Computed tomography features of benign adnexal mass lesions

Background: Adnexal masses originating from gynaecologic and nongynecologic sources may be benign or malignant. The objective of this study was to describe multi-detector computed tomography features of benign adnexal masses for diagnostic accuracy and disease understanding.Methods: Study retrospectively evaluates the multidetector computed tomography features of benign adnexal mass lesions, which were referred for MDCT examination with a primary diagnosis of adnexal masses on clinical or USG. Patients who underwent MDCT and subsequently underwent surgery and proved to benign adnexal mass lesion on histopathological examination were included in this study.Results: Forty five percent benign adnexal mass were in the age group of 36-50 years followed by 32.7% in the age group of 21-35 years. Common presenting symptoms of benign adnexal masses were pain abdomen or pelvic pain (65.5%) followed by mass abdomen (42%) while in one fourth of the patients it was asymptomatic and detected as incidental finding. Pathologic diagnosis of most common benign adnexal mass detected were serous cyst adenoma (54.5%), followed by mature cystic teratoma (18.2%), mucinous cyst adenoma (14.5%) and par ovarian cyst (9.1%). Benign ovarian mass had a characteristic CT appearance of cystic lesion (83.6%), unilocular (65.5%) with regular/well defined and thin wall (83.6%) with occasional septations (21.8%) and papillary projections (14.5%). Ascitis (5.5%) was an uncommon finding of a benign adnexal mass lesion. Computed tomography was most accurate to characterize mature cystic teratoma with a typical cystic lesion having fat deposition and calcifications.  Serous cyst adenoma had a CT appearance of thin walled cyst mass with no septations or solid component. Mucinous cyst adenoma ovary had a characteristic multilocular cystic lesion with different fluid attenuation and thin septations.  Endometrioma had a variable CT appearance with uni or multilocular cystic lesion and hyperdense lesion with focal calcifications.Conclusions: Multi detector computed tomography may provide accurate and valuable diagnostic information about benign nature of an adnexal mass lesion

Risk factors for low bone mass in healthy young adults from North India: studies on BMD and bone turnover markers

Background: Despite availability of adequate sunshine, Indian population has the highest prevalence of low bone mass and Bone Mineral Content (BMC). Risk factors for osteoporosis have been extensively studied in the west but poorly investigated in India. We studied BMD and Bone Turnover Markers (BTMs) among healthy young adults.Methods: Fifty one healthy young adults (28 Males, 23 Females) in the age group of 20-35 years were studied. Morphometric, biochemical parameters and BMD (whole body, spine, hip & wrist) were recorded. Anthropometric measurements included height, weight, BMI and Waist/Hip Ratio (WHR). BTMs studied included - serum Bone-Specific Alkaline Phosphatase (sBAP), serum Collagen cross-linked C-Terminal telopeptide (sCTx), serum Osteocalcin (OC) and human intact parathyroid hormone (hPTH) using standard ELISA kits.Results: Of 51 healthy volunteers 21.57% had normal BMD, 13.73% were frankly osteoporotic and 64.70% were osteopenic. Age, weight and BMI were the best predictors of total BMD and BMC at all sites. sCTX positively correlated with Total Bone Area (TBA), BMD at Hip and Forearm. Using multiple regressions - age, weight, and BMI were significant predictors of BMD in young adults. Percentage body fat had inverse correlation with BMC, BMD and TBA. Weight and height positively correlated with BMD at femoral neck, inter-trochanter and Ward’s triangle. Body weight was best predictor of BMD at femoral neck, Ward’s triangle, forearm UD, forearm MID and forearm1/3.Conclusion: Majority of healthy young Indians have poor bone health as evidenced by bone markers.

Design and Development of a Solar Artifact using Structural Analysis

740-745The Flat or rooftop mountings of PV systems require large area of land for the generation of electricity. As per the present scenario, the availability of suitable land is a major problem in cities as well as in the villages in India. Keeping it in mind, a solar artifact has been designed and developed at our Institute. The necessary structural analysis and mechanical load has been done in reference with sustainable wind load of the structure. By taking Factor of safety as 15, the Von Mises Stress is found to be 307.948 MPa. A typical shadow analysis has also been carried out on the solar panels attached with the solar artifact to determine whether there is any overlap of solar panels and thereby to get maximum solar energy

Design and Development of a Solar Artifact using Structural Analysis

The Flat or rooftop mountings of PV systems require large area of land for the generation of electricity. As per the present scenario, the availability of suitable land is a major problem in cities as well as in the villages in India. Keeping it in mind, a solar artifact has been designed and developed at our Institute. The necessary structural analysis and mechanical load has been done in reference with sustainable wind load of the structure. By taking Factor of safety as 15, the Von Mises Stress is found to be 307.948 MPa. A typical shadow analysis has also been carried out on the solar panels attached with the solar artifact to determine whether there is any overlap of solar panels and thereby to get maximum solar energy

Unilateral supernumerary kidney with contra lateral hydronephrosis-a rare case report

