Profitability of organic and conventional dairy production with different dietary proportions of high-quality grass silage

Profitability in milk production was calculated using diets with three different proportions of high-quality grass silage. The treatments consisted of the same feeds, but differed in the dietary proportion of forage: low (L), medium (M) and high (H), representing one conventional and two organic diets. The calculations were based on results in feed intake and milk production from a large dairy cow experiment. In the calculations, three different districts with different conditions for farming were used as models, and calculations were performed on two different herd sizes. In addition, current financial supports were both included and excluded in the calculations. The results showed only minor differences in profitability between using in average 60% or 70% of dry matter (DM) of silage in diets used in organic production. In conventional production, it was profitable to increase the average dietary proportion of silage from 50% to 60% of DM when the prices of concentrate and grains were as high as at the present. The results showed clear economic benefits of increasing the proportion of high-quality silage in conventional Scandinavian dairy cow diets up to levels similar to the standards of the organic production system

Quantum Backflow States from Eigenstates of the Regularized Current Operator

We present an exhaustive class of states with quantum backflow -- the phenomenon in which a state consisting entirely of positive momenta may have negative current and the probability flows in the opposite direction to the momentum. They are characterized by a general function of momenta subject to very weak conditions. Such a family of states is of interest in the light of a recent experimental proposal to measure backflow. We find one particularly simple state which has surprisingly large backflow -- about 41 percent of the lower bound on flux derived by Bracken and Melloy. We study the eigenstates of a regularized current operator and we show how some of these states, in a certain limit, lead to our class of backflow states. This limit also clarifies the correspondence between the spectrum of the regularized current operator, which has just two non-zero eigenvalues in our chosen regularization, and the usual current operator.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figure

Reporting of thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology with the use of the Bethesda System (TBS) of 150 cases

Background: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is very simple, rapid, cost effective diagnostic test to evaluate thyroid swelling. The Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology gives guidelines which remains the same while reporting the thyroid FNAC. There are six diagnostic categories of lesions: (I) Non-diagnostic/Unsatisfactory, (II) Benign, (III) Atypical follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AFLUS), (IV) Suspicious for follicular neoplasm (SFN), (V) Suspicious for malignancy (SM), (VI) Malignant.Methods: The study was carried out in Department of Pathology, Government Medical College affiliated with a Government hospital, Gujarat. It includes 150 patients, coming to the outpatient departments with a complaint of thyroid swelling from January 2017 to December 2017. The patients age ranges from 7 years to 75 years (Male-20, Female-130). The procedure was done with the patient in a supine position without a pillow. Patients were instructed not to speak or swallow during the procedure to avoid movement of the gland. The reporting was done with the current Bethesda nomenclature.Results: There were 150 cases of thyroid FNAC, 3 cases (2 %) were non-diagnostic (TBS-I), 133 cases (88.7 %) were benign (TBS-II), 6 cases (4 %) were atypical follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AFLUS) (TBS-III), 5 cases (3.4 %) were suspicious for follicular neoplasm (TBS-IV), 2 cases (1.3 %) were suspicious for malignancy (TBS-V), and 1 case (0.6 %) was malignancy (TBS-VI).Conclusions: The Bethesda system is very useful standardized system for reporting thyroid cytopathology, improving communication between cyto-pathologists and clinicians, inter-laboratory agreement, leading to more consistent management approaches.

Fine needle aspiration cytology as a first line investigation in cervical swellings of 470 cases

Background: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a first line investigation in cervical swellings. The etiology varies from an inflammatory process to a malignant condition.Methods: The study was carried out in department of Pathology, Government Medical College, affiliated with government hospital in Gujarat. There were 470 patients with cervical swelling in a period from January 2017 to December 2017. Patients with thyroid swelling (swelling moves with deglutition) were excluded from the study. FNAC procedure was performed, smears prepared, stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H and E), May Grunwald Giemsa (MGG) and Pap stain. Zeihl Neelsen stain was carried out when required. Patient history, local examination findings and microscopic findings were recorded.Results: Total 470 patients, age ranged from 2 months to 90 years were studied. There were 286 males and 184 females. There were 449 cases in which conclusive opinion given. 111 cases were neoplastic and 338 cases were non-neoplastic. Various cytological diagnosis were; 207 cases of granulomatous lymphadenitis (tuberculosis), 1 case of filarial lymphadenitis, 72 cases of chronic reactive hyperplasia, 25 cases of acute suppurative inflammation, 1 case of sialadenitis, 10 cases of keratinous cyst, 6 cases of benign cystic lesion, 12 cases of lipoma, 4 cases of lymphoproliferative lesion, 1 cases of benign appendage tumor, 2 cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma, 103 cases of metastasis and 5 cases of non Hodgkin lymphoma.Conclusions: FNAC is a simple, quick, inexpensive and minimally invasive technique to diagnose cervical swellings. It can differentiate the infective process from neoplastic one and avoids unnecessary surgeries

