Scenario of molar pregnancy in a tertiary care centre in Delhi, India

Background: Molar pregnancies represent a significant burden of disease on the spectrum of gestational trophoblastic diseases with incidence varying with geographic region. Aim was to review all molar pregnancies admitted at our institution and to study the incidence, clinical presentation, management, complications and outcome of molar pregnancies.Methods: An observational study was done in department of obstetrics and gynaecology at Dr. BSA Medical College and Hospital among women with molar pregnancy over two years.Results: The incidence of molar pregnancy of the institute was 1.05/1000 deliveries. 21- 25 years age group and nulliparous women constituted 28.1% of patients. Amenorrhea (100.0%) was the commonest presenting complaints followed by abnormal vaginal bleeding (90.62%). Anemia (37%) was the commonest complication followed by acute hemorrhage (31%) and hyperthyroidism (18%). Suction evacuation was done in 96.8% of patients and 87.5% required blood transfusion. Only 6.2% (2/32) of patients had post evacuation chemotherapy. None of the cases developed choriocarcinoma. Limitation of the study was that the incidence of subsequent pregnancies after complete treatment of molar pregnancies was not studied.Conclusions: Early diagnosis of complete molar pregnancy can change the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of molar pregnancy. There is need for early recognition, timely referral, prompt and proper treatment of this condition. Adequate follow-up of the patients and need for contraception should be reinforced

Recommending Stack Overflow Posts for Fixing Runtime Exceptions using Failure Scenario Matching

Using online Q&A forums, such as Stack Overflow (SO), for guidance to resolve program bugs, among other development issues, is commonplace in modern software development practice. Runtime exceptions (RE) is one such important class of bugs that is actively discussed on SO. In this work we present a technique and prototype tool called MAESTRO that can automatically recommend an SO post that is most relevant to a given Java RE in a developer's code. MAESTRO compares the exception-generating program scenario in the developer's code with that discussed in an SO post and returns the post with the closest match. To extract and compare the exception scenario effectively, MAESTRO first uses the answer code snippets in a post to implicate a subset of lines in the post's question code snippet as responsible for the exception and then compares these lines with the developer's code in terms of their respective Abstract Program Graph (APG) representations. The APG is a simplified and abstracted derivative of an abstract syntax tree, proposed in this work, that allows an effective comparison of the functionality embodied in the high-level program structure, while discarding many of the low-level syntactic or semantic differences. We evaluate MAESTRO on a benchmark of 78 instances of Java REs extracted from the top 500 Java projects on GitHub and show that MAESTRO can return either a highly relevant or somewhat relevant SO post corresponding to the exception instance in 71% of the cases, compared to relevant posts returned in only 8% - 44% instances, by four competitor tools based on state-of-the-art techniques. We also conduct a user experience study of MAESTRO with 10 Java developers, where the participants judge MAESTRO reporting a highly relevant or somewhat relevant post in 80% of the instances. In some cases the post is judged to be even better than the one manually found by the participant

Materanal and neonatal outcomes of triplet gestation in a tertiary care centre: a retrospective study

Background: A significant rise in triplet pregnancy rate has occurred recently. This rise is of concern, as these infants are frequently reported as a risk factor of adverse outcome. The aim of this study was to retrospectively study the outcomes of triplet births.Methods: A retrospective study was undertaken to analyze the clinical data of all patients with triplet gestation admitted to the labour room of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Delhi to study the maternal and fetal outcomes. Authors retrospectively observed and analyzed the database to examine triplet gestations delivered between January 2014 and December 2018.Results: Over the five-year study period, there were total 44,011 deliveries. Out of these, there were 35 (0.079%) triplet pregnancies. Of all the triplet pregnancies studied 80% resulted from ovulation induction and assisted reproductive technology. The mean gestational age at delivery was 31.6±3.0 weeks, and the mean birth weight was 1,594±460 gm. The most common maternal complications were Preterm labour in 32 pregnancies (92%), anemia in 17 (49%), pre-eclampsia in 11 (31%), post-partum hemorrhage in 8 (22%). Of the total deliveries neonatal complications included Respiratory distress syndrome in 44 (42.2%), Hyperbilirubinemia in 41 (39%), Intrauterine growth restriction in 19 (18.1%). The perinatal mortality rate was 10.5%.Conclusions: Higher order pregnancies are associated with maternal and neonatal complications. These high risk women need more care and the neonates require intensive care and monitoring after birth, most commonly due to prematurity and low birth weight

