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Introduction: Lung cancer carries the highest cancer-related mortality rates worldwide. Despite all recent advances, the mortality from lung cancer is still rising. A better understanding of the risk factors may help us predict responses to chemotherapy for better management. Aim: To evaluate predictors of response to chemotherapy in advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) patients. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India. A total of 60 confirmed cases of advanced (stage IIIB and IV) NSCLC patients were enrolled consecutively for a duration of two years. Baseline clinical parameters, routine blood tests, spirometry, exercise capacity using the 6 Minute Walk Test Distance (6MWTD), and Computed Tomography (CT)-based tumour size were recorded. Certain pre-defined patient, disease, and therapy-related factors (age, gender, dyspnoea, baseline blood tests, tumour size, histology, etc.) were evaluated for their possible role as predictors of treatment response in advanced NSCLC patients. A positive response was defined if the response to chemotherapy was Complete Response (CR) or Partial Response (PR), and a negative response if the response was Progressive Disease (PD) or Stable Disease (SD) as per revised RECIST (Response evaluation criteria in solid tumors) 1.1 criteria. Variables between the two groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square test. To find out the factors that may predict response to treatment, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used. Results: Out of a total of 60 confirmed cases of NSCLC patients, only 40 patients were able to complete the four cycles of chemotherapy. The mean age of the patients was 58.5±9.6 years. There were a total of 35 males (87.5%) and five females (12.5%) in the study. Out of 40 patients, 27 (67.5%) had squamous cell carcinoma and 13 (32.5%) had adenocarcinoma. On univariate analysis, Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) had a statistically significant association with tumour response (p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, advanced age (p=0.05) and high (>3.81) NLR (p=0.002) were found as independent predictors of poor response to chemotherapy. Conclusion: Pre-treatment high NLR and advanced age are significant factors for a poor response to chemotherapy treatment in advanced NSCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In oral cancer surgeries, oncological outcomes take precious driverseat. But the copassengers like reconstruction, cosmesis, swallowing and speech outcomes deserve equivalent importance. Submental Artery Island Flaps (SAIF) provide an underutilized and extremely versatile option for reconstruction of defects following early stage oral cavity tumour resections. In this prospective observational analysis, we describe the technique, challenges and outcomes of SAIF at our tertiary care institute. Sixteen patients with Stage I and II oral cavity cancers were enrolled between June 2020 to May 2021. Verrucous carcinomas were five and well differentiated carcinomas were 11 patients. After tumour excision and neck dissections, defects were reconstructed with Pedicled submental flaps. Complications and functional outcomes were analyzed over two years. Nineteen percent were ladies and 81% were gentlemen. Median age was 52 years. Tongue tumours formed majority with 56% cases. Largest skin paddle taken was 36 cm2. Flap survival was 88%. There were variations in venous drainage of flaps which have been depicted in case figures. There was no report of orocutaneous fistula. Grade 3–4 speech satisfaction was achieved by 81.2% patients at 6 months. Swallowing was excellent, grade 4–5 for 100% of patients at 6 months. One patient had distant metastasis at 7 months and died. SRLR (Submental flap Recurrences) and trismus were zero percent at two years. The unexplored field of submental flaps can be used for oral cancer reconstructions in a versatile way. Donor site easy closures, no scars on face, early resumption of daily activities and short hospital stay makes it one of the ideal options in early stage oral cavity defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several strong to great earthquakes occurred in northeast India, indicating that the region is seismically very active. For a better understanding of the complex nature of tectonics in the Eastern Himalaya, a frequency-dependent attenuation relation based on coda waves is developed. The backscattering model of Aki and Chouet (J. Geophys. Res. 80: 3322–3342, 1975) is used to study the dependency of coda-Q on lapse time windows and frequency. Analysis of waveforms from 104 local earthquakes recorded by a five-station local seismological network provides frequency-dependent coda-Q relations: Qc = (61±8)f(1.23±0.03) (30s lapse time), Qc = (83±9)f(1.17±0.03) (40s lapse time) and Qc = (104±8)f(1.15±0.04) (50s lapse time). These estimated relationships clearly demonstrate Qc's depth dependency, as longer lapse time windows would carry deeper depth information. Also, the increase in the value of Q0 (Qc at 1 Hz) with lapse time depicts heterogeneity decrease with depth. The observed quality factor is highly variable with the frequency and lapse time. The higher the value of ‘n,' the more seismically active the region. The observed Qc relation is found equivalent to other similar seismically active regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Normally, branches of superior mesenteric and inferior mesenteric arteries (IMA) supply the parts of intestine derived from midgut and hindgut and their variations are uncommon. One of the rarest variations is the presence of a middle mesenteric artery (MMA), an anomalous ventral branch of abdominal aorta originating in between the origins of superior and IMA supplying variable portions of the colon, sporadically reported mainly as case reports. Materials and Methods: While retrospectively examining multi-detector computed tomography angiographic abdominal scans of 500 subjects for analyzing the variations of branches of abdominal aorta, an anomalous artery supplying variable parts of colon was observed in one male patient. Observations: We report here an incidentally detected presence of MMA supplying large portions of colon in a male patient with nonrotation of gut, cholelithiasis, and portal hypertension. Computed tomography angiography of this patient also revealed variant celiac artery branching with hepatosplenic trunk and direct aortic origin of left gastric artery. Thus, there were five ventral branches of abdominal aorta supplying the gut which is a very rare presentation. Hepatic flexure of the colon was present between diaphragm and