Optimising Farm Plans in Different Farming Systems

This study has been conducted to optimize farm plans in different farming systems in Orathanadu block of the Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu by randomly selecting 150 livestock farmers from 6 villages. A linear programming (LP) model has been developed to arrive at the optimal farm plans for different categories of farms (landless, marginal, small and large) separately. The net returns from dairying have been found as Rs 25,864, which is about 29.7 per cent to the total and it also could contribute maximum to employment (55 per cent). The optimal plan for small-farmer category has revealed that dairy animals have contributed maximum net returns (Rs 31,640) to the aggregate net returns (Rs 49,105). Dairy animals have also generated an employment of 840 humandays as against 45, 80 and 38.6 humandays, from paddy–I, paddy–II and groundnut crops, respectively. The optimal plan for marginal farmers has indicated that dairy animals and sheep could be more attractive in terms of income and employment generation. Optimal plan for landless households has revealed that 5 dairy animals, 15 goats and 15 sheep could be valuable for increasing their income and employment. Income increase in the optimal farm plans has been found maximum (223.5 per cent) in large-farmer category, followed by small (192.7 per cent), marginal (180.1 per cent) and landless households (116 per cent). The increase in employment of family labour in the optimal plan over the existing plan in all categories has indicated that optimal combination of enterprises could reduce unemployment.Farm Management,

Crystal structure of 4-(dimethylamino)-pyridinium 4-aminobenzoate dihydrate

Acknowledgements The authors thank SAIF, IIT, Madras for thedata collection.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Assessment of DNA Damage in Peripheral Blood of Tobacco Users

The smokeless tobacco has a physical powerful association with the risk of oral leukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis, Oral squamous cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. ST components exhibit genotoxicity and may alter the structure of DNA, proteins and lipids, resulting in the production of antigenicity. Present study was carried out to investigate the effects of chewing tobacco (CT) with smoking on lymphocyte DNA damage. After signing a consent form, volunteers provided blood samples (76 samples from including experimental and control subjects) to establish SCGE (comet).  Statistically significant results were obtained in experimental subjects when compared to controls. However association found with smoking had significant effect, and it can induce maximum amount of DNA damage. The genotoxic effect of chewing tobacco (CT) should be considered in addition to other known hazards for assessing health risks

Adhesive Capsulitis: A New Evolving Clinical Sign; Coracoid Pain Test: A Validation Study.

INTRODUCTION : Adhesive capsulitis, which is also known as Frozen shoulder is a common disease affecting the shoulder joint. Codman has stipulated the diagnostic criteria for adhesive capsulitis and it holds true to this date1. These criteria include: pain in the shoulder which comes on slowly and is felt at the insertion of the deltoid, inability to sleep on the affected side, atrophy of the scapular muscles, and local tenderness. To this date there is no specific sign or test which is characteristic of Adhesive capsulitis. Recently in a study, S.Carbone 2et.al, have identified a new clinical test Coracoid pain test, where in the patients with adhesive capsulitis characteristically demonstrated tenderness on pressure over Coracoid process. Here in this study, an attempt is made to validate this Coracoid pressure test in series of patients seen at Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department at Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, Chennai – 10. Patients attending the department were evaluated and a set of age matched controls were also simultaneously assessed and results were reported. It was hypothesized that the Coracoid pain test is pathognomonic sign of Adhesive capsulitis and study makes an unbiased attempt to reach an outcome based on the analysis. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES : The primary objective of the study is to consider whether the Coracoid pressure test, a test proposed by the S.Carbone et al, in their study as a pathognomic clinical test for adhesive capsulitis is reproducible in our clinical set up. Here in addition to the conditions like supraspinatus tendinitis, Acromio clavicular dysfunction, Gleno humeral arthritis, already considered in the primary study, the response to Coracoid pressure test to cervical brachialgia with radiating pain down the arm is also considered, which was not considered in the original article. Age and sex matched controls are also included in the study and the secondary objective are to study the factors like Diabetes, occupation and specific overhead activities, religion and injury to the shoulder. MATERIALS AND METHODS : Government Kilpauk Medical College is one the three government medical colleges and one of major tertiary care centre in Chennai. Predominantly the patients come from within the state and particularly from Chennai. About 49 consecutive patients with pain around the shoulder referred to out patient department were included in the study. About 49 persons; age and sex matched controls were also included in the study subsequently. Any patient who was assessed for complaints of pain around the neck and shoulder with a diagnosis of Adhesive capsulitis or supraspinatus tendinitis or Acromio clavicular dysfunction, or glenohumeral arthritis or finally Cervical brachialgia is included in the study. Co existing systemic illness like Diabetes included Exclusion Criteria: 1. Any patient with either UMN or LMN type of weakness in the shoulder 2. Any surgical procedures on shoulder 3. Patients with ulcerations on anterior shoulder 4. Extremely fatty individuals with difficulty in localizing the coracoids 5. Unable to understand VAS – Visual Analog Scale 6. Pain in the shoulder due to fractures of scapula or coracoids Patients satisfying these criteria were included in the study and all patients were assessed according the Performa. RESULTS : The number of patients taken up consecutively for the study is 49 and controls 49. The maximum number of cases for adhesive capsulitis falls within 41-55 age group – 17 cases out of 29 cases. In the present study out of 29 cases of adhesive capsulitis the male: female ratio is 17:12. The majority of the patients among the Cases were Hindus. There is an equal distribution of occupation amongst the adhesive capsulitis. The majority of patients presented within one month of illness. 93% cases (27) did not provided history of the significant trauma to the shoulder. There is equal involvement of both upper limbs. There incidence of the adhesive capsulitis is more in the non diabetic group 16 cases (total 29). In controls study itself there was a significant finding with regards to the gender issue where normal female persons who don’t have any shoulder pathology show significant tenderness at the Coracoid process. CONCLUSION : Considering all the factors and results from this study, the following are the major conclusions that are arrived. 1. Coracoid pressure test which was proposed by Carbone et al 2 as a pathognomonic test for Adhesive capsulitis is not supported from this study. 2. Coracoid pressure test is instead more correlated to the Cervical brachialgia, as the Coracoid process is the site where muscles, innervated by the all nerve roots, arise from a common origin. This is a new clinical finding associated with cervical brachialgia though it is not specific to cervical brachialgia. 3. Normal females also have different and elevated pain sensitivity, compared to males; a well accepted finding is also supported in this study. 4. However, a randomized, controlled, double blind, prospective, large scale study is required to prove these results. The other conclusions were a. The major age incidence of adhesive capsulitis in this study was between 41 – 55 age category. b. Males have higher incidence than females in adhesive capsulitis c. Majority of patients (93%) did not provide the history of significant trauma to the shoulder in patients with adhesive capsulitis. d. There is equal side distribution in the incidence of the Adhesive capsulitis in this study. e. Contrary to studies47 , the prevalence of the Adhesive capsulitis is more non diabetics than diabetic patients in this study

