A 19-year-old boy with intra-oral discharging sinus for 28 days

Abstract not available BSMMU J 2022; 15(2): 138-14

Farmer's behavior in pesticide use : insights study from smallholder and intensive agricultural farms in Bangladesh

Funding was provided fully by USAID-sponsored Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) Program's Cycle 6 project, entitled “Ecosystem services in a changing climate; assessing critical services in Bangladesh rice production landscapes.” PEER is implemented by U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) via USAID and NAS Prime Agreement No. AID-OAA-A-11-00012. D.L. (US partner on the PEER grant) acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation Long-term Ecological Research Program (DEB 1832042) at the Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University South Asia Partnership and MSU AgBioResearch.Since independence and over the years, pesticides have become a dominant feature of Bangladesh agriculture. To protect farmers' health, environment and to improve sustainability of chemical pest control quantitative understanding of farmers' behavior in pesticide use is critical. However, study on the levels of knowledge and awareness of farmers and the practices of pesticide use are often limited. We conducted a broad analysis on the effects of knowledge and awareness of farmers as well as the influence of the different associated stakeholders such as pesticide retailers and the government, on farmers' behavior in pesticide use from a detailed survey of 917 agricultural households in different regions of Bangladesh. Within eight protective behaviors (PBs) or PPEs were largely influenced by the crops growers and regions. Never discarding empty pesticide containers in the field, never applying pesticides more than prescribed by DAE or the instruction manual, selecting new types of pesticides recommended by DAE and purchasing low toxicity pesticides were the most adopted practices. Most farmers from the South-East region were adopting the PB of wearing mask, gloves and long sleeved clothes when spraying and farmers from South trusted the recommendations of pesticides by village leaders and neighbors. Majority of vegetables growers were well informed that pesticides were very harmful to the quality of agricultural products, the environment, and human health but not rice or mixed crops growers. Generally, PBs were positively affected by the perception of the consequences of farmers' behavior and knowledge of pesticide use but negatively influenced by action of governments and trust of retailers. It is important to recognize the differences that exist among different crops growers and locations. Attempt needs to bridge the gap among crop growers, locations and different stakeholder such as government agencies and retailers to develop policy.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Molecular ecological basis of grasshopper (Oedaleus asiaticus) phenotypic plasticity under environmental selection

This research was supported by the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest (201003079), China, the earmarked fund for the China Agriculture Research System (CARS-35-07 and CARS-34-7B), the Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Nature Science Foundation of China (31672485), and the CSC Scholarship from the China Scholarship Council. The transcriptome data of O. asiaticus females was submitted to SRA database in NCBI and have been released (ID: SRP059063).While ecological adaptation in insects can be reflected by plasticity of phenotype, determining the causes and molecular mechanisms for phenotypic plasticity (PP) remains a crucial and still difficult question in ecology, especially where control of insect pests is involved. Oedaleus asiaticus is one of the most dominant pests in the Inner Mongolia steppe and represents an excellent system to study phenotypic plasticity. To better understand ecological factors affecting grasshopper phenotypic plasticity and its molecular control, we conducted a full transcriptional screening of O. asiaticus grasshoppers reared in four different grassland patches in Inner Mongolia. Grasshoppers showed different degrees of PP associated with unique gene expressions and different habitat plant community compositions. Grasshopper performance variables were susceptible to habitat environment conditions and closely associated with plant architectures. Intriguingly, eco-transcriptome analysis revealed five potential candidate genes playing important roles in grasshopper performance, with gene expression closely relating to PP and plant community factors. By linking the grasshopper performances to gene profiles and ecological factors using canonical regression, we first demonstrated the eco-transcriptomic architecture of grasshopper phenotypic traits. Regression biplot revealed plant food type, plant density, coverage, and height were the main ecological factors influencing PP, while insect cuticle protein (ICP), negative elongation factor A (NELFA), and lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LCT) were the key genes associated with PP. Our study gives a clear picture of gene-environment interaction in the formation and maintenance of PP and enriches our understanding of the transcriptional events underlying molecular control of rapid phenotypic plasticity associated with environmental variability. The findings of this study may also provide new targets for pest control and highlight the significance of ecological management practice on grassland conservation.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Development and demographic parameters of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) when feeding on rice (Oryza sativa)