right lobe of the liver (Chilaiditi syndrome). Discussion and Conclusion: Our literature search has yielded 26 such cases reported globally, and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report from India. Associated anomalies reported include abdominal aortic aneurysm, nonrotation of gut, and presence of other vascular anomalies. Failure to identify such an anomalous artery may result in its damage with subsequent bowel ischemia and other complications during surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a planar compact grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW)-fed 4-element multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna array with a defected ground structure (DGS) is demonstrated for the fifth generation (5G) millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication. Each element of the GCPW-fed mmWave MIMO antenna array contains a deformed pentagon-shaped radiating patch etched with a pair of identical circular slots in top surface and a DGS in bottom surface. To maintain low design complexity and compactness, a DGS is introduced and formed by embedding dual asymmetrical inverted T-shaped slots in the partial ground plane which enhance the gain and bandwidth of the antenna. The equivalent circuit model of the proposed DGS loaded GCPW-fed antenna is realized and presented. The proposed 4-element mmWave MIMO antenna array is realized by arranging the 4 identical antenna elements horizontally in a row with a distinct gap without any decoupling structure. It has the size of 1.02λ×3.86λ×0.021λ (at 25.66 GHz) and exhibits the measured bandwidth of 49.62% (25.30–42.0 GHz) with a peak gain of 12.02 dBi. Furthermore, the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) < 0.0014, isolation > 24 dB between antenna elements, and channel capacity loss (CCL) < 0.29 bits/sec/Hz of the mmWave MIMO antenna array are attained over the entire mmWave frequency band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strains beyond the elastic limit of concrete cause cracks in concrete structures. This study analysed distributed optical fibre sensor (DOFS) network strain data to identify excessive strain readings, locations and strain patterns of four reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The strain variation inside the RC beams was investigated using a concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) based finite element analysis (FEA) model. The measured bottom surface and bottom rebar strain were considered for investigation. A three-point bending arrangement was used for the loading, and an optical backscatter reflectometer was used to measure the strain. By visual inspections, it has been found that the onset of hairline cracks at the locations of the higher strain readings. The maximum load applied was 16 kN and has not shown any yielding in strain reading acquired from bottom rebars. FEA results showed admissible agreement with the measured lower surface strain and lower rebar strain. Therefore, when developing a robust SHM system, a CDP-based FEA simulation is a valuable tool for data mining of strain data. Furthermore, the strain data extracted from CDP models can be used to train artificial intelligence based SHM models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand and update the account of the butterfly diversity in Ajodhya Hills, Purulia, West Bengal, India a study was carried out in two consecutive years from January 2020 to December 2021 with photographic documentation. A total of 143 butterflies from 6 families, 19 subfamilies and 95 genera were recorded. The highest richness was found in the families Nymphalidae with 45 species and Lycaenidae with 44 species, whereas Riodinidae had the lowest richness with only 1 species recorded. This study also reports the addition of one species, Black Angle Tapena thwaitesi (Moore), to the state butterfly fauna of West Bengal, as well as the addition of one species, Common Orange Awlet Burara jaina (Moore), to the butterfly fauna of southern West Bengal. In addition, three species, Plain Banded Awl Hasora vitta (Butler), Malabar Spotted Flat Celaenorrhinus ambareesa (Moore) and Common Acacia Blue Surendra quercetorum (Moore), were recorded with the first photographic documentation from southern West Bengal representing the rediscovery of Malabar Spotted Flat after 124 years from the Chotanagpur Plateau of West Bengal. The present study updates knowledge of the butterfly diversity of Ajodhya Hills and discusses the threats and conservation of the area, which may help in threat prevention, developing effective conservation strategies and to build awareness among the local people and government authorities to save the wildlife of Ajodhya Hills and its habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular senescence and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) are implicated in aging and age-related disease, and SASP-related inflammation is thought to contribute to tissue dysfunction in aging and diseased animals. However, whether and how SASP factors influence the regenerative capacity of tissues remains unclear. Here, using intestinal organoids as a model of tissue regeneration, we show that SASP factors released by senescent fibroblasts deregulate stem cell activity and differentiation and ultimately impair crypt formation. We identify the secreted N-terminal domain of Ptk7 as a key component of the SASP that activates non-canonical Wnt / Ca2+ signaling through FZD7 in intestinal stem cells (ISCs). Changes in cytosolic [Ca2+] elicited by Ptk7 promote nuclear translocation of YAP and induce expression of YAP/TEAD target genes, impairing symmetry breaking and stem cell differentiation. Our study discovers secreted Ptk7 as a factor released by senescent cells and provides insight into the mechanism by which cellular senescence contributes to tissue dysfunction in aging and disease. Cellular senescence and associated secretory phenotype (SASP) are thought to contribute to aging and tissue dysfunction, though it is unclear how SASP impacts regeneration. Here the authors show that SASP factors impair regeneration, and that Ptk7 is a key secreted protein mediating that dysregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information about the ongoing tectonic faulting process causing earthquakes in an area having single or sparse seismological waveform data available remains a mystery for seismologists. The usual P-wave polarity inversion is unable to find the solution to the earthquake mechanism if the event is recorded with a lower azimuthal coverage network. Recently some seismologists seek towards the moment tensor solution and tried to find the focal mechanisms of earthquakes. The present