PUPAL EMERGENCE INHIBITION ACTIVITY OF ACALYPHA INDICA LEAF EXTRACT AGAINST DENGUE VECTOR, AEDES ALBOPICTUS MOSQUITO

Objective: To investigate the larvicidal activities of six varying extracts of Acalypha indica (A. indica) leaves from family Euphorbiaceae against the dengue mosquito vector, Aedesalbopictus (Ae. albopictus) in laboratory.Methods: Leaves from the study plants were separated, air dried in room temperature, grounded and extracted with different solvents (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, ethanol and aqueous) by solvent apparatus and aqueous extract by maceration method. The extra solvents were evaporated to obtain crude extracts by using rotary evaporator. The crude extracts of six different solvents were dissolved in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) to prepare test dosages of 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 ppm. Third instar larvae of Ae. albopictus were exposed to 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 ppm concentrations of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, ethanol and aqueous extracts of A. indica and compared with control to determine the larvicidal effects. Larval bioassays were carriedout according to World Health Organisation (WHO) procedures. The rate of larval mortality was recorded after 24h and 48 h of time exposure. Three duplicate trials were made for each tested dosage. IC50 and IC90 values were calculated by using probit analysis.Results: Based on probit analysis result the 24h and 48h LC50 and LC90 of petroleum ether extract of A. indica against Ae. albopictus was found to be 2805.43 ppm and 2376.11 ppm, 3825.14 ppm and 3327.8 ppm, respectively. An LC50 and LC90 value of chloroform extracts of A. indicaa gainst third instar larvae was found to be 2276.5 ppm and 4015.8 ppm (24h), 2213.36 ppm and 3430.43 ppm (48h), respectively. An LC50 value of 4472.17 ppm and 2469.61 ppm, and LC90 value of 4215.84 ppm was obtained on ethylacetate extract treatment against Ae. albopictus for 24h and 48h exposure, respectively. The 24h and 48 h LC50 and LC90 values of n-butanol extracts of A. indica was found to be 2777.88 ppm and 3628.19 ppm, 2225.61 ppm and 2518.86 ppm, respectively. In the present study, the larvicidal bioassays demonstrated that the n-butanolextract was most effective with 100% mortality against larvae of Ae. albopictus at 3000, 4000 and 5000 ppm compared to other extracts. All other extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate) of A. indica at high concentration (4000 ppm and 5000 ppm) manifested a significant (P<0.01 and 0.05) knock down effect of 100% moratality after 24h and 48h exposure. While the third instar lavae of Ae. albopictus were found to be most susceptabile and produced no mortality to ethanol and aqueous extract at varying parts per million. Conclusion: A. indica leaf extract was tested for the first time against dengue vector Ae. albopictus and the results revealed that A. indica can be used to control dengue vector. Further this extract needs to be evaluated under field conditions for proper exploitation of Ae. albopictus mosquito larvae. Thus, the present study provided a first report on A. indica as a prompting mosquito larvicidal activity and can be considered for further investiagtions such as formulation of bioinsecticides to control Ae. albopictus population

