Ultrasound and Doppler evaluation of salivary gland pathology

Background: Lesions of salivary gland are very commonly encountered in clinical practice. Only by Clinical examination alone it is difficult to differentiate between them and know its exact cause and etiology. It would definitely benefit the patient as well as the doctor if they could get an idea of the exact type of lesion affecting the salivary gland. Hence, this study was undertaken to demonstrate as how high resolution ultrasound imaging and use of colour Doppler can be useful in evaluation of salivary gland lesions.Methods: Duration of study was1yearwith sample size of 30 patients. This study has been conducted in the department of Radiodiagnosis JNMC, Sawangi, Wardha all cases irrespective of age and sex referred to the department were evaluated. Aloka Prosound Alpha 7 USG machine with a high resolution probe linear transducer was used. The lesions were evaluated by high resolution real time ultrasound and colour Doppler.Results: Most of the patients were in the age group 41-50years and had male preponderance. Most presented with unilateral swelling which was tender and firm in consistency. Amongst the study group saladenitis was most frequent finding followed by pleomorphic adenoma and carcinoma. Pleomorphic adenoma was most common neoplasm having predilection for the parotid gland. Saladenitis was most common in submandibular gland. The commonest histopathological finding was pleomorphic adenoma.Conclusions: The study concludes that High resolution ultrasound can differentiate various salivary gland lesions. Addition with colour Doppler ultrasound can increase its diagnostic accuracy. High resolution ultrasound with colour Doppler sonography should be first line of imaging modality in suspected cases of salivary gland lesions

Imaging diagnosis of primary pelvic hydatid: a rare case report

Hydatid disease is caused by Echinococcus granulosus a commonly encountered parasitic infection to humans in tropical countries. Humans are accidental intermediate hosts of Echinococcus. Liver is the most commonly infected organ. Any organ of the body can be affected but primary pelvic hydatid disease is rarely reported. Preoperative diagnosis can be established by imaging studies such as ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, a case is reported of pelvic hydatid in a young female who presented with recurrent episodes of abdominal pain along with an abdominal mass. General physical examination and radiological evaluation confirmed a multiloculated cystic lesion in pelvic. Patient was subjected to laparotomy which confirmed the diagnosis of a primary pelvic hydatid disease

Evaluation of Antimitotic Activity of Momordica Dioica Fruits on Allium Cepa Root Meristamatic Cells

Natural occurring phenolic compounds play an important role in cancer prevention and shows antimitotic activity. Number of active constituents like phenolic acid, curcuminoids, coumarine, ligans, quinones, etc. is showing antimitotic activity of Momordica dioica. The present work is on phytochemical investigation and examines antimitotic activity of aqueous extract of fruits Momordica dioica at concentration of 15 mg/ml on Allium cepa root meristamatic cells.The fruits are air dried and extracted with solvents like water by maceration method. The evaluation of antimitotic activity is done by using Allium cepa root meristamatic cells parameters where and methotrexate was used as a standard drugs. In Allium assay, aqueous extract of fruits of Momordica diocia (15 mg/ml) and methotrexate act against cells of allium roots and lesser the growth of root and mitotic index when compared with distilled water as control group. The result indicated that cytotoxic property is due to presence of phenolic, alkaloids and flavonoids compounds in 15 mg/ml concentration of aqueous extract of Momordica diocia fruits extract.On the basis of result, we concluded that, 15 mg/ml concentration of Momordica dioica fruits shows good antimitotic activity on the Allium cepa root tip assay

An integrated, bottom-up approach to evaluate the role of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in achieving net-zero energy systems

Early-stage deployment of BECCS, supported by integrated policies and financing mechanisms to suit the socioeconomic and environmental context, could help achieve net-zero energy systems at small scales and further evaluate their feasibility in the long run

Experimental evidence on promotion of electric and improved biomass cookstoves.

Improved cookstoves (ICS) can deliver "triple wins" by improving household health, local environments, and global climate. Yet their potential is in doubt because of low and slow diffusion, likely because of constraints imposed by differences in culture, geography, institutions, and missing markets. We offer insights about this challenge based on a multiyear, multiphase study with nearly 1,000 households in the Indian Himalayas. In phase I, we combined desk reviews, simulations, and focus groups to diagnose barriers to ICS adoption. In phase II, we implemented a set of pilots to simulate a mature market and designed an intervention that upgraded the supply chain (combining marketing and home delivery), provided rebates and financing to lower income and liquidity constraints, and allowed households a choice among ICS. In phase III, we used findings from these pilots to implement a field experiment to rigorously test whether this combination of upgraded supply and demand promotion stimulates adoption. The experiment showed that, compared with zero purchase in control villages, over half of intervention households bought an ICS, although demand was highly price-sensitive. Demand was at least twice as high for electric stoves relative to biomass ICS. Even among households that received a negligible price discount, the upgraded supply chain alone induced a 28 percentage-point increase in ICS ownership. Although the bundled intervention is resource-intensive, the full costs are lower than the social benefits of ICS promotion. Our findings suggest that market analysis, robust supply chains, and price discounts are critical for ICS diffusion

Mitigation scenarios for methane and nitrous oxide emissions from Indian agriculture sector

