Modeling Sodium Iodide Detector Response Using a Parametric Equations

This research utilizes the relationship between source location, background radiation and detector placement to quantify an expected detector response from a 3x3 Sodium Iodide gamma detector. A parametric equation is developed to calculate the detector response as a function of distance and source photon energy. Using MCNP particle current and pulse height tally functions, backscattering photons are quantified as a function of material thickness and energy distribution. Three configurations of source - detector - scattering medium were modeled in MCNP using the pulse height tally functions, integrated over a 70keV - 360keV energy window and plotted as a function of the detector distance from the scattering medium. The resulting fit equations described the effects on detector response from the backscattered photons from any wall in a box shaped space. The superposition of the individual scattering contributions from six surfaces made up the total scattering contribution and predicted the overall expected detector response. The same data sets were also plotted and fitted as a function of distance and energy to produce 3 dimensional parametric equations that predicted detector response over ranges of distance and energy. The normalized superposition and 3D superposition calculated responses were within 4% of the observed responses

Detection of Partial Discharge in High Voltage Power Equipment under Sinusoidal Applied Voltage

In high voltage (HV) electrical power system, for the protection of high voltage power equipment to protect incipient failure one require proper insulation. For the insulation solid, liquid and gaseous form materials are used. There is no ideal insulating Material in real life that is flawless, in actually, and contains impurities. The biggest affecting impurities in the insulating materials is the presence of air bubble and deeply undesirable for such type of bad insulation which makes a local weak zone inside the insulator. The High Voltage equipment insulation gradually degrades due to cumulative effect of electrical, chemical and thermal stress inside the insulator. Due to the degradation a high voltage stress creates which causes the weak zone inside the insulator. The partial discharge is the result of cumulative collection of all these phenomena. Finally the insulation properties of these materials is excessively degrades its quality. In this work a simulation model investigation of insulating material transformer oil has been finished. Transformer oil as a liquid insulator are taken for acknowledgement of real Pd action inside the insulators with the use of high voltage utilizing the point-plane electrode arrangement. Electrical equipment model of the insulation has been done using MATLAB SIMULINK with a cylindrical void which is impurity. In addition, the relationship between the induced charge and void parameter is discussed for cylindrical voi

Molecular profiling of primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and lymph node metastases

INTRODUCTION: The presence of lymph node metastases and/or extracapsular spread (ECS) has a significant impact on patient survival in Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Little is known about the molecular mechanisms associated with metastasis. A marker that could predict metastasis from primary tumour sampling could be of great clinical benefit for patients. Similarly in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), the molecular changes associated with human papilloma virus are incompletely understood. The impact of viral load has not been well explored and could help identify molecular markers associated with Human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven OPSCC. METHODS: Tissue samples were identified from Leeds Pathology Archive and nucleic acid extracted from these. This was processed into sequencing libraries and analysed for copy number alteration (CNA) and microRNA (miRNA) profiles in clinicopathologic groups relating to metastasis and HPV viral load. RESULTS: A panel of 14 CNAs was identified as associated with nodal metastasis and loss of 18q21.1-q21.32 was associated with ECS. The fraction of genome altered (FGA) was also increased in metastatic primary tumours. A panel of 19 CNAs was identified as associated with no detectable viral load and the FGA was found to be increased in this group of OPSCC. Twelve miRNAs were identified as associated with nodal metastasis. DISCUSSION: The CNA and miRNA profile of primary tumours was found to be largely similar, though not identical, highlighting the need to use metastatic tissue to attempt discovery of metastatic molecular markers. Integrating miRNA and CNA data suggested miRNA expression is not governed by CNA. Potentially translational marker for metastasis and OPSCC with no viral load have been identified

Anxiety among Adolescent Students and its Association with Socio Demographic Variables in a Rural Block of Haryana

