Overview of thyroid gland characteristics in pregnancy using ultrasonography as an assessment tool

Thyroid gland is one of the most common gland affected during pregnancy as it responds to the increased physiological demands of iodine and energy during pregnancy. Any thyroid dysfunction can result in abortion, preterm labor or affects fetal neurodevelopment. Various anthropometric factors or genetic factors apart from iodine intake are known to affect the size of thyroid gland. Changes in thyroid gland morphology can be easily measured using ultrasonography as clinically the enlargement can be labelled as goiter. In this review, we aimed to evaluate the changes in thyroid gland during pregnancy and assess the different factors affecting its size across the various studies as the literature data concerning the thyroid gland enlargement during pregnancy is controversial. Various articles on thyroid volume changes during pregnancy from literature were reviewed along with a cross-sectional observation done in a government hospital setup in India, on 240 patients who were divided into 4 groups of 60 patients each which included non-pregnant females in group 1 and pregnant females in all three trimesters respectively in the rest 3 groups. Thyroid gland morphology and its characteristics such as volume, nodularity, echogenicity and vascularity were measured using high frequency ultrasonography in each group and then compared. Thyroid volume in the third trimester group (7.24±1.16 ml) was found to be significantly greater (p<0.001) than in the non-pregnant group (5.44±0.82 ml). BMI was found to be the highest in third trimester group as expected. Even in iodine sufficient areas we found thyroid gland volume to increase during pregnancy from non-pregnant group along with thyroid gland nodularity. Vascularity assessed based on CDFS pattern shows pattern I to be most common. Variation in thyroid gland characteristics between pregnant and non-pregnant controls was found

Student Experience: Development Management consultancy project presents report to leaders in the field

A small team of students from the MSc Development Management 2015/2016 course presented a successful report last week in collaboration with Charities Aid Foundation at the pre-launch event for their research. Silky Agrawal, Brooks Reed, and Riya Saxena share their experiences

GPR Data Analysis of Weak Signals and GPR Investigation at Dholavira Site

Ground Penetrating Radar is a non-invasive geophysical method used for subsurface investigation. However, GPR often encounters difficulty in visualizing the buried target when signals are weak and enveloped by noise, despite using the best of existing GPR data analysis tools. In this study, new method has been proposed based on Modified S-Transform to analyze weak signals of GPR data. The time-frequency analysis has been implemented to capture the change in electromagnetic waves reflected at the boundary of dielectric contrast. A series of experimental tests were conducted at different site conditions and with different materials using GSSI SIR 3000 GPR system with 400 MHz antenna. An improved 2-D vertical subsurface profile has been developed using time-frequency information to locate the target spatially as well as temporally. The new method has provided better results to improve the target visualization in case of noisy signals. However, it did not add any significant where conventional processing could do reasonable. The proposed method is convenient to use and capable of processing large number of scans effectively. A new area has been explored at an archaeological site of Harappan civilization at Dholavira in Gujarat. GPR survey is done using GSSI system equipped with 200MHz and 400 MHz antenna independently. A wall like T-shape feature is identified which is further interpreted on the basis of the available information about Dholavira. Although the GPR data quality is found to be good, where features were located in conventionally processed profile, however, profiles processed with proposed method has shown improvement in the localization of features and therefore, added confidence in the interpretations of those features.by Silky AgrawalM.Tech

Non-destructive technology for underground utility mapping: a case study

by Kulin Dave and Silky Agrawa

GPR data analysis of weak signals using modified S-transform

GPR often encounters difficulty in visualizing the buried target when signals are weak and enveloped by noise, despite using the best of existing GPR data analysis tools. In this study, new method has been proposed based on modified S-transform to analyze weak signals of GPR data. The time–frequency analysis has been implemented to capture the change in electromagnetic waves reflected at the boundary of dielectric contrast. A series of experimental tests were conducted at different site conditions and with different materials using GSSI SIR 3000 GPR system with 400 MHz antenna. An improved 2-D vertical subsurface profile has been developed using time–frequency information to locate the target spatially as well as temporally. The new method has provided better results to improve the target visualization in case of noisy signals. However, it did not add any significant where conventional processing could do reasonable. The proposed method is convenient to use and capable of processing large number of scans effectively.by Silky Agrawal, Nithin V. George and Amit Prashan

Role of colour Doppler in predicting foetal outcome in maternal anaemia

Context: Anaemia is the most common nutritional deficiency in Indian pregnant females. It ensues foetal hypoxia resulting in different compensatory mechanisms in the foetus which may result in adverse perinatal outcomes. Colour Doppler can be used to measure these hemodynamic changes of the foetus ahead of the clinical manifestations, guiding the obstetrician for the appropriate management and circumventing any dire complication. Aims: The aim of this study is to detect foetal haemodynamic changes associated with maternal anaemia and assess the parameters which predict these changes accurately. Settings and Design: Prospective cohort study. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and forty pregnant females in the third trimester, divided into four groups based on their haemoglobin levels in the non-anaemic, mild, moderate and severe anaemic groups, were included in the study. These patients were followed up for foetal outcome in terms of effective foetal weight, APGAR score and neonatal intensive care unit admission. Statistical Analysis Used: Analysis of Variance Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Respiration (ANOVA) test was used to compare the quantitative variables. SPSS software was used. Results: The middle cerebral artery (MCA) Doppler indices and cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) values were increasing while umbilical Doppler indices were decreasing with the increasing severity of anaemia. CPR was found to be the most sensitive predictor for foetal outcome. Conclusions: Maternal anaemia results in foetal hypoxia which can be measured in terms of foetal Doppler indices. CPR was found to be more sensitive than the umbilical or MCA in predicting foetal hypoxia and in turn the perinatal outcome of foetuses of anaemic pregnant females. The foetuses with low CPR values will require urgent intervention to improve the outcomes

Archaeological studies at Dholavira using GPR

A new area at an existing archaeological site of Harappan civilization at Dholavira, Gujarat, India has been studied using ground penetrating radar (GPR). An area of 12,276 m2 was surveyed using 200 MHz antenna at grid spacing of 2–3 m. The soil strata was found to extend mainly up to 3.5–4 m. The survey was conducted during the dry season to collect good signals. Post-processing was carried out to map the bedrock as well as archaeological features. A number of linear features were observed from the 3D image of the subsurface created from the acquired GPR profiles. Unlike residential structures, the large dimensions of these features indicate the likely existence of a series of water structures that may have partly collapsed due to floods at some point. There were some areas full of rubble next to the damaged walls that appeared to be orthogonal to the direction of possible flood from Manhar River.by Silky Agrawal, Mantu Majumder, Ravindra Singh Bisht and Amit Prashan