Association of early postoperative fall in albumin with morbidity after colorectal resections

Introduction: Severity of systemic inflammatory response to surgical trauma may predict those at increased risk of postoperative complications. Serum albumin level falls early postoperatively and its measurement is cheap and widely available. This study evaluates the role of postoperative fall in albumin to predict postoperative complications of colorectal resections. Methods: This is a prospective observational study of 56 consecutive patients undergoing colorectal resections in the department of Surgical Gastroenterolgy of Bir Hospital, NAMS from 2020 December to 2022 May. Postoperative albumin drop (Δ Albumin) was defined as ‘Preoperative albumin – Albumin on Postoperative Day 1’. The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative complications. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify factors associated with postoperative complications. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was done for determining the value of postoperative albumin drop in identifying patients with complications. Results: Postoperative albumin drop > 0.5 g/dl (OR 4.26, CI 3.6-39.99, p = 0.018) and emergency surgery (OR 3.25, CI 1.06-95.79, p = 0.046) were independent predictors of postoperative complications. Patients with complications had higher ‘Δ Albumin’ (0.6 g/dl vs. 0.27 g/dl, p =0.001) compared to those without complications. The ROC curve Area under the curve of Δ Albumin to discriminate patients with complications was 0.865. Cut-off value of ‘Δ Albumin’ ≥ 0.35 g/dl resulted in highest accuracy of 80.36%, sensitivity of 95.2% and specificity of 71.4%. Patients with postoperative albumin drop > 0.5 g/dl had significantly higher rate of surgery specific complications (61.9% vs. 11.4%, p = 0.001) compared to those with albumin drop ≤ 0.5 g/dl. Conclusion: Early postoperative fall in albumin level may identify patients at risk for overall as well as surgery specific complications after colorectal resections

Association of early postoperative fall in albumin with morbidity after colorectal resections

Introduction: Severity of systemic inflammatory response to surgical trauma may predict those at increased risk of postoperative complications. Serum albumin level falls early postoperatively and its measurement is cheap and widely available. This study evaluates the role of postoperative fall in albumin to predict postoperative complications of colorectal resections. Methods: This is a prospective observational study of 56 consecutive patients undergoing colorectal resections in the department of Surgical Gastroenterolgy of Bir Hospital, NAMS from 2020 December to 2022 May. Postoperative albumin drop (Δ Albumin) was defined as ‘Preoperative albumin – Albumin on Postoperative Day 1’. The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative complications. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify factors associated with postoperative complications. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was done for determining the value of postoperative albumin drop in identifying patients with complications. Results: Postoperative albumin drop > 0.5 g/dl (OR 4.26, CI 3.6-39.99, p = 0.018) and emergency surgery (OR 3.25, CI 1.06-95.79, p = 0.046) were independent predictors of postoperative complications. Patients with complications had higher ‘Δ Albumin’ (0.6 g/dl vs. 0.27 g/dl, p =0.001) compared to those without complications. The ROC curve Area under the curve of Δ Albumin to discriminate patients with complications was 0.865. Cut-off value of ‘Δ Albumin’ ≥ 0.35 g/dl resulted in highest accuracy of 80.36%, sensitivity of 95.2% and specificity of 71.4%. Patients with postoperative albumin drop > 0.5 g/dl had significantly higher rate of surgery specific complications (61.9% vs. 11.4%, p = 0.001) compared to those with albumin drop ≤ 0.5 g/dl. Conclusion: Early postoperative fall in albumin level may identify patients at risk for overall as well as surgery specific complications after colorectal resections

Dissecting the rust resistance in salt tolerant wheat germplasm

Wheat is one of the most important food crop cultivated across the globe which ensures sustainability and food security to massive world’s population, but its production is threatened by both biotic factors like rust (caused by Puccinia species) and abiotic stresses such as salinity. In this study, 41 salt-tolerant wheat lines were screened for rust resistance at both seedling and adult plant stages. Rust resistance genes were characterized through gene matching technique and molecular markers analysis. Yr2 was confirmed in 23 lines, while Yr9 along with Lr26/Sr31 were postulated in six lines with the help of SRT and molecular markers. Except for KRL2013, none showed complete resistance to all Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). Lr24/Sr24 genes were confirmed in HD2851 and KRL2029, and Lr13 was detected in a maximum of 24 wheat lines, with varying reaction responses to different leaf rust pathotypes. Several lines carried additional resistance genes such as Sr11, Sr28, and Lr68. Lr68 an effective race non-specific APR gene identified in 15 wheat lines with the help of CsGs-STS marker. Although many salt-tolerant wheat lines were susceptible to yellow rust during the seedling stage, a few lines showed APR in the years during 2020 and 2021. Three lines (KRL213, KRL219 and KRL238) showed complete resistance at adult plant stage to leaf rust. These findings offer insights into the genetic basis of rust resistance in salt-tolerant wheat, aiding breeding strategies

Effects of insect herbivory on plant architecture, flowering phenology, flower visitors’ activity and reproduction success in Cirsium Altissimum L.