Thermal Analysis of the Molten Lead Kettle Failure at the Galvanizing Plant and Development of Novel Design Using CFD Techniques

ABSTRACT: The present work discusses problem of failure of kettle holding molten lead in a galvanizing plant. A CFD code Fluent was used to solve the problem using computational approach. The geometry is built in the GAMBIT environment and 3D solvers for turbulence, combustion and radiation heat transfer was applied. The study revealed the detection of the hot spot exactly at the same location of the kettle that was observed at the plant. This confirms the validity of the CFD Model. Based on this model the suggestions are made to overcome kettle bulging. For this two approaches are suggested. They are, differential heating of the kettle and the reduction in the width of the burner. The effect of both these alternatives is studied using a CFD model and the effectiveness of the results are discussed and compared using dimensionless surface parameter representing the temperature distribution and flue gas temperature. Based on the results obtained an improvised geometry for the kettle heating is proposed. The proposed novel design has the following features: 50% reduction in the fuel consumption and lower start-up time. Separation of the zone of mechanical and thermal stresses and lower concentration of thermal stresses. Increase in the heat transfer area and a reduction in the heat losses through the exhaust. Reduction in the amount of lead used for the operation

Attenuated palmitoylation of serotonin receptor 5-HT1A affects receptor function and contributes to depression-like behaviors

The serotonergic system and in particular serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT1AR) are implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD). Here we demonstrated that 5-HT1AR is palmitoylated in human and rodent brains, and identified ZDHHC21 as a major palmitoyl acyltransferase, whose depletion reduced palmitoylation and consequently signaling functions of 5-HT1AR. Two rodent models for depression-like behavior show reduced brain ZDHHC21 expression and attenuated 5-HT1AR palmitoylation. Moreover, selective knock-down of ZDHHC21 in the murine forebrain induced depression-like behavior. We also identified the microRNA miR-30e as a negative regulator of Zdhhc21 expression. Through analysis of the post-mortem brain samples in individuals with MDD that died by suicide we find that miR-30e expression is increased, while ZDHHC21 expression, as well as palmitoylation of 5-HT1AR, are reduced within the prefrontal cortex. Our study suggests that downregulation of 5-HT1AR palmitoylation is a mechanism involved in depression, making the restoration of 5-HT1AR palmitoylation a promising clinical strategy for the treatment of MDD

Long-circulating XTEN864-annexin A5 fusion protein for phosphatidylserine-related therapeutic applications

Annexin A5 (anxA5) is a marker for apoptosis, but has also therapeutic potential in cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and, due to apoptotic mimicry, against dangerous viruses, which is limited by the short blood circulation. An 864-amino-acid XTEN polypeptide was fused to anxA5. XTEN864-anxA5 was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using XTEN as tag. XTEN864-anxA5 was coupled with DTPA and indium-111. After intravenous or subcutaneous injection of In-111-XTEN864-anxA5, mouse blood samples were collected for blood half-life determination and organ samples for biodistribution using a gamma counter. XTEN864-anxA5 was labeled with 6S-IDCC to confirm binding to apoptotic cells using flow cytometry. To demonstrate targeting of atherosclerotic plaques, XTEN864-anxA5 was labeled with MeCAT(Ho) and administered intravenously to atherosclerotic ApoE(-/-) mice. MeCAT(Ho)-XTEN864-anxA5 was detected together with MeCAT(Tm)-MAC-2 macrophage antibodies by imaging mass cytometry (CyTOF) of aortic root sections. The ability of anxA5 to bind apoptotic cells was not affected by XTEN864. The blood half-life of XTEN864-anxA5 was 13 h in mice after IV injection, markedly longer than the 7-min half-life of anxA5. 96 h after injection, highest amounts of XTEN864-anxA5 were found in liver, spleen, and kidney. XTEN864-anxA5 was found to target the adventitia adjacent to atherosclerotic plaques. XTEN864-anxA5 is a long-circulating fusion protein that can be efficiently produced in E. coli and potentially circulates in humans for several days, making it a promising therapeutic drug

