Spectrum of cutaneous appendage tumors at aga khan university hospital

Objective: To determine the frequency of various types of cutaneous appendage tumors in our practice.Method: This is a partly retrospective and partly prospective study conducted at the Department of Pathology, Histopathology Section, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi between 1st January 1997 and 31st December 2001.Results: One hundred sixty six skin appendage tumors were diagnosed during the study period. 87.3% were benign, while 12.6% were malignant. Male female ratio was almost equal. Mean age was 41.72 years. 37.34% showed eccrine differentiation, 14.45% showed apocrine differentiation and 41.56% showed pilosebaceous differentiation, 6.62% exhibited mixed differentiation. The 5 commonest tumors were pilomatricoma, nodular hidradenoma (eccrine acrospiroma), syringocystadenoma papilleferum, eccrine poroma and eccrine spiradenoma. The commonest malignant tumors were porocarcinoma and sebaceous carcinoma. Pilomatricoma were common in children.Conclusion: Most of our findings roughly correlate with the western published data. However, commonest site for eccrine poromas in our study was head and neck. Also, not a single case of eccrine spiradenoma was seen in the first two decades of life. These findings differ significantly from western data

Seed storage protein polymorphism in ten elite rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes of Sindh

Seed protein profiling is the most promising tool in determining the molecular polymorphism and genetic homology. Seed storage proteins help in cultivar identification by avoiding the external environmental influences. Electrophoretically detectable proteins in rice grains possess the potential of characterizing the germplasms by their taxonomic and evolutionary aspects. This study was aimed at exploiting the genetic variations among ten elite rice genotypes of Sindh through  electrophoretical separation of grain proteins by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacryamide gel electrophoresis (SDSPAGE). In conclusion, the investigation revealed negligible polymorphism, with reference to the total seed protein profiles, among the rice genotypes of Sindh, Pakistan used in this study. Hence, it is highly important to include a significant number of rice genotypes to explore their existing genotypic diversity for future rice breeding programs. The SDS-PAGE in combination with 2-D electrophoresis is further suggested for documenting contrasting variations of isoforms of protein peptides.Key words: Seed storage proteins, polymorphism, Oryza sativa, Sindh, SDS-PAG

Prevalence and risk factors of symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease in a rural community of Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan

Objectives: (1). To estimate the prevalence of symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in rural Jamshoro, Sindh, (2). To assess specific social and biological risk factors of symptoms of PID.METHODOLOGY: Trained females conducted the interviews using a pre-tested Sindhi questionnaire during a cross-sectional survey carried out in 8 villages of rural Jamshoro, Sindh. Women reporting either lower abdominal pain or vaginal discharge with continuous or intermittent fever during the 6 months prior to interview, were classified as having PID symptoms.Results: We approached 753 ever-married women and successfully interviewed 738 (98%) from July-September 1997. Sixty-five women (9%) had symptoms consistent with PID, and 156 (24%) reported ever using a modern contraceptive. Symptomatic women were 3.6 times more likely to have ever used IUCD/tubal ligation (95% CI, 1.9-6.9), 1.8 times more likely to have married at earlier age (\u3c 15) (95% CI, 1.1-3), and 3 times more likely to be housewives by occupation (95% CI, 10-8.4) as compared to women who did not have PID symptoms.CONCLUSION: Symptoms of PID among tubal ligation/IUCD users may reflect existence of unhygienic conditions during application of procedure, delay in replacement of IUCD and mismatching in the size of IUCD with uterus. The quality of life is affected in women with PID symptoms and may have serious consequences like infertility. These symptoms need thorough evaluation/investigation to gauge the magnitude and nature of the problem and to guide intervention, effective promotion of women\u27s socio-economic status, health education regarding counselling for delaying age at marriage and hygienic/safe use of family planning methods

Performance Improvement of Grid-Integrated Doubly Fed Induction Generator under Asymmetrical and Symmetrical Faults

The doubly fed induction generator (DFIG)-based wind energy conversion system (WECS) suffers from voltage and frequency fluctuations due to the stochastic nature of wind speed as well as nonlinear loads. Moreover, the high penetration of wind energy into the power grid is a challenge for its smooth operation. Hence, symmetrical faults are most intense, inflicting the stator winding to low voltage, disturbing the low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) functionality of a DFIG. The vector control strategy with proportional–integral (PI) controllers was used to control rotor-side converter (RSC) and grid-side converter (GSC) parameters. During a symmetrical fault, however, a series grid-side converter (SGSC) with a shunt injection transformer on the stator side was used to keep the rotor current at an acceptable level in accordance with grid code requirements (GCRs). For the validation of results, the proposed scheme of PI + SGSC is compared with PI and a combination of PI with Dynamic Impedance Fault Current Limiter (DIFCL). The MATLAB simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme provides superior performance by providing 77.6% and 20.61% improved performance in rotor current compared to that of PI and PI + DIFCL control schemes for improving the LVRT performance of DFIG

MoO3 altered ZnO: A suitable choice for the photocatalytic removal of chloro-acetic acids in natural sunlight exposure