Histopathological analysis of lymph nodes in patient with clinical lymphadenopathy - 266 cases

Background: Lymphadenopathy is one of the most common clinical presentations among patients of all ages. This study has undertaken to study the histological patterns in various non-neoplastic condition, lymphoma and metastatic carcinoma in patient with lymphadenopathy and to do the clinico-pathological correlation with respect to age, sex and site of lymph node involved.Methods: Total 266 cases of lymph node biopsy were studied, for a period of 28 months at Pathology department, Government Medical College, Surat, Gujarat, India. Tissues were adequately fixed in formalin and blocks prepared, sections cut and slides were prepared, stained by routine H&E stain. A complete and thorough histopathological examination of all the slides was undertaken.Results: A total of 266 cases were studied, age range was 1-75 years, 136 were males and 130 were females. Out of 266 cases, 96 cases (36%) were non-specific lymph node hyperplasia, 81 cases (31%) were of metastatic deposits in lymph node, 70 cases (26%) were of specific non neoplastic conditions and 19 cases (7%) were of lymphoma.Conclusions: Lymph node biopsy plays an important role in establishing the cause of lymphadenopathy. Among the biopsied nodes, non-specific lymph node hyperplasia was the most common followed by metastatic deposits, specific non neoplastic conditions especially tuberculous lymphadenitis and lymphoma. Non neoplastic conditions were more common in early age while neoplastic conditions were more common in late age. TB lymphadenitis was more common in HIV positive patients as compared to general population.

A rare case of multilocular cystic renal neoplasm of low malignant potential diagnosed on intra-operative fine needle aspiration cytology

Multi-locular Cystic Renal Cell Carcinoma (MCRCC) is now considered as Multilocular cystic renal neoplasm of low malignant potential (MCRNLMP) in World health organisation classification (WHO) 2016. It is usually seen in elderly people where it can mimic most of the time as benign cystic lesion. Authors are reporting a case of MCRNLMP in a 70 year male diagnosed intraoperative with the help of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC). Radiological and other clinical findings are in favour of cystic renal lesion. And it is very important to differentiate it from conventional renal cell carcinoma which requires radical nephrectomy. So, radiological finding and FNAC is instrumental in diagnosing this rare case which require different mode of surgical management

Study of Optimal Perimetric Testing In Children (OPTIC): Normative visual field values in children

Purpose: We sought to define normative visual field (VF) values for children using common clinical test protocols for kinetic and static perimetry. Design: Prospective, observational study. Subjects: We recruited 154 children aged 5 to 15 years without any ophthalmic condition that would affect the VF (controls) from pediatric clinics at Moorfields Eye Hospital. Methods: Children performed perimetric assessments in a randomized order using Goldmann and Octopus kinetic perimetry, and Humphrey static perimetry (Swedish Interactive Thresholding Algorithm [SITA] 24-2 FAST), in a single sitting, using standardized clinical protocols, with assessment by a single examiner. Unreliable results (assessed qualitatively) were excluded from the normative data analysis. Linear, piecewise, and quantile mixed-effects regression models were used. We developed a method to display age-specific normative isopters graphically on a VF plot to aid interpretation. Main Outcome Measures: Summary measures and graphical plots describing normative VF data for 3 common perimetric tests. Results: Visual field area increased with age on testing with Goldmann isopters III4e, I4e, and I2e (linear regression; P < 0.001) and for Octopus isopters III4e and I4e (linear regression; P < 0.005). Visual field development occurs predominately in the infero-temporal field. Humphrey mean deviation (MD) showed an increase of 0.3 decibels (dB; 95% CI, 0.21-0.40) MD per year up to 12 years of age, when adult MD values were reached and thereafter maintained. Conclusions: Visual field size and sensitivity increase with age in patterns that are specific to the perimetric approach used. These developmental changes should be accounted for when interpreting perimetric test results in children, particularly when monitoring change over time