Background: Anxiety is one of the most common psychological disorders in school-aged children and adolescents worldwide. Anxiety is associated with substantial negative effects on children’s social, emotional and academic success.Objectives: To find out the prevalence of anxiety among adolescent students and its association with sociodemographic factors in rural block Beri.Methods: It was a cross sectional study taking the sample size of 600 (300 males and 300 females) studying in class 8th to 12th. A pre-designed, pre-tested tool SCL 90 R containing 90 items was used to screen anxiety in these students. Anxiety is one of the psychiatric morbidities screened by this tool. Cut off point of estimated raw score of 1 was used to label as anxiety.Results: It was observed that nearly 18.5% adolescents suffered from anxiety. Anxiety was highest in 17-19 years age group (30.4%) followed by mid adolescence phase (13-16 years). Anxiety was maximum in 10th and 12th standard students which were 19.3% and 24% respectively. It was significantly high among females (23.7%) than males (13.7%). Anxiety was maximum in upper and lower socio-economic class of students with 24.1% and 22.3% respectively. It was more among students whose mothers were unemployed (19.5%) than those whose mothers were employed (14.6%).Conclusion: More than one – third (35%) of study subjects who were apparently healthy suffered from unnoticed anxiety. Appropriate counseling through school-based screening programme is the urgent need of the hour

COVID-VU - ENT-UK national survey of flexible nasendoscopy in the upper aerodigestive tract amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: Flexible nasendoscopy (FNE) is an invaluable multi-disciplinary tool for upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) examination. During the COVID-19 pandemic concerns were raised that FNE had the potential of generating aerosols resulting in human cross-contamination when performed on SARS-COV2 carriers. In the UK, and other European countries, national guidelines were issued restricting FNE to essential cases. We surveyed ENT-UK members and Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) members to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (first peak) on FNE practice in the UK. METHODS: An observational internet-based survey constructed in accordance to the CHERRIES checklist and setup in SurveyMonkey of FNE practice amongst UK-based ENT surgeons and speech and language therapists in community clinics, the outpatient department, inpatient wards, ICU, emergency department and operating theatres (through the NHS and private sector) prior to, during and following the first COVID-19 wave in the UK. RESULTS: 314 responses collected (24% response rate), 82% from ENT clinicians, 17% from SLTs and 1% from other allied healthcare professionals. Overall, there has been a large reduction in the volume and indications for FNE during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic with limited recovery by mid-August 2020. Cancer and airway assessments were impacted less. A wide range of FNE protocols influenced by local factors are reported, varying in endoscope preference, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and sterilization methods. Where dedicated Aerosol Generating Procedure (AGP) rooms were unavailable, clinicians resorted to window opening and variable room "down-time" between patients. Endoscope preference reflected availability and user familiarity, ENT trainees favoring the use of single-use video endoscopes. CONCLUSION: Despite national guidance, local practice of FNE remains interrupted and highly variable in the UK. A collaborative inter-disciplinary approach is required to re-introduce FNE safely in volume across healthcare settings, re-establishing timely endoscopic diagnosis and pre-pandemic levels of patient care

Clinical Correlates of Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C Coinfections in People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV)