work is a step in the same direction. Twelve regional earthquakes recorded by a distant seismological network in the Siang region of Arunachal Himalaya have been analyzed using ISOLA codes developed by Sokos and Zahradnik (2008). The solutions obtained by CMT Harvard by inversion of a large number of available waveform data have been considered standards. In the present study, moment tensor solutions have been estimated using the hypocentre locations given by the CMT catalog. The obtained solutions are comparable with the CMT solutions reported. High variance reduction has been obtained for the analyzed earthquakes that agree with the observations by Delouis and Legrand (1999), Kim and Kraeva (1999), Kim et al. (2000), Dragger (2003), and Maercklin et al. (2011) that moment tensor solutions can be obtained by using single station waveform data. The present study infers that the moment tensor inversion would be useful for obtaining information about the ongoing faulting process for which limited waveform data is available. For most of the Himalayan earthquakes which occur northern side of the Main Central Thrust (MCT), the seismological networks in those areas are either very sparse or not instrumented at all. The knowledge of undergone tectonics of this region was established with various faults visible on the surface by geologists and lacks the knowledge of the present situation of ongoing tectonics of the region. Hence, the moment tensor solutions obtained using available data will help in understanding the ongoing tectonic processes of the regions lacking well coverage of seismological networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the design and development of an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC)‐backed compact wideband rectangular ring monopole antenna with high gain is proposed for millimeter‐wave (mmWave) applications. It is constructed through stacking a coplanar waveguide (CPW)‐fed rectangular ring patch monopole antenna over a square modified AMC reflector surface of 5 × 5 periodic unit cells. Primarily, the ring monopole antenna of size 1.21λ0 × 1.21λ0 × 0.023λ0 (at 28 GHz) is designed and exhibits wide impedance bandwidth of 30.64% (25.98–35.38 GHz, 9.4 GHz), a peak gain of 4.86 dBi and front‐to‐back ratio (FBR) up to 5.2 dB. To enhance the radiation performance of the monopole antenna, a periodic lattice of 5 × 5 unit cells modified square AMC surface with a gap of 0.84λ0 is proposed and it functioned as reflector which enhances the peak gain of about ~77% and it contributes FBR up to 15 dB. Measured results of the modified square AMC‐backed monopole antenna reveal a wide impedance bandwidth of 31.27% (25.90–35.50 GHz, 9.6 GHz), a peak gain of 8.59 dBi, and stable radiation characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a modified reltron was proposed. Here an asymmetrical radio frequency (RF) modulation cavity interaction structure was used which consists of three coupled cavities instead of two used in the conventional reltron. Hence, instead of three grids in its modulation cavity, the proposed modified reltron structure consists of four grids. This additional grid inside the modulation cavity: distributes the length of the modulation cavity asymmetrically, which helps to form tight and dense electron bunches within the device. The proposed structure was designed and simulated using a CST Studio Suite. For the optimized grid spacing, the results of the PIC simulation showed the modified reltron was able to produce ∼350 MW power at 2.75 GHz frequency which was ∼100 MW more than the reltron. With the typically selected device's electric parameters the device efficiency was also found ∼41.2 % which was ∼11 % higher than previously reported results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impact parameter dependent dipole models are ideal tools for investigating the spatial structure of the proton. We investigate the incoherent ep cross section in exclusive J / ψ photoproduction as measured by HERA, and find that as |t| increases, the models need several levels of substructure of gluon density fluctuations in order to describe the measured data well. In lieu of a perturbative description, we add this substructure by hand. This substructure is modelled as hotspots within hotspots. This enables us to describe measurements for | t | > 1 GeV 2 , which is necessary for describing any observable which integrate over the t-spectrum, such as the rapidity or W γ p . We find that three levels of proton substructure are adequate for a good description of all available ep data up to | t | = 30 GeV 2 . We note that the gluonic density fluctuation structure follows a scaling behaviour, such that the logarithms of the number of hotspots and their size fall on a line, effectively reducing the available parameter space of the model. Our findings systematically constrains and provides a benchmark for the development of a perturbative model of spatial gluon fluctuations in nucleons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tracheal bronchus, also known as bronchus suis, is a rare congenital anomaly of the airway where an accessory bronchus originates directly from the trachea. With an estimated incidence of 0.001%–2.0%, this condition is rarely reported in literature. It is usually discovered as an incidental finding in an otherwise asymptomatic individual. However, it can act as a focus of recurrent infection or present as persistent radiographic infiltrates. Multidetector CT imaging and bronchoscopy play a crucial role in the identification of this entity. We hereby report the case of a middle-aged man who presented with recurrent right upper lobe pneumonia, which was found to be due to an underlying tracheal bronchus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fournier's gangrene(FG) is an acute, rapidly progressive, necrotizing fasciitis of the scrotum, perineal and perianal region causing gangrene of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. FG is associated with a high mortality rate of 14 %. Methods: Out of 101 patients were admitted from 1st may 2014 to 31st may 2019, with a diagnosis of Fournier's gangrene or extended Fournier's gangrene (eFG), 93 patients were included in the present study. Results: FG is associated with a high mortality rate of 14 %. Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index(FGSI) score at admission of more than 9 is associated with 92.8% mortality and a score lesser than 9 is associated with 100% survival. Conclusion: The study found that certain factors like delayed admission into hospital, fever and altered sensorium at the time of admission; cirrhosis of liver and presence of more than 1 premorbid illness, hypotension, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, acidosis and acute kidney injury at the time of admission had impact on the outcome of FG or eFG . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A man in his early 40s presented with a 1-month history of fever after accidental diesel aspiration. He had received treatment with intravenous antibiotics, steroids and supportive care. Contrast-enhanced CT of the thorax revealed a right middle lobe lung abscess and bronchoscopy revealed hyperaemia around the middle lobe bronchus. The abscess was initially managed by drainage using a pigtail catheter and intravenous antibiotics. However, only partial drainage of the abscess was achieved and fever persisted. The cardiothoracic surgery team performed drainage of lung abscess through a right posterolateral thoracotomy. Postprocedure, the patient’s symptoms improved and the patient was discharged in good health. This case demonstrates a rare complication of hydrocarbon aspiration pneumonitis and lung abscess. Post acute management of diesel aspiration, patients should be advised to return for medical assessment immediately, should symptoms like persistent fever and chest pain recur or persist as these symptoms may herald the development of post-hydrocarbon- aspiration lung abscess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present analysis of more than 180,000 sentences from movie plots across the period from 1940 to 2019 emphasizes how gender stereotypes are expressed through the cultural products of society. By applying a network analysis to the word co-occurrence networks of movie plots and using a novel method of identifying story tropes, we demonstrate that gender stereotypes exist in Hollywood movies. An analysis of specific paths in the network and the words reflecting various domains show the dynamic changes in some of these stereotypical associations. Our results suggest that gender stereotypes are complex and dynamic in nature. Specifically, whereas male characters appear to be associated with a diversity of themes in movies, female characters seem predominantly associated with the theme of romance. Although associations of female characters to physical beauty and marriage are declining over time, associations of female characters to sexual relationships and weddings are increasing. Our results demonstrate how the application of cognitive network science methods can enable a more nuanced investigation of gender stereotypes in textual data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, S-band tapered magnetically insulated line oscillator (MILO) with partially dielectric loaded cavities is proposed to improve the overall efficiency of the MILO device. In the proposed structure, the tapered interaction cavities of the MILO are partially filled with the low loss dielectric material. An equivalent circuit analysis is performed to get the dispersion characteristic of the resonating structure of the proposed MILO. An extensive simulation study is carried out to get electromagnetic (EM) and RF behavior of the proposed structure using 3D EM simulation tool (i.e., CST Studio Suite). The EIGENMODE solver of the CST is used to get the dispersion characteristic of the resonating structure which are also used to validate the device design parameters. The RF behavior of the proposed structure with and without dielectric loading is investigated using CST's particle-in-cell (PIC) solver. The modelled structure is simulated with 500 kV diode voltage and 35 kA diode current. The PIC simulation predicts that the without dielectric loading the modelled device generates ~2.4 GW average power at center frequency 2.65 GHz in TM01 mode with an electronic efficiency of ~13.71%. While with dielectric loading, the modelled device generates an average power of ~3.38 GW at frequency 2.56 GHz with overall efficiency of 19.3%. In this study, for the first time we have explored the Sband tapered MILO with partial dielectric loading and the effect of cathode misalignment on RF output power which has not yet been reported anywhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The partially dielectrically filled periodic disk-loaded co-axial structure as a slow wave interaction structure for magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator (MILO) has been electromagnetically analyzed using field matching technique. The slow wave structure (SWS) includes a periodic disk-loaded coaxial structure in which the low-loss dielectric material is partially filled between successive disks. In the analysis, the dispersion relationship and interaction impedance have been calculated taking into account all the harmonics generated inside the structure. The effect of the dielectric constant of the material on the dispersion characteristics and phase velocity has been investigated. Also, the effect of different structural parameters on the dispersion characteristics and the interaction impedance has been obtained. To validate the performed theoretical analysis, the analytically obtained dispersion results have been compared with previously known dispersion results and then also confirmed by the commercial code “Computer Simulation Tool (CST) Studio Suite.” The agreement between theoretical analysis and simulation with respect to the dispersion characteristics is within 5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the supersonic growth of mobile data demand, the fifth generation (5G) mobile network would exploit the extensive amount of spectrum in the millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) bands to tremendously increase communication capacity. There are conceptual differences between mm- Wave communications and other existing communication systems, in terms of high propagation loss, directivity, and sensitivity to blockage. These characteristics of mm-Wave communications present several challenges to completely exploit the potential of mm-Wave communications, including integrated circuits and system design, interference management, spatial reuse, anti-blockage, and dynamics control. 