North Coastal Andhra Pradesh Research Articles

Soils of Thotapalli Major Irrigation Project of North-Coastal Andhra Pradesh: Characterization and Classification

Six representative pedons from Devarapalli (P1), Gujjangivalasa (P2), Patikivalasa (P3), Gangada (P4), Aamiti (P5) and Maddivalasa (P6) villages belonging to ayacut of Thotapalli major irrigation project of North-Coastal Andhra Pradesh were studied. Pedons 1, 2 and 5 were developed from granite-gneiss, while pedons 3, 4 and 6 had their parent legacy with granite-gneiss mixed with calcareous murrum. The soils of P1 and P2 were moderately deep to very deep having argillic horizon while cambic sub-surface diagnostic horizon was noticed in P3, P4 and P5. Deep and wide surface cracks and slickensides close enough to intersect were observed in P4 and P6. The pedons P1, P2, P3 and P5 had sandy loam to sandy clay loam texure and it was clay loam to clay in cultivated plains (P4 and P6). The soils were low to medium in organic carbon content. The CEC ranged from 6.4 to 32.5 cmol (p+) kg-1 and the soil exchange complex was dominated by calcium followed by magnesium, sodium and potassium. The ratio of CEC/ clay was low in P2, medium in P1, P3 and P5 and high in P4. Devararapalli pedon was classified as Typic Haplustalfs, Gujjangivalasa as Typic Haplustults, Patikivalasa and Amiti as Typic Haplustepts, Gangada as Vertic Haplustepts and Maddivalas as Chromic Haplusterts.

Soils of Thotapalli Major Irrigation Project of North- Coastal Andhra Pradesh: Physical and Chemical Properties

Physical and chemical properties of the soils were assessed for the ayacut area of Thotapalli major irrigation project of North-Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Six representative soil pedons were studied in Devarapalli, Gujjangivalasa, Patikivalasa, Gangada, Aamiti and Maddivalasa villages falling in ayacut area of Thotapalli major irrigation project. The soil texture ranged from sandy loam to sandy clay loam in upland pedons while sandy clay loam to clay in pedons under cultivated plains. In general, relatively low bulk density was recorded at surface horizons compared to sub-surface layers. Maximum water holding capacity, pore space and volume expansion increased with soil depth. The soils were acidic to alkaline in reaction, non-saline, low to medium in organic carbon content. The CEC ranged from 6.4 to 32.5 cmol (p+) kg-1. The soil exchange complex was dominated by calcium followed by magnesium, sodium and potassium. The soils were found to be low in nitrogen, low to medium in phosphorus and medium to high in available potassium status. Manganese and copper were sufficient but zinc and iron were deficient in soils. The total silica (SiO2) content of pedons varied from 48.10 to 71.40 per cent. Sesquioxide (R2O3) and the molar ratio of SiO2 / R2O3 ranged from 19.01 to 32.4 per cent and varied from 3.74 to 6.59, respectively in different pedons. The SiO2 / Al2O3 ratio and the SiO2 / Fe2O3 ratio varied from 4.43 to 7.65 and from 13.7 to 47.8, respectively. A significant positive correlation of clay content with cation exchange capacity (CEC), maximum water holding capacity (MWHC) was observed. Sand content was positively correlated with silica and negatively correlated with MWHC and volume expansion. Soil organic carbon had a significant positive correlation with soil pore space, available nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, manganese, copper and iron, but a negative correlation with soil bulk density. Soil pH was positively correlated with CaCO3 but negatively correlated with available phosphorous, potassium, zinc, manganese, and copper and iron. Soil CaCO3 content was negatively correlated with available phosphorous, potassium, zinc, manganese, copper and iron of the soil.

