Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping in Cognitive Decline: A Review of Technical Aspects and Applications

In the human brain, essential iron molecules for proper neurological functioning exist in transferrin (tf) and ferritin (Fe3) forms. However, its unusual increment manifests iron overload, which reacts with hydrogen peroxide. This reaction will generate hydroxyl radicals, and irons higher oxidation states. Further, this reaction causes tissue damage or cognitive decline in the brain and also leads to neurodegenerative diseases. The susceptibility difference due to iron overload within the volume of interest (VOI) responsible for field perturbation of MRI and can benefit in estimating the neural disorder. The quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) technique can estimate susceptibility alteration and assist in quantifying the local tissue susceptibility differences. It has attracted many researchers and clinicians to diagnose and detect neural disorders such as Parkinsons, Alzheimers, Multiple Sclerosis, and aging. The paper presents a systematic review illustrating QSM fundamentals and its processing steps, including phase unwrapping, background field removal, and susceptibility inversion. Using QSM, the present work delivers novel predictive biomarkers for various neural disorders. It can strengthen new researchers fundamental knowledge and provides insight into its applicability for cognitive decline disclosure. The paper discusses the future scope of QSM processing stages and their applications in identifying new biomarkers for neural disorders

Ordering through learning in two-dimensional Ising spins

We study two-dimensional Ising spins, evolving through reinforcement learning using their state, action, and reward. The state of a spin is defined as whether it is in the majority or minority with its nearest neighbours. The spin updates its state using an {\epsilon}-greedy algorithm. The parameter {\epsilon} plays the role equivalent to the temperature in the Ising model. We find a phase transition from long-ranged ordered to a disordered state as we tune {\epsilon} from small to large values. In analogy with the phase transition in the Ising model, we calculate the critical {\epsilon} and the three critical exponents {\beta}, {\gamma}, {\nu} of magnetization, susceptibility, and correlation length, respectively. A hyper-scaling relation d{\nu} = 2{\beta} + {\gamma} is obtained between the three exponents. The system is studied for different learning rates. The exponents approach the exact values for two-dimensional Ising model for lower learning rates

Hysterectomy: still a treatment of choice for pelvic pathologies in rural India

Background: Hysterectomy has always been a subject of controversy in India and increasing rate of unnecessary hysterectomies in young, premenopausal women is cause for concern regarding women’s health and rights. The aim of this study is to review and analyse cases of hysterectomy in a rural population and to correlate with underlying factors behind seeking hysterectomy as a treatment of choice for pelvic pathologies.Methods: This was an ambidirectional observational descriptive study in which 352 women were included who underwent hysterectomy between January 2016 to July 2017 in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Government Medical College Rajnandgaon and a tertiary care referral hospital of central Chhattisgarh, India.Results: Majority were between 31-50 years of age group, grandmultipara, uneducated, insured by National health insurance scheme.76.1% patients had attended medical college hospital to avail free services. 60.5% took prior treatment from unqualified/ unregistered/registered general practitioners. Erratic use /use of suboptimal dosage of hormones to stop abnormal uterine bleeding, nonspecific antibiotics to treat infection, incomplete treatment and poor compliance were possible reasons behind failure of previous treatments. Abnormal menstruation was the commonest presenting complaint observed in 75.2%. 72.4% patients refused to come for follow up and reasons were unavailability of transport facility, fear of losing job, loss of daily wages and financial constraints. Commonest indication for hysterectomy was symptomatic fibroid in 32.0%. Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was the most common procedure done in 59.0%. The rate of hysterectomy came out to be 57.6% which is quite higher than that reported in other studies. Fever was the most common complication encountered in 0.80%.Conclusions: Despite the remarkable improvement in conservative management and media coverage, hysterectomy still remains the most preferred modality of treatment with excellent satisfaction for pelvic pathologies in rural India