5G mobile communication systems with sub-6 GHz and millimeter-wave bands are already replacing 4G and 4.5G systems as an evolution towards higher-speed mobile communication and wider bandwidth. From the hardware perspective, the 5G-band causes the miniaturization of RF components including the antennas. In this article, an overview of recent research is presented that discusses design challenges and measurement considerations for various types of compact 5G antennas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse a tropical cyclone simulated for a realistic ocean‐eddy field using the global, nonhydrostatic, fully coupled atmosphere–ocean ICOsahedral Nonhydrostatic (ICON) model. After intensifying rapidly, the tropical cyclone decays following its interaction with a cold wake and subsequently reintensifies as it encounters a subsurface, warm‐core eddy. To understand the change in the azimuthal‐mean structure and intensity of the tropical cyclone, we invoke a conceptual framework, which recognises the importance of both boundary‐layer dynamics and air–sea interactions. Crucially, the framework recognises that the change in the mean radius of updraught at the boundary‐layer top is regulated by the expanding outer tangential wind field through boundary‐layer dynamics. The decrease in the average equivalent potential temperature of the boundary‐layer updraught during the early decay phase is related to an increase in the mean radius of the updraught rather than air–sea interactions. However, later in the decay phase, air–sea interactions contribute to the decrease, which is accompanied by a decrease in the vertical mass flux in the eyewall updraught and, ultimately, a more pronounced spin‐down of the tropical cyclone. Air–sea interactions are also important during reintensification, where the tendencies are reversed, that is, the mean radius of the boundary‐layer updraught decreases along with an increase in its average equivalent potential temperature and vertical mass flux. The importance of boundary‐layer dynamics to the change in the azimuthal‐mean structure is underscored by the ability of a steady‐state slab boundary‐layer model to predict an increasing and, to a lesser extent, decreasing radius of forced ascent for periods of decay and reintensification, respectively. Finally, our simulation highlights the importance of the ocean‐eddy field for tropical cyclone intensity forecasts, since the simulated warm‐core eddy does not display any sea‐surface temperature (SST) signal until it is encountered by the tropical cyclone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ESOPA-GUI, a MATLAB-based graphical user interface software, is presented in this study. The ESOPA-GUI estimates the seismic spectrum source parameters using Brune's model (1970). The software uses two high-frequency decay models to represent the high-frequency decay of an event's acceleration and displacement spectra: fmax-model and κ-model. The BODY-Q subprogram of ESOPA-GUI estimates and corrects the recorded time history corresponding to the loss of seismic energy by the wave propagation media. The software ESOPA-GUI has been applied to the data set of some earthquake of magnitude (MJ) 4.2 to 6.2, to estimate the spectral source parameters seismic moment (M0), moment magnitude (Mw), corner frequency (fc), stress drop (Δσ), source radius (r), fmax-model, and κ-model. The BODY-Q estimated the relationships Qβ = 26.68f1.01, Qβ = 31.56f0.96, and Qβ = 18.99f1.08 for different regions for Japan corresponding the data used, for the path correction. The solutions obtained using ESOPA are in good correlation with the solutions provided by popular agencies such as USGS and NIED which shows the reliability and stability of the software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, RF wave and electron beam interaction behavior of the side-coupled cavity (SCC) structure, operating in the transverse magnetic (TM) mode has been investigated using the field matching technique. For the analysis, Vlasov–Maxwell’s equations have been used to describe the EM fields in the beam present region of the SCC structure. All the harmonics present in the structure have been considered for the analysis of the dispersion characteristics and growth rate of the SCC structure. The temporal growth rate behavior with respect to the different beam parameters has also been explored. To validate the developed analysis, computed dispersion values have been compared with those of the simulated, for the special case (i.e., $r_{\text {e}} =0$). Furthermore, the analytically temporal growth rate has also been compared with the simulated values. The obtained computational and simulated values have been found in agreement within ±5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zernike phase contrast is a useful technique for nanoscale X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging of materials with a low X-ray absorption coefficient. It enhances the image contrast by phase shifting X-ray waves to create changes in amplitude. However, it creates artifacts that hinder the use of traditional image segmentation techniques. We propose an image restoration method that models the X-ray phase contrast optics and the three-dimensional image reconstruction method. We generate artifact-free images through an optimization problem that inverts this model. Though similar approaches have been used for Zernike phase contrast in visible light microscopy, this optimization employs an effective edge detection method tailored to handle Zernike phase contrast artifacts. We characterize this optics-based restoration method by removing the artifacts in and thresholding multiple Zernike phase contrast X-ray CT images to produce segmented results that are consistent with the physical specimens. We quantitatively evaluate and compare our method to other segmentation techniques to demonstrate its high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective: This is an audit of the use of valproate (VPA) during pregnancy in women with epilepsy (WWE). Methods: We identified all pregnancies exposed to VPA in the Kerala Registry of Epilepsy and Pregnancy between January 2010 and December 2019. Subjects' past usage of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), seizure count before and during pregnancy, fetal outcome, and major congenital malformations (MCMs) were abstracted from the registry records. The presumed reason for usage of VPA was deducted from the clinical records. Results: There were 221 pregnancies (17.75%) exposed to VPA (monotherapy, n = 149) during the audit period. The MCM rate for the completed pregnancies exposed to VPA was higher (n = 20, 10.36%) than that of VPA‐unexposed pregnancies (n = 39, 4.96%). The relative risk for MCM with VPA exposure was 2.1 (95% confidence interval = 1.24–3.48, number needed to treat with VPA to result in MCM = 19). Reasons for using VPA during pregnancy (some women had more than one reason) were (1) VPA was the first AED prescribed and was effective (68, 29.06%), (2) other AEDs were ineffective (128, 54.70%), and (3) other AEDs were discontinued due to adverse effects (17, 7.28%). Other reasons (21, 8.97%) were (1) VPA was selected after the epilepsy classification was revised (3, 1.28%), (2) other AEDs were expensive (2,.85%), and (3) patient switched to VPA from other AEDs for unspecified reason (16, 