Smart Transformers: Revolutionizing the renewable energy landscape

Most of the installed transformers worldwide consist of conventional transformers, but the global transformer market is expected to move towards smart transformers that are more equipped to accommodate the significant deployment of renewable energy. Smart transformers provide many advantages, including remote monitoring, improved efficiency, and improved functionality. In the future, a range of initiatives are expected to drive the market of smart transformers, especially in the advanced economies (EU member states and the US), including the EU’s regulation for power transformers, Smart Grids Task Force, Transformer Resilience, and Advanced Components (TRAC) Program, and Grip Smart Program

Smart Transformers: Revolutionizing the renewable energy landscape

Most of the installed transformers worldwide consist of conventional transformers, but the global transformer market is expected to move towards smart transformers that are more equipped to accommodate the significant deployment of renewable energy. Smart transformers provide many advantages, including remote monitoring, improved efficiency, and improved functionality. In the future, a range of initiatives are expected to drive the market of smart transformers, especially in the advanced economies (EU member states and the US), including the EU’s regulation for power transformers, Smart Grids Task Force, Transformer Resilience, and Advanced Components (TRAC) Program, and Grip Smart Program

Imaging Guided Breast Interventions

Breast imaging is a developing field, with new and upcoming innovations, decreasing the morbidity and mortality related to breast pathologies with main emphasis on breast cancer. Breast imaging has an essential role in the detection and management of breast disease. It includes a multimodality approach, i.e. mammography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine techniques and interventional procedures, done for the diagnosis and definitive management of breast abnormalities. The range of methods to perform biopsy of a suspicious breast lesion found on imaging has also increased markedly from the 1990s with hi-technological progress in surgical as well as percutaneous breast biopsy methods. The image guided percutaneous breast biopsy procedures cause minimal breast scarring, save time, and relieve the patient of the anxiety of going to the operation theatre. The aim of this review was to describe and discuss the different image guided breast biopsy techniques presently employed along with the indications, contraindication, merits and demerits of each method

Transverse vaginal septum : Report of two patients with MRI findings.

The transverse vaginal septum is a rare form of Mullerian duct anomaly, and is a disorder of vertical fusion of Mullerian system with the sinovaginal bulb. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)is very useful in the detection, classification and management planning of this rare anomaly. We present two cases of transverse vaginal septum in two patients of different age groups and with different clinical presentations. The findings on MRI, related to presence of vaginal septum and the management work-up, are also discussed

Outcome and cost effectiveness of autobiographically guided surgical clip placement for tumor localization in patients undergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Abstract BACKGROUND: To determine the outcome and cost saving by placing ultrasound guided surgical clips for tumor localization in patientsundergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cross sectional analytical study was conducted at the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan from January to December 2014. A sample of 25 women fulfilling our selection criteria was taken. All patients came to our department for ultrasound guided core biopsy of suspicious breast lesions and clip placement in the index lesion prior to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. All the selected patients had biopsy proven breast cancer. RESULTS: The mean age was 45 ± 11.6 years. There were no complications seen after clip placement in terms of clip migration or hemorrhage. The cost of commercially available markers was approximately PKR 9,000 (US$90) and that of the surgical clip was PKR 900 (US$ 9). The cost of surgical clips in 25 patients was PKR 22,500 (US$225), when compared to the commercially available markers which may have incurred a cost of PKR 225,000 (US$ 2,250). The total cost saving for 25 patients was PKR 202,500 (US$2, 025), making it PKR 8100 (US$ 81) per patient. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show that ultrasound guided surgical clip placement in index lesions prior to neo-adjuvant therapy is a safe and cost effective method to identify tumor bed and response to treatment for further management

Diagnostic accuracy of pelvic MRI for determination of the cervical involvement in endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of pelvic MRI for assessment of the cervical involvement in endometrial cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional analytical study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Radiology Department of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi from January 2014 to December 2015. METHODOLOGY: Patients with biopsy-proven endometrial cancer were included, who had both their MRI and histopathological diagnosis performed at our institution. Those patients treated with chemo/radiotherapy or had incomplete medical records, were excluded. The extent of cervical involvement by endometrial carcinoma was seen on T2WI images, and findings were correlated after surgery taking histopathology as the gold standard. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy were calculated. RESULTS: The mean age of the 56 patients was 60.87 ±8.80 years (range 37-84 years). The most common clinical indication was post-menopausal bleeding (n=37, 66.1%). The most common histological subtype was endometrioid adenocarcinoma (n=50, 89.3%). The sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, positive and negative predictive values of MRI in the detection of cervical invasion were 92.85%, 88.09%, 89.28%, 72.22% and 97.36%, respectively. CONCLUSION: MRI is a highly sensitive and specific imaging modality for detection of cervical invasion in endometrial carcinoma

Remote Sensing of the Glacial Environment Influenced by Climate Change

Remote sensing-based observations prove to be critical for the monitoring and assessment of cryosphere in the Himalayan region, where routine data collection in mountainous regions is often hampered by highly inaccessible terrain and harsh climatic conditions. The glacierized region of High Asia is also facing the effects of climate change in the form of rapid melting of glacial ice, creation of new lakes, and expansion of the existing ones, which eventually result in hazardous glacial floods downstream. Multisensor remote sensing (RS) data, e.g., MODIS, Landsat-7 & 8, and SPOT-5 XS, coupled with Google Earth and digital elevation model (DEM) data were used to investigate the snow/glacier resources and their dynamics in the Karakoram–Himalaya basins adopting variable image interpretation and modeling techniques. Minimum numbers of large-sized glaciers were identified in the Himalaya range, which points toward higher rates of glacial ice melting in this range. On the contrary, the presence of relatively higher numbers of medium- to large-sized glaciers in the Karakoram range provides an evidence of favorable climate conditions for the glaciers\u27 existence at higher altitudes. A significant gain in snow cover was observed in Hunza basin during the 2001–2011 period, which may feed high-altitude zone resulting in net expansion of the snow cover and ice mass gain in the Karakoram. The integrated use of RS and geographical information systems (GIS) techniques with sparse in situ data is found to be helpful in analyzing the glacial environment in the context of changing climate in the high-altitude Himalayan region

Variability of breast density assessment and the need for additional imaging: A comparison between computed mammography and digital mammography

Objective: To determine the variability of breast density assessment and the need for additional imaging using computed radiography (CR) mammography versus digital radiography (DR) mammography.Study design: Cohort study.Place and duration of study: Department of Radiology, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi from March to June 2018.Methodology: Patients who underwent screening CR mammography, followed by DR mammography a year later, were selected. Only disease-free individuals were included in the study. Evaluation of breast density was done subjectively, using the breast imaging reporting and data system (BI-RADS) by two independent experienced radiologists. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcox Signed Rank-sum test to compare both modalities. Fisher Exact method was used to compare the need for ultrasound imaging.Results: A total of 295 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 52.76 ± 0.64 years. There was a significant difference in the change of breast density when comparing both modalities (Z= -11.839, p \u3c0.001). A statistically significant reduction in the need for further breast ultrasound was observed after DR mammography than with CR mammography (p \u3c0.001).Conclusion: Use of DR mammography, especially in patients with dense breast parenchyma, is a better screening tool overall. It translates to better feasibility for the radiologist and is more economical for the patient. DR mammography decreases unnecessary imaging and leads to better visualisation, thus providing a more accurate categorisation of breast density. Key Word: Computed radiography mammography, Breast density, Screening, Breast cancer, Digital mammography, Ultrasound