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The Hooghly River (HR) estuary is the first deltaic off-shoot of the perennial and transboundary river, Ganga, India. HR receives industrial and domestic waste along with storm-water run-off from Kolkata city and the adjoining districts. Organic micropollutants (OMPs) have been collectively termed for plasticizers, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, which are extensively consumed and disposed in the waste streams. Hence emerging OMPs were investigated to obtain the first baseline data from the Hooghly riverine sediment (HRS) along urban and suburban transects using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The concentration range of OMPs in the HRS varied between 3 and 519 ng/g for carbamazepine, 5–407 ng/g for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), 2–26 ng/g for musk ketone, 2–84 ng/g for triclosan, 2–199 ng/g for bisphenol A (BPA), 2–422 ng/g for plasticizers (phthalic acid esters (PAEs) and bis (2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA)) and 87–593 ng/g for parabens. Carbamazepine concentration in sediment was an useful marker for untreated wastewater in urban waterways. High concentrations of BPA and PAEs in the suburban industrial corridor together with significant correlation between these two type of OMPs (r2 = 0.5; p < 0.01) likely reflect a common source, possibly associated with the plastic and electronic scrap recycling industries. Among all the categories of OMPs, plasticizers seems to exhibit maximum screening level ecological risk through out the study area. Image 1 • Carbamazepine can act as a possible marker for untreated wastewater. • Industrial sludge and burning of dumped plastic waste are potential sources of plasticizers. • Direct domestic discharge outlets might be a possible source for preservatives. Surveillance of microorganic pollutants in the Hooghly riverine sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The objective of the paper is to study the role of partogram in the outcome of spontaneous labour in primigravidae at term with singleton pregnancy and vertex as the presenting part. Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out in the labour room of the department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata, over a period of one year i.e. from June 2011 to May 2012 after obtaining approval from the institutional ethical committee. Analysis of the progress of labour was done in five hundred women with the help of modified WHO partograph. The study population was divided into three groups. Group I had a total observed duration of active stage six hours or less and their cervicograph remained on or to the left of the alert line. Group II had total observed duration of active phase between more than six hours and less than ten hours and their cervicograph remained between the alert and action line. Group III, who had the duration of observed active phase more than 10 hours, had their cervicograph crossing the action line. The different types of abnormal labor were studied. The maternal and fetal outcomes were assessed. Results: 80.8% of the women belonged to group I, 15.2% to group II and 4% to group III. Surgical interference increased as the labour curve moved to the right of the alert line. Use of partogram helped in overall reduction in the duration of labour. Timely intervention reduced the incidence of prolonged labour and its sequelae. 19.2% of the women showed abnormal labour. Severe complications were successfully averted. There were no cases of maternal death, puerperal sepsis, ruptured uterus or fresh still births. Overall neonatal mortality rate was also reduced. Conclusions: The use of modified WHO partograph significantly improves the outcome of labour in both maternal & neonatal perspective. The WHO partograph should be used in all maternity units with incorporated management guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metals are one of the major chemical toxicants that can perturb environmental homogeneity by their prolonged persistence and complex interactions. Bioaccumulation of any metal above its threshold level invariably results in stress often leading to irreversible physiological conditions. The present investigation was carried out to study the potential stress that fish species are facing in wastewater-fed (contaminated) fishponds in East Calcutta Wetlands (ECWs), manifested in total protein and metallothionein (MT) concentrations. Indian major carps (IMCs) - rohu (Labeo rohita), katla (Catla catla) and mrigel (Cirrhinus mrigala) were used as suitable fish models. Total protein concentration of different fish tissues were found to be always lower in wastewater-fed fishponds when compared to fish tissues from freshwater-fed (uncontaminated) fishponds, while an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed a higher expression of MT in all the fish tissues collected from wastewater-fed fishponds. Major significances drawn from the present study were that fish species cultivated in east Calcutta wetland, with its ecosystem being under a potential threat of contamination and stress induced by composite effluents, could lead to adverse physiological conditions. Moreover, these findings could be important in terms of designing biomarkers for an early environmental warning system and also for monitoring fish health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]