6.83%). VPA was discontinued during pregnancy for 6 (2.71%) persons. Less than 10% of women were tried on lamotrigine or levetiracetam before switching to VPA. Significance: Nine MCMs per thousand pregnancies can be avoided if VPA is not used in WWE. Safe and effective AEDs as alternatives to VPA are the need of the hour. Professional bodies and regulatory authorities need to implement updated guidelines on AED usage in girls and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the electromagnetic (or RF) behavior of the azimuthally partitioned axially periodic metal disk-loaded coaxial structure was investigated using an equivalent circuit approach in the presence of the electron beam. In the analysis, the linearized Maxwell’s fluid equation (also known as Vlasov–Maxwell’s equation) was used to analyze the region in which the electron beam was present. The expression for the equivalent series inductance and shunt capacitance per unit length for the equivalent transmission line was derived in the electron beam present and absent case. The derived expressions include all the harmonics effects present inside the structure. Furthermore, the expression of the dispersion relation and temporal growth rate (TGR) was derived using the calculated equivalent series inductance and equivalent shunt capacitance. The output RF power and energy were also calculated analytically and validated through the PIC simulation. The results were compared with the already reported literature, and the relative error between them was below 5%. In addition, the effect of different beam parameters on the TGR behavior was also analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By studying the spectral reflectance features of different land cover types and leveraging information of primarily “BLUE” band along with “RED” and “NIR” bands, this article seeks to introduce a new built-up index such as powered B1 built-up index (PB1BI). The proposed index, while being conceptually simple and computationally inexpensive, can extract the built-up areas from Landsat7 satellite images efficiently. For Landsat7 satellite imagery, classification performances of the proposed index along with support vector machine (SVM), artificial neural network (ANN), and three existing built-up indices have been examined for three study sites of 1° Latitude $\times 1^\circ $ Longitude ($\approx 12\,100~{\mathrm {sq}}\cdot {\mathrm {km}}$) area from three diverse geographical regions in India. The computed value of the M-Statistics for PB1BI is consistently greater than 1.80, indicating a better spectral separability between built-up and nonbuilt-up classes by the index. In order to improve the performance of the built-up indices, this article has suggested a bootstrapping method for threshold estimation in addition to the existing Otsu’s method for the same. It has been found that using bootstrapping method instead of Otsu’s method for threshold estimation has helped to improve the classification performance of built-up indices up to 17.75% and 40.49% in terms of overall accuracy and kappa ($\kappa $) coefficient, respectively. It has been observed that for the validation set, average overall accuracy (97.45%) and kappa ($\kappa $) coefficient (0.907) of PB1BI for considered study sites are not only significantly higher than existing indices but also comparable with the same of SVM (99.10% and 0.942) and ANN (87.24% and 0.450). This article has also shown that the proposed index provides a stable performance for multitemporal analysis of the study sites and is able to capture growth in built-up region in time horizon. The classification performance of PB1BI has also been verified for Landsat8 imagery across 11 study sites from different continents around the globe, and the results show overall accuracy and $\kappa $ to be consistently more than 90% and 0.75, respectively. For considered study sites, the reported values of average accuracy and $\kappa $ of PB1BI for built-up classification using Landsat8 satellite data are 95.7151% and 0.8843, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describe the design and measurement of a broadband circularly polarized (CP) monopole antenna for millimeter wave short range 5G Wireless communication applications. This antenna is comprised of a T‐shaped monopole antenna with an inverted‐L grounded stub and an asymmetric coplanar wave guide feed. To attain the broadband CP, an inverted‐L grounded stub is embedded in the coplanar ground and introducing asymmetry in the horizontal T‐shaped patch connected feed line monopole antenna. A compact size of 1.877λL × 1.706λL × 0.130λL is accomplished when measured at lower edge frequency (fL,|S11|). For the proposed antenna structure conforming to fL,|S11|, a measured 3‐dB axial ratio bandwidth of 13.67% (4 GHz, 27.26‐31.26 GHz), impedance bandwidth of 27.9% (8.3 GHz, 25.6‐33.9 GHz), peak gain of 7.15dBi, and a bidirectional patterns with a dual sense polarization are attained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact dual mode wideband antenna is presented in this paper which operates from 24.8 to 31.6 GHz (suitable for 5G applications). The antenna is based on substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) and consists of a two‐element array of half‐bow‐tie slots. Each slot excites two modes (slot mode and half patch mode) in the antenna due to its geometry. The resonant frequencies in these modes are optimized to achieve wide impedance bandwidth using Ansys HFSS. A prototype is fabricated and its measured impedance bandwidth is 6.8 GHz, which is in close agreement with the simulated one. It also has a peak gain of 8.5 dBi at 30.4 GHz and its physical size is 2.4λg × λg, where λg is the guide wavelength at center frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resonating frequency associated with the side-coupled cavity (SCC) has been theoretically explored using an equivalent circuit approach. This study is focused to estimate the coefficient of magnetic coupling factor in the context of its structural parameters, which has so far been experimentally evaluated. This article also proposed an empirical formula to calculate the fundamental-mode frequency that includes the effect of the magnetic-coupling factor, which was not considered in the previously reported research. To support this research study, the SCC has been designed and simulated with the help of “CST Studio Suite.” The results obtained from the proposed empirical formula were compared with the simulation result so that theoretical analysis could be verified. After comparing the results, it was found that the relative error is below 1%, indicating that there is a good agreement between the results obtained from the