Mental health assessment of adolescent girls in an observational home in North coastal Andhra Pradesh: a cross sectional study

Background: Adolescence is a stressful period involving changes both physically and mentally and requires support from family as well as peers. Assessment of mental health of adolescent girls in government special cum children home and observational home for girls in Visakhapatnam.Methods: It is a cross sectional descriptive study conducted in November 2016 using strengths and difficulties questionnaire among all 10 to 18 year old girls in the observational home. Social history was also taken additionally. Data was entered and analyzed in Microsoft Excel.Results: 16% girls had abnormal total difficulty scoring. Emotional problems were the highest (22%) followed by conduct (16%), peer problem (14%) and hyperactivity (5%). Abnormal pro social behavior was observed among 5% of the study population observed.Conclusions: Emotional problems were more common and only two thirds had and a normal total difficulties score. All children may be assessed periodically to know their psychological requirements and to identify at risk individuals.

Field Evaluation of Newer Insecticides against Spotted Pod Borer [Maruca vitrata (Geyer)], on Blackgram (Vigna mungo L.) in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of novel insecticides against the spotted pod borer on rice fallow blackgram.
 Study Design: Randomised Block Design (RBD) was used in this study.
 Place and Duration of Work: The present study was carried out at College farm Agricultural College, Naira during Rabi 2017-2018 season.
 Methodology: The spotted pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Geyer) is a serious pest of blackgram through out the growth period especially in flowering and pod development stages in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Management of this pest becomes difficult due to its concealed nature of feeding inside flowers and pods. Different newer insecticides were evaluated for the management of M. vitrata on blackgram cultivar LBG-752 under rice fallow situations with ten treatments replicated thrice.
 Results: The current study indicated that among all the insecticidal treatments chlorantraniliprole 9.3% + λ cyhalothrin 4.6% @ 0.5 ml l-1 was found to be very effective by recording 75.91 per cent overall mean reduction in M. vitrata larval population with lowest pod damage (7.04%) over control (60.58%) and also recorded highest grain yield (8.31 q ha-1) followed by chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC @ 0.0037% and flubendiamide @ 39.35 SC 0.00787% with 72.04 and 67.30 per cent overall reduction in mean larval population of M. vitrata over untreated control. The cost - benefit (C:B) ratio for all the treatments revealed that chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC @ 0.0037% was highly economical with a C : B of 1: 17.14 followed by spinosad 45 SC with cost - benefit (C:B) ratio 1: 15.28.
 Conclusion: Usage of newer insecticides with novel modes of action are highly effective against spotted pod borer with an additional increase in yield of blackgram.

Study on Health Problems Faced by Workers of Sericulture Industry: A Cross-Sectional Study in the North Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Study on Health Problems Faced by Workers of Sericulture Industry: A Cross-Sectional Study in the North Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Association among vitamin d and HbA1c in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients in the north coastal Andhra Pradesh

Association among vitamin d and HbA1c in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients in the north coastal Andhra Pradesh

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Soil mineralogy in various land forms of Thotapalli irrigaton project ayacut in North-Coastal Andhra Pradesh

Soil mineralogy in various land forms of Thotapalli irrigaton project ayacut in North-Coastal Andhra Pradesh

Land capability and irrigability classification of soils of Thotapalli major irrigation project of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh

Land capability and irrigability classification of soils of Thotapalli major irrigation project of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh

Efficacy of newer insecticides against sucking pests of rice fallow blackgram (Vigna mungo L.)

A field experiment was conducted to determine the efficacy of different insecticides against sucking pests viz., thrips, Caliothrips indicus Bangall and whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius, infesting blackgram in North coastal Andhrapradesh at Agricultural College, Naira during rabi 2017-2018.The experimental results revealed that all the treatments showed significant differences in reducing the population of sucking pests over untreated check. Among the tested insecticides, thiacloprid 21.7 SC @ 0.0325% was found to be highly effective against thrips by reducing74.80 per cent thrips population followed by acetamiprid 4 % + fipronil 4% @ 2ml l-1 with 70.81 per cent over untreated control, whereas flonicamid 50 WG @ 0.0325% was very effective against the population of whitefly byreducing 72.19 per cent and lowest per cent disease incidence (17.66%) followed by acetamiprid 4% + fipronil 4% @ 2ml l-1 (64.94%) and thiamethoxam 25 WG @ 0.005% (62.21%) which were on par with each other over control.