India is now the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the world with one of the highest growth-rate of emissions. As a fast-growing major economy, its future emissions trajectory is important for the long-term global goal of restricting the temperature rise to “well below 2 ℃”, compared to pre-industrial levels. In India, emissions from methane (CH4 ) and nitrous oxide (N2O) account for about a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions. The agriculture sector contributes to over 70% of these non-CO2 emissions through activities like rice cultivation, livestock rearing (enteric fermentation and manure management) and application of nitrogen fertilizers. On the other hand, the agriculture sector employs two-third of Indian work force. Around 86% farmers fall in the marginal and small (less than 2 hectares) land-holding category and collectively own about 45% of the total agricultural area and around 80% of total cattle. Considering the socio-economic context, reducing emissions from Indian agricultural sector would be a challenge. The subsistence farming, fragmented production and political economy constraints make it difficult to implement the technological and structural interventions to mitigate the non-CO2 emissions. If India is to achieve net-zero GHG emissions in the latter half of the century, mitigation strategies for the agriculture sector need to balance the climate and sustainable development goals. In this research, we focus on methane and nitrous oxide emissions from the Indian agricultural activities. Our analysis uses the GAINS model which has been widely applied for assessing the mitigation strategies for non-CO2 emissions and multiple air pollutants at regional and global scales. We analyse four mitigation scenarios using different combinations of activities and control measures. For the reference and sustainable policy scenarios, we compare the current policies (often lacking any controls) versus maximum feasible reductions through technological and management control measures to inform the Indian and global climate policy debates. The preliminary results suggest that a combination of sustainable agricultural practices and control measures could reduce the CH4 and N2O emissions by about 30% by 2050 as compared to the reference scenario. This would also contribute to the reduction of ammonia emissions with considerable co-benefits for local air quality and health

Mitigation of non-CO2 greenhouse gases from Indian agriculture sector

The Indian agriculture sector is driven by small and marginal farmers and employs two-thirds of the Indian work force. Agriculture also accounts for around a quarter of the total greenhouse gas emissions, mainly in the form of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Hence, agriculture is an important sector for India's transition to net-zero emissions and for the achievement of the sustainable development goals. So far, very few studies have assessed the future trajectories for CH4 and N2O emissions from the agriculture sector. Moreover, assessment of CH4 and N2O mitigation potential at a subnational (state) level is missing but is important owing to the regional diversity in India. To fill this gap, we focus on methane and nitrous oxide emissions from the agricultural activities using 23 sub-regions in India. We use the GAINS modelling framework which has been widely applied for assessing the mitigation strategies for non-CO2 emissions and multiple air pollutants at regional and global scales. We analyze a current policy and a sustainable agriculture scenario using different combinations of structural interventions and technological control measures to inform the Indian and global climate policy debates. Our results suggest that a combination of sustainable agricultural practices and maximum feasible control measures could reduce the CH4 and N2O emissions by about 6% and 19% by 2030 and 27% and 40% by 2050 when compared to the current policies scenario with limited technological interventions. At a sub-national level, highest mitigation potential is observed in Uttar Pradesh, followed by, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. The mitigation of agricultural CH4 and N2O also has co-benefits in terms of reduced local pollution, improved health, and livelihood opportunities for the local communities

Usage of Glimepiride/Metformin Fixed-dose Combination with Insulin in Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Indian Experience

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poses a major public health burden. The present case-based questionnaire survey evaluated the treatment pattern and clinical experience of healthcare professionals (HCPs) in prescribing glimepiride/metformin fixed-dose combination (FDC) with insulin, with or without other oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs), to patients with T2DM in the Indian setting. Material and methods: A retrospective, multicenter, observational, case-based questionnaire survey was conducted at several healthcare centers in India with the help of medical records of patients having T2DM, who were prescribed different strengths of glimepiride/metformin FDC. Data was collected from the patients’ medical records and were analyzed using statistical tests. Results: A total of 1,013 patients with T2DM were included in this study. The mean (± standard deviation [SD]) age of patients was 53.5 ± 13.9 years. Mean duration of diabetes was 6.3 ± 4.8 years. About 70.1% of the patients received glimepiride/metformin FDC as first-line therapy and 29.9% received it as second-line therapy. Around 66.3% of the patients in first-line glimepiride/metformin FDC group received insulin once a day, and the proportion increased to 86.8% of the patients in second-line therapy group. Other OHAs were used in 754 (74.4%) patients. About 18.2% (n = 185) patients reported change in weight, with a slightly larger number of patients having reduction in weight. There was considerable reduction in HbA1c, FPG and PPG in patients receiving glimepiride/metformin FDC with insulin, irrespective of OHA use. Efficacy and tolerability were reported as good to excellent for 96.2% and 94.8% patients, respectively. Conclusion: This case-based questionnaire survey shows the usage pattern of various strengths of glimepiride/metformin FDC with insulin and the HCPs’ practice approach regarding early initiation of this combination in Indian patients with T2DM

Escherichia coli can survive stress by noisy growth modulation.

Gene expression can be noisy, as can the growth of single cells. Such cell-to-cell variation has been implicated in survival strategies for bacterial populations. However, it remains unclear how single cells couple gene expression with growth to implement these strategies. Here, we show how noisy expression of a key stress-response regulator, RpoS, allows E. coli to modulate its growth dynamics to survive future adverse environments. We reveal a dynamic positive feedback loop between RpoS and growth rate that produces multi-generation RpoS pulses. We do so experimentally using single-cell, time-lapse microscopy and microfluidics and theoretically with a stochastic model. Next, we demonstrate that E. coli prepares for sudden stress by entering prolonged periods of slow growth mediated by RpoS. This dynamic phenotype is captured by the RpoS-growth feedback model. Our synthesis of noisy gene expression, growth, and survival paves the way for further exploration of functional phenotypic variability