Renal Cell Carcinoma Presenting as Metastasis to Scrotum and Spermatic Cord

Unusual site metastasis as presenting complaint of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been reported previously in literature. RCC is a notorious tumor with unpredictable behavior. We present a case of RCC who presented with scrotal mass and on subsequent investigation was found to have metastasis to scrotum and spermatic cord. Both testes were normal with no evidence of metastasis

Estimation of Rheological Properties of Snow Subjected to Creep

Creep is one of the most important phenomenons to determine the settlement of snow. Snow,in natural conditions, exists at temperature quite close to its melting point and deforms very fast.The settlement of snow is the result of creep phenomenon under the action of overburdenpressure as well as due to metamorphic processes going on within the snowpack. In thiscommunication, creep behaviour of snow is simulated with four-parameter viscoelastic fluidmodel. This viscoelastic character is basically controlled or monitored by various rheologicalconstants. Estimation of all the rheological constants in the four-parameter viscoelastic fluidmodel appropriate for the creep properties of snow is done. Total 91 uniaxial unconfined constantstress experiments on sieved snow were conducted at controlled temperature conditions. Theeffect of density and varying temperature on these constants is found to be remarkable

Effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and IBA treatments on rooting in cuttings of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) clonal rootstock Merton 793

The preliminary studies on the effect of different strains of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) alone and in combination with IBA at 1000 ppm on rooting in cuttings of apple clonal rootstock Merton 793 were carried out during 2012-13. The PGPR strains (RG (1)3 – Bacillus sp.), B6 – Bacillus licheniformis and R3 (3) – Sirretia sp. alone failed to induce rooting response in cuttings of apple clonal rootstock Merton 793. The results revealed that IBA 2500 ppm recorded the maximum rooting (65 %), number of primary roots (5.00), length (28.43 cm) and diameter (3.25 mm) of primary roots, fresh (3.67 g) and dry weight (2.59 g) of roots, length of main shoot (134.14cm), diameter of main shoot (8.18 mm), fresh (30.40 g) and dry weight (22.60 g) of shoots in cuttings of Merton 793. However, the PGPR strains RG (1)3 – Bacillus sp., B6 – Bacillus licheniformis and R3 (3) – Sirretia sp. in combination with IBA 1000 ppm showed improvement in rooting of cuttings to the extent of 10, 15 and 5 per cent rooting, respectively and growth of the rooted plants. IBA at 2500 ppm resulted better rooting and growth of rooted plants. Hence, this treatment is suggested for commercial propagation of apple clonal rootstock Merton 793 through cuttings

Effect of the size of cuttings (length and diameter) on rooting in cuttings of apple clonal rootstock Merton 793

The study was conducted in net house conditions of fruit Nursery block of Department of Fruit Science, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni, Solan H.P. during 2012-2013 in order to evaluate the effect of size of cuttings (length and diameter) on rooting in cuttings of apple clonal rootstock Merton 793. Cuttings of length (L) viz. 15 cm, 25 cm, 35 cm, 45 cm and diameter ranges (D) viz. 0.75 cm – 1.00 cm, 1.00 cm – 1.25 cm, 1.25 – 1.50 cm were taken. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (factorial). The cuttings were treated with 2500 ppm IBA (Indole – 3 – butyric acid) as quick dip (10 – 15 seconds) before planting. The results revealed that the cuttings with treatment combination of length (35 cm) and diameter (1.25 cm – 1.50 cm) recorded the highest rooting of cuttings (65 %), number of primary roots (5.00), length of primary roots (28.43 cm), diameter of primary roots (3.25 mm), fresh weight of roots (3.67 g) and dry weight of roots (2.59 g). Hence it is concluded that cuttings of length of 35 cm and diameter of 1.25 cm to 1.50 cm was most suitable for propagation. However, the cuttings of shorter length and diameter, are also able to result in rooting with lower success, therefore, these cuttings would be helpful in case of scarce availability of propagating material

Epoxy-glass Microballoon Syntactic Foams for Blast Mitigating Applications

Polymeric syntactic foams refer to a class of cellular material created using preformed hollow spheres bound together with a polymeric matrix. These cellular materials possess exceptional ability to respond against high impact dynamic loads. This paper is an attempt to fabricate polymeric syntactic foams of epoxy containing hollow glass microballoon at varying loading (40 % - 60 %) and explore their potential towards blast mitigation. The tensile, compressive and flexural strength were found to be inversely proportional to the microballoon loading in the quasi-static regime. The strain rate sensitivity of the foams was confirmed by performing high strain rate studies using split hopkinson pressure bar. The flow stress of these foams was found to increase with increasing strain rates. The syntactic foams were subjected to controlled transient blast loadings using a shock tube. The samples remained intact and no strain was observed on the strain gauge, even under a blast load of ~ 90 psi, which clearly highlight their potential as core materials for blast mitigating applications

Pathogenicity of Heterorhabditis nematodes isolated from north-western Himalaya against the larvae of Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

The efficacy of three entomopathogenic nematodes (Heterorhabditis spp.), from north western Himalaya, India was studied against the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), under laboratory conditions. The larvae were exposed to 10, 20, 30 and 40 infective juveniles (IJs) of each nematode species for different time periods and they were found to be susceptible to all the EPNs tested. However, the susceptibility of larvae to nematode infection varied according to the dosages of IJs and their exposure periods. The efficacy of these indigenous entomopathogenic nematodes was also evaluated against the commercially available entomopathogenic nematode H. indica. An indigenous isolate, H. bacteriophora (HRJ), along with the commercial isolate H. indica recorded 100.0% mortality of insect larvae in 96 h exposure time against third instar larvae of P. xylostella. However, it was noticed that with the advancement of larval stage its mortality rate reduces and vice versa with the exposure period. All the tested nematode species were also found to reproduce within the host and produced infective juveniles. In conclusion, the evidence obtained in this study suggests that all the three indigenous EPN species are virulent enough to produce 100% mortality of larvae of P. xylostella. These EPN species thus have potential for the management of P. xylostella under integrated management practices

Zero Energy Overwinter Storage of Apple Nursery Plants in trans-Himalayan Ladakh, India

Studies were conducted during 2015 and 2016 to assess the effects of storage conditions on survival of nursery plants in trans-Himalayan Ladakh region. Apple nursery plants raised under warm climatic conditions of Solan (Himachal) were lifted from nurseries in first week of January and stored upto March in cold Ladakh region. Underground cellar-stored plants showed significantly higher plant survival (92 to 94%) than greenhouse-stored plants (37 to 56% survival). Low and constant temperature (-1.5±4.1 to 10.0±1.4ºC) and absence of light inside the cellar were favorable factors for storage of nursery plants. Lower survival rates of greenhouse-stored plants could be attributed to lower and greater fluctuations in temperature (-9.3±1.7to 25.1±1.9ºC) inside the greenhouse. Cellar-stored plants were less subjected to freezing injury as reflected from shoot electrolyte leakage studies. The underground cellar was found effective for overwinter storage of apple nursery plants for 3 to 4 months. The method described is easy and cost-effective, and can be a satisfactory alternative to refrigerated cold storage in trans-Himalayan region with severe winters.

Variation in mitochondrial function in hypoxia-sensitive and hypoxia-tolerant human glioma cells

We have shown previously that human glioblastoma multiforme cells vary in their ability to survive under hypoxic conditions. Under oxygen limiting conditions, hypoxia-tolerant cells decrease their oxygen consumption rate whereas hypoxia-sensitive cells continue to consume oxygen at a relatively steady rate until the oxygen supply becomes exhausted. We now show that hypoxia-tolerant and hypoxia-sensitive cells exhibit distinct patterns of mitochondrial function in response to hypoxic challenge. Hypoxia-tolerant cell lines retain stable mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP concentration when incubated under oxygen limiting conditions. In addition, hypoxia-tolerant cell lines are consistently more sensitive to a wide spectrum of inhibitors of mitochondrial function than are hypoxia-sensitive cells. In contrast, the hypoxia-sensitive cells are unable to maintain stable mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels when incubated at reduced oxygen tension. These results demonstrate significant differences in the mitochondrial function between these two phenotypes and reinforce previous data that suggest a regulatory role for mitochondria in the development of hypoxia tolerance