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfected HIV patients are likely to have chronic hepatitis B infection and associated severe liver disease, however effect of hepatitis B on HIV has not been proven to be off any effect. Similarly in HIV/HCV co-infection majority of the studies have shown no significant influenceof hepatitis C on the course of HIV infection, although some studies have demonstrated an association between HCV infection and faster HIV disease progression.14,15 Therefore, further studies are needed to study the impact of HBV/HCV co-infection on course of HIV, specially, in India.Aims and Objectives: To study the clinical, biochemical and immunological profile of PLHIV co-infected with either hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus, the severity of liver disease and hepatitis B and hepatitis C viral loads in these co-infected PLHIV and the association of WHO stage of HIV and immunosuppression withhepatitis B and hepatitis C viral loads as well as severity of liver disease.Method: It was an observational cross-sectional study, involving 30 PLHIV co-infected with either hepatitis B or C. A detailed history and physical examination was done. Complete Haemogram, Liver function tests, kidney function tests, Ultrasonography abdomen, CD4 cell counts, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg),hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis B Viral DNA (HBV DNA) and HCV RNA levels were done. Severity of liver disease was assessed by FIB 4 SCORE.Results: Among the 30 PLHIV subjects 30% were co-infected with HCV 70% were co-infected with HBV (HBsAg positive). All the subjects were asymptomatic for their liver disease. All the subjects were on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) and 80% were in Early WHO stage (T1 and T2) and 20% were in Advanced WHO stage (T3 and T4). It was similar in both HBV and HCV co-infected group. The mean CD4 count of the subjects was 416.70±189.50 cells/mm3 with the range of 69 – 909 cells/mm3. Five subjects (16.67%) had a CD4 count 3.25). In HCV co-infected subjects 3 of 9 (33.33%) had severe liver fibrosis and only 1 of 21 (4.7%) among HBV co-infected had severe liver fibrosis.Among the 9 HCV co-infected subjects, 3 (33.33%) had undetectable HCV RNA. More number of subjects with detectable hepatitis C viral load had severe liver disease as compared to undetectable viral load.In HIV and HBV co-infected subjects the HBeAg positivity was seen in 42.86% subjects and 38.1% subjects had detectable HBV DNA load. Significant correlation was seen between HBeAg positivity and HBV DNA load. No correlation could be found between FIB 4 score and hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg) positivity or HBV DNA load.No correlation between severity of liver disease (FIB 4) score and WHO staging or CD4 count could be seen. WHO staging and CD4 count also did not correlated with HCV RNA load, HBeAg positivity and HBV DNA load.Conclusions: There is no correlation of CD4 count and WHO stage with liver disease severity or hepatitis viral load in patients on HAART. In HIV and HBV co-infected patients high prevalence of HBeAg positivity is seen. Thus it becomes important to look for deranged liver enzymes and HBeAg positivity in PLHIV coinfected with hepatitis B so that ART can be initiated in these patients irrespective of CD4 count. Hepatitis C co-infected subjects are more likely to have severe liver disease inspite of good CD4 count, so specific treatment for hepatitis C virus should be considered

The genomic road to invasion - examining the similarities and differences in the genomes of associated oral pre-cancer and cancer samples.

Background: It is frequently assumed that pre-invasive lesions are simpler precursors of cancer, and will contain a limited subset of the genomic changes seen in their associated invasive disease. Driver mutations are thought to occur early, but it is not known how many of these are present in pre-invasive lesions. These assumptions need to be tested with the increasing focus on both personalised cancer treatments, and early detection methodologies. Methods: We examined genomic copy number changes in 256 pre-invasive and invasive samples from 69 oral cancer patients. Forty-eight samples from 16 patients were further examined using exome sequencing. Results: Evidence of a shared ancestor of both dysplasia and carcinoma was seen in all but one patient. One third of dysplasias showed independent copy number events. The remainder had a similar or simpler copy number pattern to the carcinoma. All dysplasias examined contained somatic mutations absent in the related carcinoma. Previously observed copy number changes and TP53 mutations were very frequently observed, and almost always shared between dysplasia and carcinoma. Other gene changes were more sporadic. Pathway analysis confirmed that each patient’s disease developed in a different way. Examining the numbers of shared mutations, and the rate of accumulation of mutations showed evidence that all samples contain a population of sub-clones, with little evidence of selective advantage of a subset of these. Conclusions: These findings suggest that most of the genomic changes driving oral cancer occur in the pre-cancerous state by way of gradual random accumulation rather than a dramatic single event

The ACROBAT 2022 Challenge: Automatic Registration Of Breast Cancer Tissue

The alignment of tissue between histopathological whole-slide-images (WSI) is crucial for research and clinical applications. Advances in computing, deep learning, and availability of large WSI datasets have revolutionised WSI analysis. Therefore, the current state-of-the-art in WSI registration is unclear. To address this, we conducted the ACROBAT challenge, based on the largest WSI registration dataset to date, including 4,212 WSIs from 1,152 breast cancer patients. The challenge objective was to align WSIs of tissue that was stained with routine diagnostic immunohistochemistry to its H&E-stained counterpart. We compare the performance of eight WSI registration algorithms, including an investigation of the impact of different WSI properties and clinical covariates. We find that conceptually distinct WSI registration methods can lead to highly accurate registration performances and identify covariates that impact performances across methods. These results establish the current state-of-the-art in WSI registration and guide researchers in selecting and developing methods