Hysterectomy: still a treatment of choice for pelvic pathologies in rural India

Background: Hysterectomy has always been a subject of controversy in India and increasing rate of unnecessary hysterectomies in young, premenopausal women is cause for concern regarding women’s health and rights. The aim of this study is to review and analyse cases of hysterectomy in a rural population and to correlate with underlying factors behind seeking hysterectomy as a treatment of choice for pelvic pathologies.Methods: This was an ambidirectional observational descriptive study in which 352 women were included who underwent hysterectomy between January 2016 to July 2017 in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Government Medical College Rajnandgaon and a tertiary care referral hospital of central Chhattisgarh, India.Results: Majority were between 31-50 years of age group, grandmultipara, uneducated, insured by National health insurance scheme.76.1% patients had attended medical college hospital to avail free services. 60.5% took prior treatment from unqualified/ unregistered/registered general practitioners. Erratic use /use of suboptimal dosage of hormones to stop abnormal uterine bleeding, nonspecific antibiotics to treat infection, incomplete treatment and poor compliance were possible reasons behind failure of previous treatments. Abnormal menstruation was the commonest presenting complaint observed in 75.2%. 72.4% patients refused to come for follow up and reasons were unavailability of transport facility, fear of losing job, loss of daily wages and financial constraints. Commonest indication for hysterectomy was symptomatic fibroid in 32.0%. Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was the most common procedure done in 59.0%. The rate of hysterectomy came out to be 57.6% which is quite higher than that reported in other studies. Fever was the most common complication encountered in 0.80%.Conclusions: Despite the remarkable improvement in conservative management and media coverage, hysterectomy still remains the most preferred modality of treatment with excellent satisfaction for pelvic pathologies in rural India

Risk Factors Associated with Tuberculosis Infection Among Household Children Contacts of Sputum Smear Positive Tuberculosis Cases

Background: India has highest burden of tuberculosis (TB) globally. The source of infection for children is usually an adult in their household with active TB. Only few studies have been carried out among household children contacts of active TB patients in India to assess the risk factors of infection among children. Aim and Objective: To study the risk factors of TB infection among household children contacts of sputum positive patients. Material and Methods: We conducted study on 200 household children contacts (1-15 years) of sputum positive patients registered at DOTS centers in Lucknow district, Uttar Pradesh. Stratified sampling was done. A semi structured questionnaire was administered to collect the information. Infection in children was assessed by TST (Mantoux test). Results: TST positivity in children of TST positivity was associated with female index case (p=0.027), lower socioeconomic status (p=0.011), overcrowding (0.008) and duration of symptoms before treatment (p<0.001). Among the factors of children, age >6 years, duration of stay with index case >10 hours/day and malnutrition were significantly associated. Conclusion: The study concludes that TB infection among children is significantly associated with various factors related to index case, susceptible host and environment, which can be intervened to prevent TB infection in children

Radiation-Induced Enhancement of Antitumor T-cell Immunity by VEGF-Targeted 4-1BB Costimulation

Radiotherapy can elicit systemic immune control of local tumors and distant nonirradiated tumor lesions, known as the abscopal effect. Although this effect is enhanced using checkpoint blockade or costimulatory antibodies, objective responses remain suboptimal. As radiotherapy can induce secretion of VEGF and other stress products in the tumor microenvironment, we hypothesized that targeting immunomodulatory drugs to such products will not only reduce toxicity but also broaden the scope of tumor-targeted immunotherapy. Using an oligonucleotide aptamer platform, we show that radiation-induced VEGF-targeted 4-1BB costimulation potentiated both local tumor control and abscopal responses with equal or greater efficiency than 4-1BB, CTLA-4, or PD1 antibodies alone. Although 4-1BB and CTLA-4 antibodies elicited organ-wide inflammatory responses and tissue damage, VEGF-targeted 4-1BB costimulation produced no observable toxicity. These findings suggest that radiation-induced tumor-targeted immunotherapy can improve the therapeutic index and extend the reach of immunomodulatory agents.

Abstracts of International Conference on Innovations in Business Management

This book contains abstracts of the various research ideas of the academic community and practitioners of management presented at the International Conference on Innovations in Business Management (ICIBM 2020). The researchers have contributed toward various themes of the conference such as sustainable economy, supply chain, women-empowerment, export-import, microfinance, government policies, etc. We strongly believe that it will open up further scope for in-depth research in various disciplines of business management. Best wishes to the participants to have detailed discussions on the above-said wide range of areas. Conference Title: International Conference on Innovations in Business ManagementConference Acronym: ICIBM 2020Conference Date: 16-17 January 2020Conference Location: ICFAI University, Dehradun, IndiaConference Organizers: ICFAI Business School, ICFAI University, Dehradun, India &amp; University of Derby, United Kingdo