Prediction Of Strength Properties Of Geopolymer Concrete Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques

Several studies have successfully used fly-ash (FA)-like waste material for the manufacturing of geopolymer concrete (GPC). This study uses gene expression programming (GEP), a type of soft computing approach, to produce an empirical equation that estimates the compressive strength fc0 of GPC using FA. Through a thorough analysis of the published research, a consistent, large, and trustworthy data set is assembled in order to develop a model. 298 fc0 experimental outcomes make up the collected data set. The following are considered explanatory variables: the amount of extra water added as percent FA (%EW), the percentage of plasticizer (%P), the initial curing temperature (T), the specimen's age (A), the curing duration (t), the ratio of fine aggregate to total aggregate (F/AG), the percentage of total aggregate by volume (%AG), the molarity of the NaOH solution, the activator or alkali to FA ratio (AL/FA), the ratio of sodium oxide (Na2O) to water (N/W) for preparing Na2SiO3 solution, and the ratio of Na2SiO3 to NaOH (Ns/No). An empirical GEP equation is put forth to calculate the fc0 of GPC using FA. The suggested model's precision, applicability, and forecasting capacity were assessed using parametric analysis, statistical verification, and a comparison with both linear and non-linear regression equations

A Cyanine‐Bridged Somatostatin Hybrid Probe for Multimodal SSTR2 Imaging in Vitro and in Vivo: Synthesis and Evaluation

Multimodal imaging probes have attracted the interest of ongoing research, for example, for the surgical removal of tumors. Modular synthesis approaches allow the construction of hybrid probes consisting of a radiotracer, a fluorophore and a targeting unit. We present the synthesis of a new asymmetric bifunctional cyanine dye that can be used as a structural and functional linker for the construction of such hybrid probes. 68Ga‐DOTATATE, a well‐characterized radiopeptide targeting the overexpressed somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (SSTR2) in neuroendocrine tumors, was labeled with our cyanine dye, thus providing additional information along with the data obtained from the radiotracer. We tested the SSTR2‐targeting and imaging properties of the resulting probe 68Ga‐DOTA‐ICC‐TATE in vitro and in a tumor xenograft mouse model. Despite the close proximity between dye and pharmacophore, we observed a high binding affinity towards SSTR2 as well as elevated uptake in SSTR2‐overexpressing tumors in the positron emission tomography (PET) scan and histological examination

Therapeutic approaches to drug targets in atherosclerosis

AbstractNon-communicable diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis and diabetes are responsible for major social and health burden as millions of people are dying every year. Out of which, atherosclerosis is the leading cause of deaths worldwide. The lipid abnormality is one of the major modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis. Both genetic and environmental components are associated with the development of atherosclerotic plaques. Immune and inflammatory mediators have a complex role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Understanding of all these processes will help to invent a range of new biomarkers and novel treatment modalities targeting various cellular events in acute and chronic inflammation that are accountable for atherosclerosis. Several biochemical pathways, receptors and enzymes are involved in the development of atherosclerosis that would be possible targets for improving strategies for disease diagnosis and management. Earlier anti-inflammatory or lipid-lowering treatments could be useful for alleviating morbidity and mortality of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. However, novel drug targets like endoglin receptor, PPARα, squalene synthase, thyroid hormone analogues, scavenger receptor and thyroid hormone analogues are more powerful to control the process of atherosclerosis. Therefore, the review briefly focuses on different novel targets that act at the starting stage of the plaque form to the thrombus formation in the atherosclerosis