Unique Brain Network Identification Number for Parkinson's Individuals Using Structural MRI

We propose a novel algorithm called Unique Brain Network Identification Number (UBNIN) for encoding brain networks of individual subject. To realize this objective, we employed T1-weighted structural MRI of 180 Parkinson's disease (PD) patients from National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, India. We parcellated each subject's brain volume and constructed individual adjacency matrix using correlation between grey matter (GM) volume of every pair of regions. The unique code is derived from values representing connections of every node (i), weighted by a factor of 2^-(i-1). The numerical representation UBNIN was observed to be distinct for each individual brain network, which may also be applied to other neuroimaging modalities. This model may be implemented as neural signature of a person's unique brain connectivity, thereby useful for brainprinting applications. Additionally, we segregated the above dataset into five age-cohorts: A:22-32years, B:33-42years, C:43-52years, D:53-62years and E:63-72years to study the variation in network topology over age. Sparsity was adopted as the threshold estimate to binarize each age-based correlation matrix. Connectivity metrics were obtained using Brain Connectivity toolbox-based MATLAB functions. For each age-cohort, a decreasing trend was observed in mean clustering coefficient with increasing sparsity. Significantly different clustering coefficient was noted between age-cohort B and C (sparsity: 0.63,0.66), C and E (sparsity: 0.66,0.69). Our findings suggest network connectivity patterns change with age, indicating network disruption due to the underlying neuropathology. Varying clustering coefficient for different cohorts indicate that information transfer between neighboring nodes change with age. This provides evidence on age-related brain shrinkage and network degeneration.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures,1 algorithm, 1 main table, 1 appendix tabl

Federated learning enables big data for rare cancer boundary detection.

Although machine learning (ML) has shown promise across disciplines, out-of-sample generalizability is concerning. This is currently addressed by sharing multi-site data, but such centralization is challenging/infeasible to scale due to various limitations. Federated ML (FL) provides an alternative paradigm for accurate and generalizable ML, by only sharing numerical model updates. Here we present the largest FL study to-date, involving data from 71 sites across 6 continents, to generate an automatic tumor boundary detector for the rare disease of glioblastoma, reporting the largest such dataset in the literature (n = 6, 314). We demonstrate a 33% delineation improvement for the surgically targetable tumor, and 23% for the complete tumor extent, over a publicly trained model. We anticipate our study to: 1) enable more healthcare studies informed by large diverse data, ensuring meaningful results for rare diseases and underrepresented populations, 2) facilitate further analyses for glioblastoma by releasing our consensus model, and 3) demonstrate the FL effectiveness at such scale and task-complexity as a paradigm shift for multi-site collaborations, alleviating the need for data-sharing

Neuroimaging features of fatal high-altitude cerebral edema

Acute high-altitude cerebral edema can occur in an unacclimatised individual on exposure to high altitudes and sometimes it can be fatal. Here we have described the neuroimaging features of a patient who suffered from fatal high altitude cerebral edema. Available literature is reviewed. Probable pathogenesis is discussed. The risk of acute mountain sickness is reported up to 25% in individuals who ascend to an altitude of 3500 meter and in more than 50% subjects at an altitude of 6000 meter. The lack of availability of advanced imaging facilities at such a higher altitude makes imaging of such condition a less described entity

Comparative Studies of Seed Protectants for Longterm Ambient Storage of Mungbean against Callosobruchus chinensis (L.)

A Comparative study was carried out to evaluate the newer insecticides and botanicals as seed protectants for long term ambient storage of mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek ) against Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) under ambient condition use Complete Randomized Design (CRD) at Seed Entomology laboratory of Seed Science and Technology, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agricultural and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya during 2019-2020. Sixteen included control newer insecticides and botanicals viz. Emamectin benzoate @ 40.0 mg/kg1 seed, Spinetorum @ 8.5 mg/kg-1 seed, Sivanto prime @ 0.01 ml/kg-1 seed, Karanj oil@ 5ml/kg seed, Castor oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Sunflower oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Mustard oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Sesamum oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Neem oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Neemoz gold @ 5 ml/kg-1 seed , Coconut oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Neem leaf powder @ 5g/kg seed, Neem kernel powder @ 5g/kg seed and Gorakhmundi powder @5g/kg seed as seed protectants along with Deltamethrin 2.8 EC @ 0.04ml/kg seed as check were tried to evaluated under ambient condition. Among tested seed protectants, Emamectin benzoate @ 40.0 mg/kg1seed followed by Sivanto prime @ 0.01 ml/kg-1 seed, Spinetorum @ 8.5 mg/kg-1 seed, Neemoz gold @ 5 ml/kg-1 seed and Karanj oil@ 5ml/kg seed was found most effective treatment against Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) due to least seed damage (1%) and weight loss (0.84%) with high germination percent (86.83%) in mungbean for long term (upto 6 months) under ambient storage condition