Supernumerary kidney is the rarest of all renal anomalies; fewer than 80 cases have been reported in the literature over the years. Supernumerary kidneys are most commonly located on the left side of the abdomen. Different pathologic conditions are reported to affect supernumerary kidneys and they may be associated with malformations of the upper urinary tract and genital tract. Because of their infrequent occurrence and reporting, they frequently cause diagnostic challenges. Here we report a case in a 14-year-old male patient of unilateral supernumerary kidney on the right side of the abdomen with multiple calculi, mal-rotation and a gross hydronephrotic left kidney

Chemically deposited magnesium hydroxide thin film

Here we report for the first time to the best of our knowledge the processing techniques, nucleation kinetics and the nanoindentation behaviour of a 1.5 mu m magnesium hydroxide thin film chemically deposited on a commercially available soda lime silica glass substrate at room temperature. The phase and microstructure of the films were analysed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy as well as transmission electron microscopy. An exponential nucleation kinetics was identified for the growth of the thin films. The nanomechanical properties, e. g. nanohardness and Young's modulus of the films were measured by the nanoindentation technique at ultralow loads of 50, 70 and 100 mu N. Finally, the nature of deformation of the thin film was analysed in terms of the energetics of the nanoindentation process and the microstructure

Effects of Bt-cotton on biological properties of Vertisols in central India

Growing areas under transgenic crops have created a concern over their possible adverse impact on the soil ecosystem. This study evaluated the effect of Bt-cotton based cropping systems on soil microbial and biochemical activities and their functional relationships with active soil carbon pools in Vertisols of central India (Nagpur, Maharastra, during 2012–2013). Culturable groups of soil microflora, enzymatic activities and active pools of soil carbon were measured under different Bt-cotton based cropping systems (e.g. cotton-soybean, cotton-redgram, cotton-wheat, cotton-vegetables and cotton-fallow). Significantly higher counts of soil heterotrophs (5.7–7.9 log cfu g−1soil), aerobic N-fixer (3.9–5.4 log cfu g−1soil) and P-solubilizer (2.5−3.0 log cfu g−1soil) were recorded in Bt-cotton soils. Similarly, soil enzymatic activities, viz. dehydrogenase (16.6–22.67 µg TPF g−1 h−1), alkaline phosphatase (240–253 µg PNP g−1 h−1) and fluorescein di-acetate hydrolysis (14.6–18.0 µg fluorescein g−1 h−1), were significantly higher under Bt-cotton-soybean system than other Bt- and non-Bt-cotton based systems in all crop growth stages. The growth stage-wise order of soil microbiological activities were: boll development > harvest > vegetative stage. Significant correlations were observed between microbiological activities and active carbon pools in the rhizosphere soil. The findings indicated no adverse effect of Bt-cotton on soil biological properties

The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment: Exploring Fundamental Symmetries of the Universe

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early Universe, the dynamics of the supernova bursts that produced the heavy elements necessary for life and whether protons eventually decay --- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our Universe, its current state and its eventual fate. The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) represents an extensively developed plan for a world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions. LBNE is conceived around three central components: (1) a new, high-intensity neutrino source generated from a megawatt-class proton accelerator at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, (2) a near neutrino detector just downstream of the source, and (3) a massive liquid argon time-projection chamber deployed as a far detector deep underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. This facility, located at the site of the former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, is approximately 1,300 km from the neutrino source at Fermilab -- a distance (baseline) that delivers optimal sensitivity to neutrino charge-parity symmetry violation and mass ordering effects. This ambitious yet cost-effective design incorporates scalability and flexibility and can accommodate a variety of upgrades and contributions. With its exceptional combination of experimental configuration, technical capabilities, and potential for transformative discoveries, LBNE promises to be a vital facility for the field of particle physics worldwide, providing physicists from around the globe with opportunities to collaborate in a twenty to thirty year program of exciting science. In this document we provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess.Comment: Major update of previous version. This is the reference document for LBNE science program and current status. Chapters 1, 3, and 9 provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess. 288 pages, 116 figure

High Resolution Methylome Map of Rat Indicates Role of Intragenic DNA Methylation in Identification of Coding Region

DNA methylation is crucial for gene regulation and maintenance of genomic stability. Rat has been a key model system in understanding mammalian systemic physiology, however detailed rat methylome remains uncharacterized till date. Here, we present the first high resolution methylome of rat liver generated using Methylated DNA immunoprecipitation and high throughput sequencing (MeDIP-Seq) approach. We observed that within the DNA/RNA repeat elements, simple repeats harbor the highest degree of methylation. Promoter hypomethylation and exon hypermethylation were common features in both RefSeq genes and expressed genes (as evaluated by proteomic approach). We also found that although CpG islands were generally hypomethylated, about 6% of them were methylated and a large proportion (37%) of methylated islands fell within the exons. Notably, we obeserved significant differences in methylation of terminal exons (UTRs); methylation being more pronounced in coding/partially coding exons compared to the non-coding exons. Further, events like alternate exon splicing (cassette exon) and intron retentions were marked by DNA methylation and these regions are retained in the final transcript. Thus, we suggest that DNA methylation could play a crucial role in marking coding regions thereby regulating alternative splicing. Apart from generating the first high resolution methylome map of rat liver tissue, the present study provides several critical insights into methylome organization and extends our understanding of interplay between epigenome, gene expression and genome stability