Thesis (M.S.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Biological SciencesInsect exclusion experiments have demonstrated that insect herbivores can reduce host plant fitness through both direct and indirect mechanisms. I did an experiment on Cirsium altissimum (tall thistle), whose apical meristems are attacked by the larvae of Platyptilia carduidactyla (artichoke plume moth), during 2012 to determine whether apical meristem mining affects C. altissimum fitness and to determine whether these effects arise indirectly through plant-mediated effects on floral visitation. In a restored tall grass prairie, 180 tall thistle adult plants were randomly selected and assigned randomly to treat with insecticide, water and unmanipulated control. On these plants, I quantified effects of apical meristem mining on plant architecture, flowering phenology, flower visitors’ activity and seed production. Apical meristem miners affected several aspects of plant architecture, including reducing plant height and increasing the proportion of axial flower heads, and many aspects of plant flowering phenology, including delaying flowering and date of maximum floral display. Apical meristem miners significantly decreased C. altissimum lifetime seed production, showing their strong effects on plant fitness. Bombus pensylvanicus and Melissodes desponsa were the most common visitors on C. altissimum flower heads. No strong effect of apical meristem miners was reported on the behavior of bee (Apidae) species, which may have resulted from the availability of the major visitors of C. altissimum flower heads throughout the flowering season. Overall, apical meristem mining strongly affected the plant reproduction success but no evidence was found to suggest that these effects on fitness of C. altissimum arose through changes in floral visitation. Being a monocarpic plant with little seed bank, reduced seed production by C. altissimum may translate into smaller population sizes

Quality of Life Following Surgical Treatment of Post Cholecystectomy Bile Duct Injury

Background: The Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy surgery provides the mainstay of treatment in cases of bile duct injury following cholecystectomy.The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life in patients who underwent surgical repair of bile duct injury following cholecystectomy.Methods: The prospective cross sectional study was conducted in Gastrointestinal Surgery Unit, Bir Hospital, National Academy of Medical Sciences. The cases of bile duct injury following cholecystectomy who underwent surgical repair from April 2013 to March 2018 were included. The data collection was done using SF-36 quality of life questionnaire tool.The study was conducted after ethical clearance from Institutional Review Board of National Academy of Medical Sciences.Results: There were 26 cases of referred bile duct injury admitted in gastrointestinal surgery department from 2013 April till 2018 March out of which 19 (73%) were included in the study.More than half of the patients had limitations in carrying out vigorous activities (as running or lifting heavy objects) and 5.2% had a lot of limitations in carrying our moderate activities (as moving a table).63.1% of the patients did not have any interference with social activities with family, friends, neighbors or social groups because of their physical health or emotional problems. Conclusions: The surgical repair of bile duct injury following laparoscopic cholecystectomy has an impact on ability to perform work or daily activities as a result of physical health. However, it has little impact on patient’s perception of general health and social activities.Keywords: Cholecystectomy; BDI; QoL.</jats:p

Tall Thistle Plant Data Set

Data collected in which rows correspond to individual plants in the experimen

Bee flora in mid hills of Central Nepal

Beekeeping is one of the promising ventures for economically poor families in Nepal. Knowledge about the bee flora of a certain area is very crucial for the farmers. A study was conducted in mid hills of Central Nepal during 2003-04 and 2008-09 to monitor the common plant species visited by bees with their visiting time and seasons. The flowering period of those plant species were also observed. Observations were made on the bees’ activities on flowers of different plant species. Relevant information was also collected through informal key informant interviews. The plant species visited by the bees and the bee species (mainly Apis cerena with some Apis melifera) themselves were collected, preserved and identified. Plants were categorized as major, medium and minor sources of pollen and/or nectar. The pollen and nectar statuses in different plants were also determined. A total of 158 plant species were identified as main bee flora in the study area. Among them, 19 species were horticultural plants, 42 species were crop plants, 15 species were ornamental plants and 82 species were wild plants. In total, 38 species were recognized as major, 35 as medium and 30 as minor sources for both nectar and pollen. Months from March to May and August to October were the honey flow periods. Species of Brassica, Citrus, Pyrus, Berberis, Rubus, Callistemon, Bombox and Artemisia were some of the important plants which bloomed during those months. Winter (mid November to January) and rainy (June and July) seasons were identified as the dearth periods for bees to collect honey. Some of the plants that bloom during winter were Pisum sativum, Ipomoea batata and Eupatorium sp. Similarly, Lagerstroemia sp., Impatiens balsamina, Sesamum indicum, Zea mays and many cucurbits bloomed during rainy season. Study has shown that mid-hills of Central Nepal is rich in bee flora and has great potential for beekeeping as many plants bloomed even in dearth periods.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/botor.v8i0.5558 Botanica Orientalis – Journal of Plant Science (2011) 8: 45-56</jats:p

Colonic Duplication Cyst in an Adult Woman: A Case Report

Intestinal duplications are rare congenital anomaly found in pediatric age group. Although, ileum is the most common site, there are cases of colonic duplications even in the adult. We report a case of 43 years woman presented with chronic constipation, intermittent colicky abdomen pain and a cystic lump in left abdomen diagnosed as tubular duplication cyst of descending colon. Colonoscopy is a good investigation tool for diagnosis of colonic duplications; however, it may not be true in all cases. She was managed with left hemicolectomy and excision of cyst with uneventful post-operative days. This case has been reported because of rarity of this condition.</jats:p