Unusual occurrence of supratentorial medulloepithelioma in a young female

Medulloepithelioma is an extremely rare PNET in late adolescence and adults with only two cases noted in literature. These are WHO grade IV tumors with dismal prognosis. Only few cases survived beyond 5 months. We report a rare case of supratentorial medulloepithelioma in a 17 year old girl. She had presented with right sided weakness, headache and vomiting. Imaging showed an enhancing mass lesion in left parietal region which undergone gross total resection. After surgery, her headache, vomiting and right sided weakness improved. On histopathology, the tumor had characteristic trabecular, ribbon and palisaded arrangement with brisk mitotic activity, necrosis and calcification. Immuno-histochemistry revealed positivity for Synaptophysin, Vimentin and EMA while GFAP was negative. MIB-1 labeling was very high. Patient received postoperative radiotherapy. On follow up after 14 months, she was clinically asymptomatic with no recurrence on imaging

Feasibility of C-arm guided closed intramedullary pinning for the stabilization of canine long bone fractures

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of C-arm guided closed intramedullary pinning (simple Steinmann and end threaded) techniques for the stabilization of various canine long bone fractures. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted on 19 dogs with long bone fractures which were stabilized using simple Steinmann (Group I; n=6) and end threaded (Group II; n=13) pinning under C-arm guidance. Signalment, history of trauma, clinical examination, and hematobiochemical findings were recorded at the time of presentation. Radiography of the affected limb was carried out in two views to determine type and site of the fracture. Treatment of all the fractures was attempted using simple Steinman and end threaded pinning under the C-arm guidance. The success and failure of the closed technique were correlated with age, site, and type of fractures. Results: The mean body weight and age of the dogs were 18.53±2.18 kg and 21.58±5.85 months, respectively. Early presented cases at a mean day of 2.84±0.54 were included. Out of 19 cases, it was possible to place implant successfully in 10 cases (success rate 52.63%) only. The remaining 9 cases had serious intraoperative complications like a misdirection of the pin after engaging the proximal fragment (n=3), missing the proximal fragment completely, and formation of the false tract (n=6). The majority of these complications were associated with younger age and proximal or distal third oblique fractures. High success rate of C-arm guided closed pinning was observed in midshaft fractures (75%) and transverse fractures (77.78%) in dogs of more than 1 year of age (77.78%). Simple Steinmann pinning was better feasible in a closed manner with a high success rate (66.70%) but also had implant related complications. Although, C-arm guided end threaded pinning was less (46.15%) successful, slightly tedious and time-consuming but had better implant stability than that of simple intramedullary pinning. Conclusions: From the present study, it was concluded that C-arm guided closed pinning is recommended in transverse and midshaft fractures of the long bones in dogs older than 1 year of age. Furthermore, there is need to improve traction devices for enhancing the success of C-arm guided intramedullary pinning in dogs

Central nervous system norcardiosis with granulomatous pachymeningitis and osteomyelitis of skull vault

A 34-year-old immunocompetent man weighing 95 kg was operated for a small left parietal scalp swelling in the year 2002. He was well until 2008, when he developed chronic diffuse headache, vomiting and drowsiness. The left parietal dura and overlying vault biopsy showed evidence of granulomatous pachymeningitis with osteomyelitis secondary to nocardiosis. He had responded well to inadequate antibiotic therapy. After a dormant period of 3 years, there was recrudescence of severe raised intracranial tension symptoms in 2011. Magnetic resonance imaging showed diffuse pachymeningeal thickening mainly involving the occipital dura, posterior falx, and tentorium cerebelli. In addition, well-defined small nodules with hypointense signals on both T1- and T2-weighted images were seen in occipital lobes. Patient was treated with three drug regime with good recovery at 3 months follow-up. This is a rare case of central nervous system nocardiosis with skull vault osteomyelitis and a protracted clinical course