Distribution of ABO and Rhesus Blood Groups in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam

Distribution of ABO and Rhesus Blood Groups in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam

Role of Glycated Hemoglobin and Sialic Acid in Nondiabetics having a Myocardial Infarction: A Case-control Study in the People from North Coastal Andhra Pradesh

Role of Glycated Hemoglobin and Sialic Acid in Nondiabetics having a Myocardial Infarction: A Case-control Study in the People from North Coastal Andhra Pradesh

The Gingers of the north coastal Andhra Pradesh, India

The Gingers of the north coastal Andhra Pradesh, India

Knowledge and attitude regarding organ donation and transplantation among undergraduate medical students in North coastal Andhra Pradesh

Background: Organ transplantation is one of the greatest scientific advances and remains one of the most challenging and complex field of modern medicine. In the USA and UK, the organ donation rate is 26 and 14 per million, whereas in India, it is only 0.34 per million population. Healthcare professionals act as the critical link in the organ procurement process because they are the first individuals to establish relationship with the potential donors' family.Methods: An institution based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among first year undergraduate medical students during November 2017. Convenient sampling method was used to obtain the sample size. Out of 150 students in first year, 136 students fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were studied.Results: Out of 136 students who participated in the study, 58 (42.6%) were boys and 78 (57.4%) were girls. All the 136 (100%) students had heard about organ donation, but only 24 (17.6%) of them were aware of organ donation associations. Very few students (5, 3.6%) know about any law related to organ donation in India. Mass media like TV, Internet and Newspapers have played a major role in imparting awareness regarding organ donation among students besides relatives and friends. Majority of the students i.e. 104 (76.4%) were ready to donate their organs if need comes and two third of them accepted that they would allow organ donation from a member of their family after Brainstem death.Conclusions: There is a positive attitude of medical students towards organ donation but there is lack of sufficient knowledge on the topic. Improving their knowledge by including organ donation topic in medical curriculum can help to reduce this gap.

Polymorphisms in alcohol metabolizing genes ADH2 and ADH3 and susceptibility to pancreatitis in alcoholics

In both developed and developing countries, overuse of alcohol is a considered as the major cause of acute and chronic pancreatitis. Prolonged overconsumption of alcohol for 5–10 years typically precedes the initial attack of acute alcoholic pancreatitis. It is observed that only a minority (around 5%) of alcoholics develop pancreatitis. It is now established that the pancreas has the capacity to metabolize ethanol. Previous studies have shown that there are two major pathways of ethanol metabolism, oxidative and non-oxidative. Oxidative ethanol metabolism involves the conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde, a reaction that is catalysed by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ADH) with contributions from cytochrome P450 enzyme (CYP2E1) and possibly also catalase. Genetic factors regulating alcohol metabolism could predispose in developing alcoholic pancreatitis (AP). We investigated the association of polymorphisms in ADH enzymes with the alcoholic pancreatitis in North coastal Andhra Pradesh. Patients with alcoholic pancreatitis (AP; n = 100), alcoholic controls (AC; n = 100), and healthy controls (HC; n = 100) were included in the study. Blood samples were collected from the subjects in EDTA coated vials. DNA was extracted and genotyping for ADH2 and ADH3 was done by PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism). The products were analysed by gel electrophoresis. The frequency distribution of ADH3*1/*1 genotype was significantly higher in AP group (54%) compared with AC (35%), and HC (42%), and was found to be associated with increased risk of alcoholic pancreatitis. There was no statistically significant difference between the frequency distribution of ADH3*1/*1, ADH3*1/*2, and ADH3*2/*2 genotypes between AC and HC. There was no statistically significant difference between the frequency distribution of ADH2*1/*1, ADH2*1/*2, and ADH2*2/*2 genotypes in AP compared with AC and HC. This study shows that carriers of ADH3*1/*1 individuals consuming alcohol are at higher risk for alcoholic pancreatitis than those with other genotypes such as ADH3*1/*2 and ADH3*2/*2.