The MoO3 coated ZnO photocatalysts were synthesized for the optimum harvesting of the absorbed ultraviolet sunlight photons by initially permeating Mo6+ ions at the surface of pre-synthesized ZnO and finally transformed to MoO3 by thermal treatment in the air. The absorption spectra of the synthesized powders revealed the extension of the absorption edge in the visible region whereas, the photoluminescence spectroscopy established the supporting role of the MoO3 coating in gradually plummeting the excitons recombination. The growth of additional peaks in Raman as well as X-ray photoelectron spectra and the appearance of the corresponding low-intensity reflection substantiated the surface prevalence of MoO3. The absence of the individual particles of MoO3 in FESEM and the verification of coated layer by HRTEM images validated the authenticity of the adopted synthetic route. The electrochemical evaluation of the synthesized powders under illumination revealed the complete elimination of photocorrosion and the synergic role of the MoO3 layer for improved trap and transfer of charge carriers. The evaluation of the flat-band potentials of the coated powders by Mott-Schottky analysis revealed the suitability of the conduction band edges for the generation of superoxide anion radicals. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized powders was assessed for the removal of chloro derivatives (mono-, di-, trichloroacetic acids) in comparison to pure acetic acid. A significant effect of the stability, polarity and stereochemical structure of the substrate on the photocatalytic removal process was observed and discussed. The experimental evidences from the time-scale chemical analysis were interpreted for the identification of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) involved in the degradation/mineralization process. The validation of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model was also examined. Efforts were made to estimate the plausible route of the degradation/mineralization process

Maintenance plans for irrigation facilities of pilot distributaries in Sindh Province, Pakistan. Volume 1 - Dhoro Naro Minor, Nawabshah District

Irrigation management / Maintenance / Planning / Irrigation canals / Distributary canals / Flow control / Canal regulation techniques / Flow / Measurement / Equity / Water distribution / Discharges / Measurement / Seepage / Sedimentation / Costs / Pakistan / Sindh Province / Nawabshah District / Dhoro Naro Minor

Observation of two new Ξb−\Xi_b^- baryon resonances

Two structures are observed close to the kinematic threshold in the $\Xi_b^0 \pi^-$ mass spectrum in a sample of proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{-1}$ recorded by the LHCb experiment. In the quark model, two baryonic resonances with quark content $bds$ are expected in this mass region: the spin-parity $J^P = \frac{1}{2}^+$ and $J^P=\frac{3}{2}^+$ states, denoted $\Xi_b^{\prime -}$ and $\Xi_b^{*-}$. Interpreting the structures as these resonances, we measure the mass differences and the width of the heavier state to be $m(\Xi_b^{\prime -}) - m(\Xi_b^0) - m(\pi^{-}) = 3.653 \pm 0.018 \pm 0.006$ MeV$/c^2$, $m(\Xi_b^{*-}) - m(\Xi_b^0) - m(\pi^{-}) = 23.96 \pm 0.12 \pm 0.06$ MeV$/c^2$, $\Gamma(\Xi_b^{*-}) = 1.65 \pm 0.31 \pm 0.10$ MeV, where the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The width of the lighter state is consistent with zero, and we place an upper limit of $\Gamma(\Xi_b^{\prime -}) < 0.08$ MeV at 95% confidence level. Relative production rates of these states are also reported.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure

Search for CP violation in D+→ϕπ+ and D+s→K0Sπ+ decays

A search for CP violation in D + → ϕπ + decays is performed using data collected in 2011 by the LHCb experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1 at a centre of mass energy of 7 TeV. The CP -violating asymmetry is measured to be (−0.04 ± 0.14 ± 0.14)% for candidates with K − K + mass within 20 MeV/c 2 of the ϕ meson mass. A search for a CP -violating asymmetry that varies across the ϕ mass region of the D + → K − K + π + Dalitz plot is also performed, and no evidence for CP violation is found. In addition, the CP asymmetry in the D+s→K0Sπ+ decay is measured to be (0.61 ± 0.83 ± 0.14)%

Measurement of the Bs0→J/ψKS0B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0 branching fraction

The $B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0$ branching fraction is measured in a data sample corresponding to 0.41$fb^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected with the LHCb detector at the LHC. This channel is sensitive to the penguin contributions affecting the sin2$\beta$ measurement from $B^0\to J/\psi K_S^0$ The time-integrated branching fraction is measured to be $BF(B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0)=(1.83\pm0.28)\times10^{-5}$. This is the most precise measurement to date

Differential branching fraction and angular analysis of the decay B0→K∗0μ+μ−

The angular distribution and differential branching fraction of the decay B 0→ K ∗0 μ + μ − are studied using a data sample, collected by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at s√=7 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1. Several angular observables are measured in bins of the dimuon invariant mass squared, q 2. A first measurement of the zero-crossing point of the forward-backward asymmetry of the dimuon system is also presented. The zero-crossing point is measured to be q20=4.9±0.9GeV2/c4 , where the uncertainty is the sum of statistical and systematic uncertainties. The results are consistent with the Standard Model predictions