contrast, in developing countries, the cultivation and harvest is mostly done by hand labour and thus provides a lot of work for the rural population. Cotton, particularly as a monoculture, uses significant amounts of pesticides, fertilisers, fossil fuels and water (Truscott, 2010). There are four commercially exploited cotton species: Gossypium hirsutum and G. barbadense, the 'New World Species', and G. arboreum and G. herbaceum, the Old World Species. Though Old World cottons are still grown in some areas of Africa and Asia, they have been almost totally replaced by New World cottons. Most dominant today are G. hirsutum cultivars, which are spread across 45 countries. About 90% of the annual global cotton harvest is derived from G. hirsutum. One negative outcome of the wide cultivation of G. hirsutum cultivars is the increased pest attacks, particularly by the American bollworm. Hence, cotton cultivation had a very bad reputation as the single largest user of pesticides in the world (Truscott, 2010). In the mid-1990s, conventional cotton production posed a serious threat to the environment, farmers' health and the economy. At one stage cotton accounted for the use of 15% of the world's pesticides and 25% of the world's insecticides.This resulted in two major responses. One response was the development of genetically modified (GM) insect-resistant cotton cultivars, which were rapidly adopted by many countries since its first commercial introduction in 1996. Approximately 82% of the world's cotton-growing area was grown under genetically modified cotton in 2011 (www.isaaa.org2). The other response was the adoption of organic methods of cotton production by farmers who believed that holistic, earth-friendly responses, optimised crop rotation and organic fertiliser could reverse the trend of the soaring use of chemical pesticides. The rapid spread of GM seeds in cotton has resulted in problems for the organic cotton sector, a few of which can be briefly examined, taking India and Burkina Faso as examples (Truscott, 2010)

Role of primary chemotherapy in management of large tumors of undescended testis: Our experience

Objective: This study aimed to share our experience with tumors of undescended testis (UDT) and to assess the impact of primary cisplatin-based chemotherapy on such tumors. Materials and Methods: This study included the cases of tumor in UDT from February 2005 to December 2011. Evaluation of the cases was done with proper clinical examination and laboratory investigations along with tumor markers (alfa-feto protein, beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, lactate dehydrogenase) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography abdomen. Fine needle aspiration cytologywas done in all cases. Primary chemotherapy with three cycles of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin regimen at three weekly intervals started in all cases. Response to treatment was seen after four weeks of the third cycle. Results: Fourteen cases (12.5%) of germ cell tumor in UDT out of 112 cases of germ cell tumor of the testis were included. The age ranged from 16-60 years. Histological diagnosis was pure seminoma in all cases. After three cycles of BEP regime, complete response was seen in 11 cases and partial response in three cases where the residual tumor was excised along with retroperitoneal lymph node dissection RPLND. Of the 14 cases, 13 were in regular follow-up and one was lost to follow-up. All on follow-up were doing well without recurrence till now. Conclusion: Surgical removal of the primary tumor in UDT with or without bulky metastasis is complicated. Primary chemotherapy with cisplatin-based regimen is a good option in such cases

Participatory Cotton Breeding for Organic and Low External Input Conditions

- General high interest of farmers to participate in on-station and on-farm testing of cotton varietal lines and hybrids - On-station mother trials are managed by the researchers, while on-farm baby trials are managed by the farmer - A network of interested farmers need to be established, who are regularly trained in on-farm research and supported by extension agents - Farmers, researchers and extension agents together monitor the on-station and on-farm trials and evaluate cotton varieties and hybrids - However, the extension agents and farmers need to be introduced into plant breeding by the researcher to support and profit from decentralized participatory breeding efforts - Farmers are highly motivated to find new genotypes as they are in great need for good seed source

Evaluation of the efficacy of tamsulosin with or without deflazacort for stone clearance after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for upper ureteral and renal calculi

Background: Medical expulsive therapy in the form of alpha blockers, corticosteroids, calcium channel blockers is being used with success for medical treatment of lower ureteric calculus. Adjunctive use of these therapeutic agents in post extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy period is also being tried.With this background, we evaluated the efficacy of tamsulosin with or without deflazacort for various outcome factors after ESWL of upper ureteral and renal calculi.Methods: A Prospecive study during period from February 2014 to April 2015 including a total of 90 patients with solitary upper ureteral or renal calculus who underwent ESWL was conducted. Patients were divided into three groups. Group A(30 patients) were given standard therapy (analgesics and antibiotics for 5 days), Group B (30 patients) were given standard plus tamsulosin (0.4 mg once daily) for 4 weeks and Group C (30 patients) were given standard therapy plus tamsulosin (0.4 mg once daily) and deflazacort (6 mg twice daily) for 4 weeks . Patients were evaluated at 2 and 4 weeks post ESWL with X ray KUB and USG.Results: At the end of 4 weeks, 10, 17, and 26 patients in group A, B and C respectively cleared their stones. Out of these 2, 6 and 19 patients in group A, B and C respectively cleared their stones in first 2 weeks. Clearance in group C was significantly higher as compared to group A and B.Conclusions: Addition of alpha-blocker tamsulosin along with deflazacort post ESWL for renal and upper ureteric calculi increases the stone expulsion rate and reduces the expulsion duration as shown by highly statistically significant results in group C.