SURVEY, ISOLATION, BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION, AND IDENTIFICATION OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI FROM GASTRIC PATIENT BIOPSY

Objective: This study was to isolate and identify the Helicobacter pylori from the biopsy samples of the gastric patient.Methods: Gastric biopsies were collected from the antral region of the gastric patient. Out of 96 patients, 59 males and 37 females in the age group between 11 and 70 years old were selected. A serial dilution of the sample was made. The bacterial colonies were examined on the basis of Gram staining, colony morphology, and biochemical reactions such as catalase, urease, oxidase, nitrate reduction, glycine utilization, growth (different media, different temperature, and salt tolerance), and antibiotic sensitivityResult: From the findings, it was found that 75% (65% of male and 35% of female) have H. pylori infection remaining 25% were not infected. The rate of infection was found to be more in age group 55-65 and less in age group below 25. Among 75% of H. pylori infected patients, 72% are affected with ulcer, 19% with gastric cancer, and 8.3% found to be non-gastric inflammated. Gram staining result declared that the isolated bacteria from the biopsy sample observed to be Gram-negative, spiral shaped rod. Biochemical reports produced positive indication to all the tests.Conclusion: Based on the morphological, staining and biochemical test result, it was confirmed that the isolated bacteria was found to be H. pylori.Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related to death worldwide. In 1994, the international agencyfor research on cancer classified H. pylori as a Class I (definite) carcinogen, as H. pylori infection is considered as an important trigger in the processof carcinogenesis of both types of distal gastric cancer.Â

Incidence of resistant mastitis in dairy cows in Tamil Nadu, India

The incidence of resistant mastitis in dairy cows in Tamil Nadu, India was 56.l %. The predominant resistant causative pathogen was Escherichia coli (50.64 %) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (44.25 %) and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (5.11 %). Incidence of resistant mastitis was high in Holstein Friesian cross breed followed by Jersey cross breed and non descript. Highest incidence was observed in early stage of third lactation. In vitro antibiotic sensitivity test revealed the E. coli, S. aureus and MRSA organisms showed more sensitivity to enrofloxacin, amoxicillin+sulbactam, gentamicin and ceftriaxone and had highest resistant to penicillin followed by amoxicillin, oxytetracycline and methicillin. The study highlights the need for preventing the indiscriminate use of antibiotics

A study on treatment of resistant mastitis in dairy cows

The study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and treatment of antibiotic resistant mastitis in dairy cows. The predominant resistant causative pathogen was Escherichia coli (50.64 %) followed by S. aureus (44.25 %) and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcal aureus (5.11%).These isolates were found sensitive to gentamicin, enrofloxcain, amoxicillin+sulbactam, ceftriaxone and resistant to amoxicillin, oxytetracycline, penicillin G and oxacillin. In all the treatment groups of E. coli, S. aureus and MRSA mastitis, the post treatment pH, SCC was significantly (P < 0.01) decreased when compared to pre treatment pH, SCC values and the post treatment electrical conductivity was significantly (P < 0.01) increased when compared to pre treatment electrical conductivity value. In E. coli mastitis, treated with amoxicillin+sulbactam, ceftriaxone, enrofloxacin and gentamicin showed 74.1%, 67.75 %, 76.67 % and 64.52 % clinical recovery and in S. aureus mastitis, showed 65.25 %, 65.25 %, 72.43 % and 68.98 % clinical recovery. In MRSA mastitis, enrofloxacin was found to be highly effective in comparison to amoxicillin+sulbcactam

Development of remote field eddy current technique for in-service inspection of ferromagnetic steam generator tubes

Remote field eddy current (RFEC) technique uses separate exciter and receiver coils and low-excitation frequencies for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of metallic tubes from tube-side. In this technique, induced voltage in a receiver coil placed at 2 to 3 tube diameters away from the exciter coil is measured. For in-service inspection of ferromagnetic steam generator (SG) tubes (~23 m long, 17.2 mm dia and 2.3 mm thickness) of fast breeder reactors, a comprehensive RFEC technology has been successfully developed and field-tested

Zoning of groundwater potential in Amaravathy river basin, south India, by integrating remote sensing and GIS

1686-1692In the present study, an integrated approach of remote sensing and GIS is used to delineate the groundwater potential regions of Amaravathy river basin, Tamil Nadu, India. The thematic maps were prepared for delineating ground water potential regions, with relevant data of the basin on geomorphology, geology, slope, density of lineament and drainage, soils and land use patterns. The weighted overlay technique in spatial analysis tool of Arc GIS 10.3 was used to obtain and discuss the groundwater potential zones. According to the influence and movement of ground water, all parameters of thematic map were assigned with a ranking. Thirty five percent of the basin area has good groundwater potential, 45 % of the basin area is with moderate groundwater potential and 20 % of the basin area bear low groundwater potential