Fall Armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), native to the Americas, is a polyphagous insect pest feeding on more than 350 plant species. We studied the developmental and demographic parameters of the maize (Zea mays) strain of FAW on rice (Oryza sativa), and compared the results with its prime host, maize. The developmental period from egg to adult among rice varieties did not differ significantly; however, it did differ significantly between rice and maize, as feeding on rice rather than maize extends development duration of FAW larvae by 15.15%. FAW larvae collected and reared on maize were found to be of significantly higher weight than those reared on rice at two sequential dates of their development; pupal weight however was observed as statistically similar between these two host crops. Regardless of the host, female adults always emerged before males; in maize, female FAW appeared 3.36 days earlier than males. Females derived from rice had longer pre-oviposition periods and shorter oviposition ones than those derived from maize. In rice and maize, the age-specific fecundity rate (mx) peaked at 40 days and 33 days, respectively. When the Fall Armyworm consumed maize instead of rice, there was an increase in the reproduction rate (R0), the intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm), and the finite rate of increase (λ). For instance, when FAW fed on rice, the rm value was 0.121, whereas it rose to 0.173 when FAW fed on maize. Feeding on rice instead of maize resulted in significantly longer mean length of generation (tG) and doubling time (tD) for the fall armyworm (FAW). This suggests that it took a longer time for the FAW population to double when it was fed rice under controlled greenhouse conditions. In summary, our research suggests that FAW can survive and complete its life cycle on rice plants and on multiple varieties of rice in Bangladesh. However, field verification is necessary before drawing strong conclusions as to the risk posed by FAW in rice. This requires additional studies of FAW and associated insect community dynamics under non-controlled conditions and in the context of multi-species interactions in Asian rice fields

Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Rice under Abiotic Stress: Plant Breeding Approach

Nitrogenous fertilizer has remarkably improved rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield across the world since its discovery by Haber-Bosch process. Due to climate change, future rice production will likely experience a wide range of environmental plasticity. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is an important trait to confer adaptability across various abiotic stresses such as flooding, drought and salinity. The problem with the increased N application often leads to a reduction in NUE. New solutions are needed to simultaneously increase yield and maximize the NUE of rice. Despite the differences among flooding, salinity and drought, these three abiotic stresses lead to similar responses in rice plants. To develop abiotic stress tolerant rice varieties, speed breeding seems a plausible novel approach. Approximately 22 single quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and 58 pairs of epistatic QTLs are known to be closely associated with NUE in rice. The QTLs/genes for submergence (SUB1A) tolerance, anaerobic germination (AG, TPP7) potential and deepwater flooding tolerance (SK1, SK2) are identified. Furthermore, phytochrome-interacting factor-like14 (OsPIL14), or loss of function of the slender rice1 (SLR1) genes enhance salinity tolerance in rice seedlings. This review updates our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance and discusses possible approaches for developing N-efficient rice variety

Poljoprivreda i hrana

This research was supported by the earmarked fund for China Agriculture Research System (CARS-34-07B), the Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the China Scholarship Council-University of St Andrews Joint Scholarship. The earmarked fund for China Agriculture Research System (CARS-34-07B) and the Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences supported the design, sample collection, analysis, and interpretation of data as well as writing the manuscript. Xinghu Qin is funded by the China Scholarship Council and University of St Andrews Joint Scholarship.Background The grasshopper Oedaleus asiaticus Bey-Bienko (Acrididae: Oedipodinae) is a dominant and economically important pest that is widely distributed across the Mongolian plateau. This herbivore pest causes major damage to the grassland of the Inner Mongolian steppe in China. The population dynamics of herbivore pests is affected by grassland management practices (e.g., mowing and heavy livestock grazing) that alter plant community structures and stoichiometric characteristics. For example, O. asiaticus outbreak is closely associated with plant preference changes caused by nitrogen loss from heavy livestock grazing. However, the manner by which small-scale variation in vegetation affects grasshopper performance and promotes outbreak is poorly characterized. To address this question, we investigated the relationship between small-scale (1 m2) vegetation variability and measures of O. asiaticus performance associated with plant stoichiometric characteristics. Results We found that food preferences of O. asiaticus varied significantly, but maintained a specific dietary structure for different plant compositions. Notably, small-scale changes in plant community composition significantly affected grasshopper food preference and body size. Partial least-square modeling indicated that plant proportion and biomass affected grasshopper body size and density. We found that this effect differed between sexes. Specifically, female body mass positively correlated with the proportion of Stipa krylovii grass, whereas male mass positively correlated with the proportion of Artemisia frigida grass. Further analyses indicated that grasshopper performance is closely associated with plant stoichiometric traits that might be responsible for the pest’s plague. Conclusions This study provides valuable information for managing grasshoppers using rational grassland management practices.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries