Credit Risk Modelling for Assessing Creditworthiness for Homeowners Who Can Avail Solar on Finance at Peacock Solar, Gurugram

Peacock Solar is a household solar installation company based in Gurugram, Haryana. It provides hassle free installation of solar power. In an era of rising demand for renewable energy, solar power is seen as a future of energy. The markets are becoming more competitive as better technologies increase the efficiency and lower the cost of solar power. In India, solar power is in its nascent stage of development and being price sensitive markets, cost remains the bottom line of competition. The present study is an attempt to showcase the strategy adopted by Peacock solar to enhance its sales by making solar available on finance.” The objective of this research paper is come up with a model that anticipates the probability associated with default for homeowner who avails solar on finance. The next objective is to develop a scorecard that represents this probability of default in form of credit score for enhanced understanding and decision making. By making solar available on finance, the company aims to overcome its price related hindrances. The methodology used for development of credit risk model is Logistic Regression as it is one of the best techniques for predicting a binary outcome (will default or will not default). This is followed by a technique for scorecard development. It can then be concluded that credit risk can be reduced to a considerable extent if correct analytical methodologies are put in place which will bring down the default rates on credit

Laparoscopy and hysteroscopy in patients of infertility in a rural set up

Background: Infertility is a life crisis. The number of couples seeking medical help for infertility is increasing dramatically. The incidence of infertility in any community varies between 5-15%.  This problem is compounded by the trend towards delayed child bearing to achieve socio-economic, educational and professional goals and the rapidly diminishing availability of adoptable infants. These couples are relatively well informed. Diagnostic laparoscopy & hysteroscopy have emerged as an accurate method of assessing, evaluating and treating infertility. Direct visualization of the abdominal and pelvic organs in laparoscopy allows a definitive diagnosis to be made in many conditions where clinical examination and less invasive techniques such as ultrasound and HSG fail to identify the problem.Methods: A prospective study conducted in Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, JNMC, AVBRH, and DMIMS. 60 women with H/O infertility for ≥ 1 year were enrolled and subjected to diagnostic tests. Cases with diagnosed tubal blockage, active lower genital tract infection, suspected pregnancy, tuberculosis and high risk medical disorders were excluded.Results: Endometriosis 32%, ovarian disorder (22%), Intra uterine synechiae and cervical stenosis together 14%, tubal block (6%) tubal pathology (delayed spill) (18%).Conclusions: Laparoscopy and hysteroscopy detects pelvic pathology which can appear to be normal on other imaging modalities and provides direct visualization as well as treatment of the diseased condition. Laparoscopy and hysteroscopy combined together are valuable technique for complete assessment of female factors of infertility patient and should be used early in the diagnostic work up in cases of infertility

Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor (arrhenoblastoma) in adolescent age group

Arrhenoblastoma, also known as Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors or androblastomas, are very rare neoplasm of the ovaries, resulting in the overproduction of the male hormone testosterone. This is a rare tumour which accounts for less than 0.5% of all ovarian tumours. These tumours are found in women of all age groups, but are most common in young women. Presence of an ovarian tumour plus hormonal disturbances suggests a Sertoli-Leydig cell tumour. Patients present with a recent history of progressive masculinisation. Masculinisation is preceded by anovulation, oligomenorrhoea, amenorrhoea and defeminisation. Arrhenoblastomas are generally unilateral benign tumour; do not normally spread beyond the ovary, occurring in reproductive age. This work summarizes the morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics of this tumour in a 15-year old girl with clinical signs of virilisation. A 14 year old female admitted with abdominal distension, change in voice, male pattern balding and clitoromegaly in the dept. of Ob/Gy A.V.B.R.H. (Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital) Sawangi, Wardha. Investigations included Sonography C.T scan, ascetic tap, Serum testosterone was done. She was managed by exploratory Laparotomy and follow up was advised. On follow up her serum testosterone levels and sonography was done. Here we are representing the case

A comparative study of metabolic and hormonal effects of myoinositol vs. metformin in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomised controlled trial

Background: The purpose of the study was to find out which drug is more effective in treatment and improvement of metabolic and hormonal parameters in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); Myoinositol or Metformin. This study was conducted since there are very limited studies on the same.Methods: Patients between 15-40 years of age with signs and symptoms of PCOS who attended the outpatient department of obstetrics and gynaecolgy at AVBRH between study period of September, 2012 to August 2014, were subjected to specific investigations to diagnose PCOS. Patients who were diagnosed with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria were included in the study group. Patients were randomly allocated to treatment with either myoinositol or metformin. Myoinositol group received 1 g twice daily while Metformin group received 500 mg twice daily for 6 months .The findings and investigations were repeated after 6 months and was compared with the baseline values.Results: Treatment with myoinositol and metformin both decreased body mass index, androgenic features, improved menstrual abnormalities and polycystic ovaries but the Level of insulin resistance as measured by fasting insulin and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) decreased only on treatment with myoinositol.Conclusions: Myoinositol acts at the level of insulin receptors and is effective in treatment of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, which is the underlying factor leading to the development of polycystic ovary syndrome

Nanoparticle-mediated targeting of MAPK signaling predisposes tumor to chemotherapy

The MAPK signal transduction cascade is dysregulated in a majority of human tumors. Here we report that a nanoparticle-mediated targeting of this pathway can optimize cancer chemotherapy. We engineered nanoparticles from a unique hexadentate-polyD,L-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid polymer chemically conjugated to PD98059, a selective MAPK inhibitor. The nanoparticles are taken up by cancer cells through endocytosis and demonstrate sustained release of the active agent, resulting in the inhibition of phosphorylation of downstream extracellular signal regulated kinase. We demonstrate that nanoparticle-mediated targeting of MAPK inhibits the proliferation of melanoma and lung carcinoma cells and induces apoptosis in vitro. Administration of the PD98059-nanoparticles in melanoma-bearing mice inhibits tumor growth and enhances the antitumor efficacy of cisplatin chemotherapy. Our study shows the nanoparticle-mediated delivery of signal transduction inhibitors can emerge as a unique paradigm in cancer chemotherapy.Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program Era of Hope Award (W81XWH-07–1-0482)Mary Kay Ash Charitable Trus

Adhesive and conformational behaviour of mycolic acid monolayers

We have studied the pH-dependent interaction between mycolic acid (MA) monolayers and hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces using molecular (colloidal probe) force spectroscopy. In both cases, hydrophobic and hydrophilic monolayers (prepared by Langmuir-Blodgett and Langmuir-Schaefer deposition on silicon or hydrophobized silicon substrates, respectively) were studied. The force spectroscopy data, fitted with classical DLVO (Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek) theory to examine the contribution of electrostatic and van der Waals forces, revealed that electrostatic forces are the dominant contribution to the repulsive force between the approaching colloidal probe and MA monolayers. The good agreement between data and the DLVO model suggest that beyond a few nm away from the surface, hydrophobic, hydration, and specific chemical bonding are unlikely to contribute to any significant extent to the interaction energy between the probe and the surface. The pH-dependent conformation of MA molecules in the monolayer at the solid-liquid interface was studied by ellipsometry, neutron reflectometry, and with a quartz crystal microbalance. Monolayers prepared by the Langmuir-Blodgett method demonstrated a distinct pH-responsive behaviour, while monolayers prepared by the Langmuir-Schaefer method were less sensitive to pH variation. It was found that the attachment of water molecules plays a vital role in determining the conformation of the MA monolayers. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Large sub-clonal variation in <i>Phytophthora infestans</i> from recent severe late blight epidemics in India

Abstract The population structure of the Phytophthora infestans populations that caused the recent 2013–14 late blight epidemic in eastern India (EI) and northeastern India (NEI) was examined. The data provide new baseline information for populations of P. infestans in India. A migrant European 13_A2 genotype was responsible for the 2013–14 epidemic, replacing the existing populations. Mutations have generated substantial sub-clonal variation with 24 multi-locus genotypes (MLGs) found, of which 19 were unique variants not yet reported elsewhere globally. Samples from West Bengal were the most diverse and grouped alongside MLGs found in Europe, the UK and from neighbouring Bangladesh but were not linked directly to most samples from south India. The pathogen population was broadly more aggressive on potato than on tomato and resistant to the fungicide metalaxyl. Pathogen population diversity was higher in regions around the international borders with Bangladesh and Nepal. Overall, the multiple shared MLGs suggested genetic contributions from UK and Europe in addition to a sub-structure based on the geographical location within India. Our data indicate the need for improved phytosanitary procedures and continuous surveillance to prevent the further introduction of aggressive lineages of P. infestans into the country