Projecting prevalence by stage of care for prostate cancer and estimating future health service needs: protocol for a modelling study

Introduction Current strategies for the management of prostate cancer are inadequate in Australia. We will, in this study, estimate current service needs and project the future needs for prostate cancer patients in Australia. Methods and analysis First, we will project the future prevalence of prostate cancer for 2010-2018 using data for 1972-2008 from the New South Wales (NSW) Central Cancer Registry. These projections, based on modelled incidence and survival estimates, will be estimated using PIAMOD (Prevalence, Incidence, Analysis MODel) software. Then the total prevalence will be decomposed into five stages of care: initial care, continued monitoring, recurrence, last year of life and long-term survivor. Finally, data from the NSW Prostate Cancer Care and Outcomes Study, including data on patterns of treatment and associated quality of life, will be used to estimate the type and amount of services that will be needed by prostate cancer patients in each stage of care. In addition, Central Cancer Registry episode data will be used to estimate transition rates from localised or locally advanced prostate cancer to metastatic disease. Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits data, linked with Prostate Cancer Care and Outcomes Study data, will be used to complement the Cancer Registry episode data. The methods developed will be applied Australia-wide to obtain national estimates of the future prevalence of prostate cancer for different stages of clinical care. Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the NSW Population and Health Services Research Ethics Committee. Results of the study will be disseminated widely to different interest groups and organisations through a report, conference presentations and peer-reviewed articles.This work is supported by the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (grant number: PCFA – YI 0410). Both David Smith and Xue Qin Yu are supported by an Australian NHMRC Training Fellowship (Ref 1016598, 550002). Mark Clements is supported by an Australian NHMRC Career Development Award (Ref 471491)

Mars simulated exposure and the characteristic Raman biosignatures of amino acids and halophilic microbes

Though Raman bands of α-amino acids (AA) are well documented, often only the strongest intensity bands are quoted as identifiers (e.g. Jenkins et al., 2005; De Gelder et al., 2007; Zhu et al., 2011). Unknown regolith mixtures on Mars-sampling missions could obscure these bands. Here the case is made for determining, via a statistical method, sets of characteristic bands to be used as identifiers, independent of band intensity or number of bands (Rolfe et al., 2016). AA have upwards of 25 potentially identifying bands and this method defines sets of 10–19 bands per AA. Examination of AA-doped Mars-like basalt resulted in a maximum of eight bands being identified, as some characteristic bands were obscured by mineral bands, including the strongest intensity band in some cases. This proved the need for characteristic bands to be defined, enabling successful identification of AA. The ESA ExoMars Rover mission will crush and then pass the sample to the Raman Laser Spectrometer. We crushed a Mars-like basalt to a similar grain size expected to be created by the rover. Our samples were doped with 1 % (by weight) AA samples, resulting in no detection of AA, because of loss of original spatial context and spaces between the grains. We recommend that Raman spectroscopy on future missions should be conducted before the sample is crushed. Halite-entombed halophilic microbes, known to survive being entombed, were exposed to Mars-like surface (including temperature, pressure, atmospheric composition and UV) and freeze-thaw cycle (plus pressure and atmospheric composition) conditions. This test on the survival of the microbes showed that survival rates quickly deteriorated in surface conditions, but freeze-thaw cycle samples had well preserved Raman biosignatures, indicating that similar signatures could be detectable on Mars if similar life persists in evaporitic material or brines today

Acinic cell carcinoma, papillary-cystic variant: a rare case diagnosed in fine needle aspiration cytology

Acinic Cell Carcinoma is a rarest malignant epithelial neoplasm arising from pleuripotent stem cells. ACC constitute 6% of all salivary gland tumor. Most common site is parotid. It is slowly growing tumor with female preponderance most commonly occur during fifth and sixth decades of life. Diagnosis by imaging study are complex, but USG is helpful in evaluating tumor. We are presenting a 9year female, complaint of a painless, freely movable, atraumatic swelling on left cheek measuring 2x1cm2, slowly enlarging since, 8 months. FNAC was performed from the swelling and routine stain (H and E, MGG, Pap) and special stain (PAS) was performed. On cytological smears, overall findings are suggestive of papillary-cystic variant of ACC which is difficult to diagnosed in cytology. PAS stain showed positivity for both intra-cytoplasmic granules and extra-cellular secretions. ACC is a slowly growing multi-potent malignant salivary gland tumor. Management is with surgery