Noise Enhanced Activity in a Complex Network

We consider the influence of local noise on a generalized network of populations having positive and negative feedbacks. The population dynamics at the nodes is nonlinear, typically chaotic, and allows cessation of activity if the population falls below a threshold value. We investigate the global stability of this large interactive system, as indicated by the average number of nodal populations that manage to remain active. Our central result is that the probability of obtaining active nodes in this network is significantly enhanced under fluctuations. Further, we find a sharp transition in the number of active nodes as noise strength is varied, along with clearly evident scaling behaviour near the critical noise strength. Lastly, we also observe noise induced temporal coherence in the active sub-network, namely, there is an enhancement in synchrony among the nodes at an intermediate noise strength.Comment: 7 pages, 11 figure

Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Maternal and Neonatal outcomes in a Peripheral Hospital in North India

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a well-known medical entity which should be diagnosed at the earliest to prevent adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes due to hyperglycemia.Methods: This study was done in patients attending antenatal OPD in a peripheral hospital in North India. A total of 569 patients diagnosed as GDM were included in the study out of 6321 who attended the antenatal clinic.Results: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus was found to be 9%. Gestational hypertension was seen in 29.35% of patients. The percent of babies who were admitted to NICU was 29.35%.Conclusions: These results stress the need for early detection and treatment of GDM to prevent adverse outcomes

Conservation Analysis of HIV-1 Protein Sequences Reveal Potential Drug Binding Sites: A Case of Viral Protein U and Protease

The HIV-1 viral protein U (Vpu) and protease play a pivotal role in the infectious lifecycle of human immunodeficiency virus-1. The objective of this study is to find the degree of conservation of the viral protein U (Vpu) and protease protein and to detect conserved binding sites, which might be used as target sites for potential anti-Vpu and anti-protease drugs. The conservation analysis was based on 4231 amino acid sequences for Vpu and 13,457 amino acid sequences for protease. The conservation analysis revealed a number of conserved and variable residues. The universally conserved residues identified in this study might be involved in either structure stabilizing or protein-protein interactions. The novel conserved potential binding sites which have been identified are: Vpu (Ile39, Arg45, Ile46 and Gly71) and protease (Pro9, Thr80 and Asn83). Along with conservational analysis, structural analysis revealed novel binding sites, namely four conserved sites on Vpu (Arg49, Ala50, Ser53, Gly54, Gly59; Glu56, Ser57, Asp60; Glu56, Gly71; Glu48, Glu51, Asp52, Gly54-Glu56) and single novel conserved site on protease (Thr4, Trp6 and Arg87, Asn88, Thr91, Gln92). The outcome of this study provides the basis for developing anti-Vpu and anti-protease drugs which have abridged potential to induce drug resistance through mutations

Retrospective study on efficacy and safety of nanoparticle paclitaxel and concurrent radiotherapy in patients with advanced head and neck cancer

Background: Advanced (Stage III and IV) Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) produce severe functional impairment, considerable morbidity, and significant mortality. Over the past 2 decades, organ-sparing efforts using either induction chemotherapy or concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT) have become popular and have demonstrated equivalent or superior survival rates compared with surgery and/or RT alone, with a survival rate of approximately 40% at 5 years. Although the addition of chemotherapy to RT enhances toxicity, randomized trials and meta analyses have documented improved survival clearly compared with the results from RT alone. Initially, most combinations included once-daily RT combined with cisplatin either alone or with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). There was number of toxicities of high grades associated with these drugs, and also difficulty in their administration. We have retrospectively studied nanoparticle paclitaxel with RT on concurrent setting as an alternative.Methods: We have retrospectively studied  data of patients of advanced SCCHN treated with nanoparticle paclitaxel along with RT. Nanoparticle paclitaxel was administered at a dose of 80 mg/m2 over one hour infusion once weekly along with RT, 60 Gray (Gy) in 30 fractions, five days per week, over 6 weeks.Results: Total numbers of patient in this study were 28 with median age of 49 years. 78.57% of patient had stage IV disease and 21.43% stage III. Overall response rate was 68% with complete response (CR) in 29% and partial response (PR) in 39%.Conclusions: The use of nanoparticle paclitaxel along with RT is safe, feasible, efficacious and cost effective. Intensive randomized studies with large sample size are required in this direction.

Tropical Grassland Ecosystems and Climate Change

Grasses are unique group of flowering plants that form the foundation for the trophic structure in terrestrial communities. The grasses are found in every conceivable habitat where plants can thrive – from sea to deserts and from wetlands to peaks of highest mountains. The grasses form a distinct biome – a major ecological formation in the global classification of vegetation

Study of immuno-histochemical markers ER, PR and Her2/neu in ovarian neoplasms

Background: Among genital malignancies, ovarian cancer has the most increased mortality rate. ER, PR and HER2/neu expression levels depend on tumour histologic grade, stage of disease and age group. Aim of the study was to study the clinic-pathological parameters in ovarian tumours with reference to age, histologic type and grade and their correlation with ER, PR and HER2/neu status.Methods: The prospective study of 2 ½ years was conducted on 100 resected ovarian tumour specimens from June 2017 to December 2019 received in the department of pathology, JLN medical college, Ajmer. Sections were examined for presence of ovarian tumour, histological type, grade and for ER, PR and HER2/neu status, immunohistochemistry was done.Results: Out of 100 cases, 72 cases were benign, 03 cases were border-line and 25 cases were malignant. Serous tumors were most common among all epithelial tumors (61%). Malignant cases showed maximum positivity with ER, PR and HER2 as 61.76%, 68% and 100% respectively. ER, PR and HER2/neu positivity in serous epithelial tumors was 76.47%,84% and 90% and in mucinous tumors was 20.59%, 12% and 10% respectively. Majority of positive ER, PR and HER2/neu receptors was observed in age groups of >40 years as 64.71%, 64% and 85% respectively. ER, PR and HER2/neu positivity seen in higher grade and stage tumors as 76.19%, 76.47% and 70% in grade 3 and stage 3 tumors respectively.Conclusions: The higher expression of ER, PR and HER-2/Neu is associated with progression of invasive cancer, higher grade and stage of ovarian tumors, higher age group, and multiparty.

Common causes and trends of hepatocellular carcinoma at regional cancer centre Raipur, India

Background: Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the liver and is the third most common cause of cancer related deaths in Asia-pacific region. Representative data on epidemiology of HCC in India is scanty and mostly from urban areas. It is more common in males then female. Hepatitis, alcohol consumption, aflatoxin and other hepatotoxins in diet are common causes. Authors did a study for the common causes and trends of the HCC registered at authors’ centre between January 2013 to November 2018.Methods: Authors analyzed their hospital data for the patient registered with the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma at their centre during the study period for age, sex, number and causes.Results: Out of 23,766 patients registered for cancer in study period, 132 (0.55%) patients were of HCC, of which 89 (66.4%) were males and 43 (32.6%) were females, with ratio of 2:1. Commonest age group was between 50-59 years 46 (34.6%) followed by 40-49years 26 (19.5%). No patients were below 20 years of age. Among the commonest causes were alcohol consumption in 71 (53.4%), hepatitis B in 37 (27.8%), hepatitis C in 10 (7.5%), HIV in 4 (3%) and unknown in 11 (8.3%). There is rising trend in males and declining trend in females.Conclusions: Incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is low among all cancer but has high mortality rate. Alcohol consumption and hepatitis were the commonest cause. It is common above 40 years specially in males