Renewable Natural Resources (RNR)Research Programme in Bhutan : An Overview

The objective of this paper is to give an overview of how the Renewable Natural Resources (RNR) research is being implemented in Bhutan. The RNR sector comprises mainly of agriculture, livestock and forestry sectors. Agriculture research in Bhutan initially started in early 1960s through the introduction of new crop and fruit varieties from Indian Agriculture Research Institutes. Thereafter, livestock and forestry research started in livestock farms and forestry research institutes, respectively. The first Agriculture Research Institute in Bhutan was established in 1982 which underwent various changes culminating into the present Council for RNR Research of Bhutan (CoRRB) in 2003. The Council is chaired by the Minister of Agriculture and the Director of CoRRB functions as the member Secretary of the Council. Four research centres with national and regional mandates located at strategic locations of the country were established to cater to the research and development needs of the farmers living in different agro-ecological zones. These centres are mandated to carry out research in the field of agriculture, horticulture, livestock, forestry and other cross cutting sectors of soils, plant protection, water management, meteorology, socio-economic studies. Apart from the Regional centres of research, there are sub centres where ever the area to be covered by the centre is large. The different departments also conduct research in consultation with CoRRB to avoid duplication of efforts. The main objectives of the RNR Research are to generate relevant technologies for the farming communities for ensuring food security and enhancement of rural income. These technologies are packaged as extension materials,news letters and journals for dissemination to farmers and all concerned stakeholders.Article信州大学農学部紀要. 46(1-2): 139-153 (2010)departmental bulletin pape

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma of cauda equina: A diagnostic conundrum: Case report

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is uncommon with scarce cases having involvement of the spinal cord. Cauda equina is unique in its location and shows very rare involvement by diseases pathologies. When the same occur, they pose a lot of diagnostic difficulties as the location is difficult to access with overlapping radiologic abnormalities. It is an unusual location for lymphomas to occur with only few cases reported in literature. The cauda equina lymphomas may mimic other entities which occur at that site. Histopathology is the gold standard for the same. Here, we report an unusual case of cauda equina lymphoma mimicking a myxopapillary ependymoma in a 50-year-old male

Unravelling the nature of magneto-electric coupling in room temperature multiferroic particulate (PbFe0.5Nb0.5O3)–(Co0.6Zn0.4Fe1.7Mn0.3O4) composites

Abstract Multiferroic composites are promising candidates for magnetic field sensors, next-generation low power memory and spintronic devices, as they exhibit much higher magnetoelectric (ME) coupling and coupled ordering parameters compared to the single-phase multiferroics. Hence, the 3-0 type particulate multiferroic composites having general formula (1 − Φ)[PbFe0.5Nb0.5O3]-Φ[Co0.6Zn0.4Fe1.7Mn0.3O4] (Φ = 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 1.0, (1 − Φ) PFN-ΦCZFMO) were prepared using a hybrid synthesis technique. Preliminary structural and microstructural analysis were carried out using XRD and FESEM techniques, which suggest the formation of 3-0 type particulate composite without the presence of any impurity phases. The multiferroic behaviour of the composites is studied with polarization versus electric field (P-E) and magnetization versus magnetic field (M-H) characteristics at room temperature. The nature of ME coupling was investigated elaborately by employing the Landau free energy equation along with the magneto-capacitance measurement. This investigation suggests the existence of biquadratic nature of ME coupling (P2M2). The magneto-electric coupling measurement also suggests that strain mediated domain coupling between the ferroelectric and magnetic ordering is responsible for the magneto-electric behaviour. The obtained value of direct ME coefficient 26.78 mV/cm-Oe for Φ = 0.3, found to be higher than the well-known single-phase materials and polycrystalline composites

Optical Microangiography and Progressive Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Loss in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma.

PurposeTo evaluate the association between optical microangiography (OMAG) measurements and progressive retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) loss in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).DesignProspective case series.MethodsSixty-four eyes of 40 patients with POAG (108 quadrants) with mild to moderate functional damage were longitudinally studied for at least 2 years and with a minimum of 3 optical coherence tomography examinations. OMAG imaging was performed at the baseline visit. Effect of clinical parameters (age, sex, presence of systemic diseases, central corneal thickness, presence of disc hemorrhage, and mean and fluctuation of intraocular pressure during follow-up), baseline hemifield mean deviation, baseline quadrant optical coherence tomography RNFL and ganglion cell inner plexiform layer thickness), and OMAG (peripapillary and macular perfusion density [PD] and vessel density [VD]) on the rate of RNFL change was evaluated using linear mixed models.ResultsAverage (±SD) mean deviation, RNFL, and ganglion cell inner plexiform layer thickness of the analyzed quadrants at baseline were -5.5 ± 2.9 dB, 96.5 ± 17.9 µm, and 73.8 ± 8.6 µm, respectively. Peripapillary PD and VD in the quadrant were 44.6% ± 5.9% and 17.5 ± 2.2 mm/mm2, respectively. Rate of quadrant RNFL change was -1.8 ± 0.6 µm/y. Multivariate mixed models showed that lower peripapillary PD (coefficient = 0.08, P = .01) and lower VD (coefficient = 0.21, P = .02) were significantly associated with a faster rate of RNFL loss.ConclusionsLower baseline peripapillary PD and VD measured using OMAG were significantly associated with a faster rate of RNFL loss in POAG. OMAG imaging provides useful information about the risk of glaucoma progression and the rate of disease worsening

Optical Microangiography and Progressive Ganglion Cell-Inner Plexiform Layer Loss in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between optical microangiography (OMAG) measurements and progressive ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) loss in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). DESIGN: Prospective case series. METHODS: Sixty-three eyes of 38 patients with POAG were studied for ≥2 years and with ≥ 3 optical coherence tomography examinations. Only those hemifields with mild to moderate functional damage at baseline (106 hemifields) were included in the analysis. OMAG imaging was performed at the baseline visit. The effects of clinical parameters (age, gender, central corneal thickness, presence of disc hemorrhage, and mean and fluctuation of intraocular pressure), baseline mean deviation, retinal nerve fiber layer, and GCIPL thickness and baseline OMAG measurements (peripapillary and macular perfusion density [PD] and vessel density [VD]) on the rate of change of GCIPL thickness were evaluated using linear mixed models. RESULTS: Average (± standard deviation) mean deviation, quadrant retinal nerve fiber layer, and sector GCIPL thickness of the analyzed hemifields respectively at baseline were -5.2 ± 2.8 dB, 94.5 ± 20.0 µm, and 72.4 ± 8.7 µm, respectively. Peripapillary PD and VD in the quadrant were 43.1% ± 7.0% and 17.0 ± 2.6 mm/mm2, respectively. Macular PD and VD in the quadrant were 37.2% ± 6.9% and 15.1 ± 2.6 mm/mm2, respectively. Rate of sector GCIPL change was -0.97 ± 0.15 µm per year. Multivariate mixed models showed that lower peripapillary PD (coefficient 0.04, P = .01) and VD (coefficient 0.09, P = .05) were significantly associated with a faster rate of GCIPL loss. CONCLUSIONS: Lower baseline peripapillary OMAG measurements were significantly associated with a faster rate of GCIPL loss in patients with mild to moderate POAG