Integrated Nutrient Management for Rice Yield, Soil Fertility, and Carbon Sequestration

Reliance on inorganic fertilizers with less or no use of organic fertilizers has impaired the productivity of soils worldwide. Therefore, the present study was conducted to quantify the effects of integrated nutrient management on rice yield, nutrient use efficiency, soil fertility, and carbon (C) sequestration in cultivated land. The experiment was designed with seven treatments comprising of a zero input control, recommended inorganic fertilizers (RD), poultry manure (PM) (5 t ha^-1) + 50% RD, PM (2.5 t ha^-1) + 75% RD, vermicompost (VC) (5 t ha^-1) + 50% RD, VC (2.5 t ha^-1) + 75% RD, and farmers' practice (FP) with three replications that were laid out in a randomized complete block design. The highest grain yield (6.16-6.27 t ha^-1) was attained when VC and PM were applied at the rate of 2.5 t ha^-1 along with 75% RD. Uptake of nutrients and their subsequent use efficiencies appeared higher and satisfactory from the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers. The addition of organic fertilizer significantly influenced the organic carbon, total carbon, total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, soil pH, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, and magnesium contents in post-harvest soil, which indicated enhancement of soil fertility. The maximum value of the organic carbon stock (18.70 t ha^-1), total carbon stock (20.81 t ha^-1), and organic carbon sequestration (1.75 t ha^-1) was observed in poultry manure at the rate of 5 t ha^-1 with 50% RD. The soil bulk density decreased slightly more than that of the control, which indicated the improvement of the physical properties of soil using organic manures. Therefore, regular nourishment of soil with organic and inorganic fertilizers might help rejuvenate the soils and ensure agricultural sustainability.

Risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality outcomes of COVID-19 patients on the 28th day of the disease course: a retrospective cohort study in Bangladesh

Diverse risk factors intercede the outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We conducted this retrospective cohort study with a cohort of 1016 COVID-19 patients diagnosed in May 2020 to identify the risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality outcomes. Data were collected by telephone-interview and reviewing records using a questionnaire and checklist. The study identified morbidity and mortality risk factors on the 28th day of the disease course. The majority of the patients were male (64.1%) and belonged to the age group 25-39 years (39.4%). Urban patients were higher in proportion than rural (69.3% vs. 30.7%). Major comorbidities included 35.0% diabetes mellitus (DM), 28.4% hypertension (HTN), 16.6% chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and 7.8% coronary heart disease (CHD). The morbidity rate (not-cured) was 6.0%, and the mortality rate (non-survivor) was 2.5%. Morbidity risk factors included elderly (AOR = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.31-4.99), having comorbidity (AOR = 1.43, 95% CI = 0.83-2.47), and smokeless tobacco use (AOR = 2.17, 95% CI = 0.84-5.61). The morbidity risk was higher with COPD (RR = 2.68), chronic kidney disease (CKD) (RR = 3.33) and chronic liver disease (CLD) (RR = 3.99). Mortality risk factors included elderly (AOR = 7.56, 95% CI = 3.19-17.92), having comorbidity (AOR = 5.27, 95% CI = 1.88-14.79) and SLT use (AOR = 1.93, 95% CI = 0.50-7.46). The mortality risk was higher with COPD (RR = 7.30), DM (RR = 2.63), CHD (RR = 4.65), HTN (RR = 3.38), CKD (RR = 9.03), CLD (RR = 10.52) and malignant diseases (RR = 9.73). We must espouse programme interventions considering the morbidity and mortality risk factors to condense the aggressive outcomes of COVID-19.

Prognostic Role of Multiple Cardiac Biomarkers in Newly Diagnosed Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients

Acute coronary syndrome includes unstable angina and myocardial infarction with or without ST-segment elevation, is life-threatening disorders that remain a source of high morbidity and mortality despite advances in treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prognostic role of serum cTnI, CK-MB, hsCRP, MPO and BNP in newly diagnosed acute coronary syndrome patients. This cohort study was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in cooperation with the Department of Cardiology, BSMMU and NICVD during the period of March 2013 to February 2014. A total 100 newly diagnosed acute coronary syndrome patients were purposively enrolled in this study within 24 hours of attacked, among them 30 were NSTEMI, 65 were STEMI and 5 were unstable angina. Serum cTnI, CK-MB, hsCRP, MPO and BNP concentrations were measured at enrollment and grouping of the study subjects were done on the basis of their empirical cut off values into two groups. In cTnI: Group I (n=20) having cTnI <4ng/ml and Group II (n=80) having cTnI ≥4ng/ml. In CK-MB: Group I (n=18) having CK-MB <10ng/ml and Group II (n= 82) having CK-MB ≥10ng/ml. In hsCRP: Group I (n=36) having hsCRP <5mg/L and Group II (n=64) having hsCRP ≥5mg/L. In MPO: Group I (n=30) having MPO <285.5pmol/L and Group II (n=70) having MPO ≥285.5pmol/L. In BNP: Group I (n=26) having BNP <135pg/ml and Group II (n=74) having BNP ≥135pg/ml. All the study subjects were treated and managed identically by standard management protocol and were followed up periodically up to three months from the onset of events during hospital stay and after discharge. Clinical outcomes of the study subjects such as good recovery, morbidity (recurrent ACS, heart failure, arrhythmia and revascularization) and mortality were evaluated with respect to their base line cTnI, CK-MB, hsCRP, MPO and BNP concentrations. Increased levels of base line cardiac biomarkers in Group II patients showed significantly high morbidity and mortality cTnI (p=0.044), CK-MB (p=0.045), hsCRP (p=0.009), MPO (p=0.003), and BNP (p=0.001) in compared to Group I. In relative risk ratio analysis showed significantly worse outcome in Group II acute coronary syndrome patients in comparison to Group I. In case of cTnI RR - 1.85 at 95% CI 1.19-2.88, in case of CK-MB RR- 1.88 at 95% CI 1.21-2.92, in case of hsCRP RR- 2.05 at 95% CI 1.30-3.25, in case of MPO RR- 2.59, at 95% CI 1.49-4.49, and in case of BNP RR- 3.47 at 95% CI 2.5-5.36. It was concluded from this study that base line serum cTnI, CK-MB, hsCRP, MPO, and BNP can be used clinically as prognostic biomarkers of acute coronary syndrome.

Comparison between DOT EIA IgM and Widal Test as early diagnosis of typhoid fever

A recently developed DOT enzyme immunoassay known as "Typhidot" for detecting IgM antibody against 50 KDa OMP antigen of Salmonella typhi, was evaluated on 100 clinically suspected typhoid fever cases and 40 age-sex matched controls, in the Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College during, the period from June 2006 to July 2007. Blood culture, Widal test, and DOT EIA for IgM test were performed in all patients. Among 100 clinically suspected typhoid fever cases, 35 were subsequently confirmed on the basis of positive blood culture for S. typhi and/or significant rising titre of Widal test. The DOT EIA IgM test could produce results within 1 hour. The result of the DOT EIA IgM test showed a good diagnostic value for typhoid fever. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of the test was found as 91.42%, 90.00%, 88.88% and 92.30% respectively. On the other hand corresponding values for Widal test were of 42.85%, 85.00%, 71.42% and 62.96% respectively. Thus, The DOT EIA IgM seems to be a practical alternative to Widal test for early diagnosis of typhoid fever.