Termination variants of left coronary artery in north coastal Andhra Pradesh

Termination variants of left coronary artery in north coastal Andhra Pradesh

A Study of the Shapes of Mandibular Lingula in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh

The lingular shapes in 40 (80 sides) adult mandibles of unknown sex are studied and classified into triangular, truncated, nodular and assimilated. 22 mandibles showed triangular type, 10 truncated, 7 assimilated and 1 nodular. There was a bilateral symmetry in all the mandibles.

A Study in the Origin of Biceps Brachii in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh

Variation in biceps brachi and musculocutaneous nerve are frequent variations. In the present study there is variation in the origin of biceps brachii with a co-existance of unsual formation of median nerve. Materials and methods:16 cadavers ( 32 upper limbs) were studied during 2013 -2016 as a part of routine dissection for MBBS students . Observations: out of 16 cadavers studied, one male cadaver showed tricipital origin of biceps brachii bilaterally and unilateral variation in the communicating twigs between lateral cord and medial root of median nerve and ulnar nerve. Conclusion: Variations in the origin of muscles can cause unusual bone displacement. Variation in communications between median and other nerves of upper limb is important while evaluation of clinical neurophysiology, planning a surgery after trauma and understanding of neurodysfuncton.

Association of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha and Interleukin-6 Gene Polymorphisms with Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific syndrome that may be dangerous especially to the fetus. Different cytokines have been found to be elevated in women with preeclampsia and may have possible roles in the development of this disorder. Alleles of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) genes are associated with preeclampsia in several studies in different populations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between IL-6 (G174C) and TNF-α (G-308A) gene polymorphisms with preeclampsia in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh of India. The TNFA (-308 A/G) and IL6 (-674G/C) genotypes were determined in 100 preeclamptic women and 100 normal pregnant women as control group, using allele-specific oligonucleotides-polymerase chain reaction method. Data was analyzed using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. TNF-α (G-308A) G/G genotype showed a significantly higher frequency among the preeclamptic group than the control group (odds ratio, 0.4603, 95% confidence interval, (0.2521- 0.8405); P = .005). G/A genotype also showed higher frequency among the preeclamptic group compared to control group (odds ratio, 2.508, 95% confidence interval, ((1.341-4.689); P = .001). IL-6 (G174C) genotype significantly higher frequency among the preeclamptic group than the control group (odds ratio, 0.4603, 95% confidence interval, (0.2521- 0.8405); P = .005). The present study might suggest a role for TNF-α (G-308A) and -174 GC of IL-6 genotype in the development of preeclampsia; suggesting that they are of differing genetic predisposition/pathophysiology.

A study of knowledge, attitudes and practices of voluntary blood donation among relatives of patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in North coastal Andhra Pradesh, India

Background: Replacement blood donation by family members of patients provides more than 45% of blood collected in India. This increases the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections. In our country where comprehensive laboratory testing is difficult, 100% non-remunerated voluntary blood donation is the safest method of blood collection. Objective was to study the depth of knowledge of blood donation among the relatives of patients admitted in the hospital, to assess the attitude of the people towards blood donation, to study the practices of blood donation followed by the general community and to understand the myths associated with blood donation in the community. Methods: The cross sectional study was carried out during the months of May and June 2015 at Anil Neerukonda Hospital, a tertiary care teaching hospital attached with NRI institute of Medical Sciences, Visakhapatnam. The subjects were selected by systematic random sampling from individuals aged between 18 and 60 years from attendants of patients admitted at the hospital. A semi-structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from each participant on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and practices affecting voluntary blood donation. Results: There is a deficit of knowledge with regards to need for blood transfusion, methods as well as risks of remunerated blood transfusion uniformly across all ages and both the genders. Though a majority of individuals were willing for voluntary blood donation, the fears for donation and ignorance of the procedure has been a deterrent. Conclusions: Education and motivation by blood banks and health professionals can lead to increase in non-remunerated voluntary blood donations as a majority of individuals are willing for blood donation.