theoretical and simulation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an equivalent circuit approach has been used to study the bifrequency generation by the azimuthally partitioned axially periodic metal disk-loaded coaxial structure. Considering the effect of all harmonics present within the structure and using an equivalent circuit approach, the expression of the equivalent series inductance per unit length and equivalent shunt capacitance per unit length has been obtained for this equivalent transmission line. In addition, with the help of computed equivalent series induction and equivalent shunt capacitance, expressions for the dispersion relation, phase velocity, and characteristic impedance have been obtained. The maximum possible frequency difference (i.e., bandwidth) between the modes (i.e., resonating frequency) and its region of operation have also been analytically computed. Finally, the parametric studies have been performed to find out the effect of structural parameter variation on dispersion behavior. In order to validate the numerical analysis, the structure has been first simulated with the help of CST microwave studio, and then, the analytically obtained results (such as dispersion behavior and phase velocity) have been compared with the results obtained from simulation. The comparison of results shows that the relative error is below than 5%, which shows a good agreement between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self-heating or the spontaneous combustion of coal is processed by which the freshly exposed coal at ordinary atmospheric temperature when is exposed to oxygen undergo self-heating i.e. increase in its temperature and ultimately leading to auto ignition and mine fire. This spontaneous combustion leads to mine fires and are prime concern in the mining industry and let to huge coal loss and mine disaster. For safe coal mining, transportation, storage and uses, understanding the coal liability towards spontaneous combustion is important. Spontaneous heating liability depends upon the intrinsic as well as the extrinsic properties of the coal. In the present work, the spontaneous combustion susceptibility of a number of coal samples belonging to two different coalfields e.g. Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) of Coal India Limited, have been studied and its correlation with different intrinsic properties have been made. The objectives of this study is to assess the spontaneous heating liability of coal samples using differential thermal analysis and crossing point temperature and to establish a relationship between the spontaneous heating liability risk and intrinsic properties of coal samples. For this study, seven coal samples were collected from BCCL and CCL. Proximate analysis, bomb calorimetry, crossing point temperature (CPT) and differential thermal analysis (DTA), experiments were conducted to find the intrinsic properties of coals and assess their liability towards spontaneous heating. The paper summarizes the liability of different coal samples to spontaneous heating based on experiments conducted as well as broadly classifies the coal samples into poorly, moderately and highly susceptible to spontaneous heating risk. The transition temperature (Tc) indicated a very accurate measure of liability to spontaneous heating as they show high correlation coefficients with volatile matter, moisture and fixed carbon. These were 0.88% with moisture, 0.84% with volatile matter and 0.74 for fixed carbon contents. Lower the transition temperature of coal is higher will be the liability of coals to spontaneous heating. It was also observed that DTA study was found to give better correlation and hence, it may be used for assessment of spontaneous heating susceptibility of coal. It was observed that the coal samples containing high moisture are in general more liable to spontaneous heating. Spontaneous heating also shows a direct relationship with volatile matter hence higher the volatile matter in the coal samples is more will be the liability towards spontaneous heating. Ash percentage also has negative slope [-1.87] with transition temperature but the correlation coefficient is very low [0.15]. It has also lowest correlation coefficient (0.10) values with CPT. Gross calorific value is also directly dependent on the fixed carbon. Coal samples having higher fixed carbon are less liable for spontaneous heating. Ash has very low correlation coefficients with CPT and transition temperature and hence is not helpful in the assessment of liability towards spontaneous heating and it is of least importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The side-coupled cavity (SCC) structure is widely used in Linac, and also finds its application in the high-power microwave tubes. The SCC structure operating under the slow-wave regime, for the π/2 mode in transverse magnetic mode operation, has been electromagnetically analyzed using field-matching technique for the dispersion and interaction impedance characteristics. Furthermore, the effect of different structural parameters on the dispersion and interaction characteristics has been studied. To validate the developed dispersion and interaction relation, the SCC is simulated using commercially available electromagnetic simulation tools. The results obtained through the developed analytical expression are compared with the simulated results, and it is found to be in agreement within 3%. This analysis will help the design engineer to select the approximate accurate parameters before performing the simulation or experimental design. Also, it helps to develop a better understanding about the SCC's behavior with respect to structural parameter before the simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we describe the design and simulation of a highly efficient thermionic emission-based reltron oscillator. First, the design process of the thermionic emission-based reltron has been presented, and then the RF interaction cavity has been modeled using a commercial tool “CST Studio Suite.” In the absence of an electron beam, the electromagnetic behavior of the modeled RF interaction cavity has been investigated with the help of the eigenmode solver and frequency-domain solver. In addition, the structural parametric dependence on the resonant mode frequency of the RF interaction cavity has been also investigated. The RF behavior of the designed reltron device has been simulated using particle-in-cell (PIC) solver. An electrical parametric analysis has been performed to evaluate the performance of the modeled device. Finally, the simulation results predicted that the device is capable of producing 22 MW of RF power with a pulsewidth of $5~\mu \text{s}$ and an efficiency of 44%. For validation, the simulated results have been compared with the previously reported experimental results, we found that the result variation is less than 5%, which shows a good agreement with the reported experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maxillectomy performed in acquired lesions is often very extensive or bilateral, sparing very less hard and soft tissue in the oral cavity. These defects need both surgical and prosthetic rehabilitation. A definitive prosthesis is inserted after complete healing, when the patient is accustomed to the interim prosthesis. Definitive obturator warrants better retention and stability and needs a meticulous planning in design for long-term use. Conventional design has a few disadvantages; it needs modification many times to improve retention and psychological comfort of the patient. The article explains an easy technique in fabrication of an obturator. The conventional obturator design has a hollow antral part but usually a solid oral part, which adds to the weight of the prosthesis pressurizing the soft tissues in a maxillectomy, which affects the function and esthetics. This article demonstrates the hollowing of oral part, which bears the artificial teeth, and modifying the antral bulb, which covers the defect. It was designed considering the potential difficulties shared by the patient in wearing the single piece conventional hollow bulb design. This technique when followed was beneficial in reducing the weight of the prosthesis and enhancing retention, and allowed the patient to perform normal functional movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a high-power microwave (HPM) oscillator magnetically insulated line oscillator (MILO) design study has been carried out to improve its performance. Impedances of different subsections of the device have been matched. An equivalent circuit approach, which is simpler and easy to handle, has been adopted for this purpose. First, the input impedance of the tapered inner conductor of the coaxial structure has been matched with the impedance of the choke disks. Then, the extractor inner radius and extractor gap impedance have been optimized at the output section. This impedance matching scheme provides the maximum efficiency of the device with the maximum RF transmission. The optimum position of the stub to match the impedance with the output side has also been analyzed. To validate our concept, initially, an experimentally reported $L$ -band MILO has been simulated using commercial particle-in-cell (PIC) code, which provides an RF output power of 1.38 GW with the efficiency of 7.8%. The PIC simulation results have been found in agreement of ~5% with the experimental values. Furthermore, the PIC simulation with the optimized design parameters has improved the RF output power of 2.5 GW with an efficiency of 14.4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the influences of demographic and infrastructural covariates that drive the household water demand in the 198 municipal wards of Bangalore, India. In contrast to previous studies that rely on direct household income data, this study captures the household income effect on water demand with a set of proxy income covariates such as average built-up area, proportion of households in different income categories, per capita park area, population density, road infrastructure, etc. The macro-level demand study uses cross-sectional data comprising of dependent and independent variables of 198 municipal wards of Bangalore in the month of July 2015. Linear and non-linear demand models estimate the influence of factors using the ordinary least squares (OLS) method and results are compared. Results indicate that average built-up area, proportion of high income households and per capita park area positively influence the water demand while the number of members per household negatively influences water demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) remains the Achilles heel of Whipples pancreaticoduodenectomy. Although multiple approaches to decrease POPF rates have been reported, an effective preventive strategy has not been found. Methods: The morphological nature of pancreas in eighty-two consecutive cases of Whipples pancreaticoduodenectomy done in high volume pancreatic at Kasturba medical college, Manipal between January 2014 to July 2019 and its contribution in formation of POPF has been studied. Results: Of the cases taken in the study, 48.8% patients has a non dilated pancreatic duct and 50% patients had a soft pancreatic consistency. Both Non dilated pancreatic duct and soft pancreas were statistically significant in contributing to a biochemical leak but was not proven to be a significant risk factor in formation of POPF. Conclusion: This result is contrary to the validated notion that Pancreatic morphology tends to be the most consistent factor that affects formation of Pancreatic fistula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A grating interferometer (GI) system has been installed in an X-ray microscope equipped with a Zernike phase contrast (ZPC) system and a Cu rotating anode X-ray source. The GI and ZPC systems are switchable, and their performances of phase information extraction have been compared. The GI system is based on a Lau interferometer consisting of an absorption grating and a π/2 phase grating, which extracts a magnified phase shift map of a sample via a phase-stepping measurement. The ZPC system generates a phase contrast image by using a phase plate and a corresponding condenser device. The ZPC system and the GI system are compared in terms of detectability of phase objects. By the Fourier analysis of images of a logarithmic ruler pattern, the spatial resolution was found to be identical between the two systems. Although the sensitivity depends on the sample size, the signal-to-noise ratio of polystyrene spheres with a few microns in diameter was used for sensitivity comparison, showing the superior sensitivity of the GI system to that of the ZPC system. The quantitativeness of the GI system with the phase-stepping measurement was also demonstrated over the ZPC system, which generates halo and shade-off artifacts. The GI system exhibits twin image artifacts that need to be resolved for practical applications of the technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Variations in the branching pattern of the arch of aorta are not uncommon. The common trunk of origin of left vertebral and left subclavian arteries from the arch of aorta, named as the Vertebro-Subclavian Trunk (VST), is a very rare aortic arch branching anomaly sporadically reported in the literature. Aim: To assess the aortic arch branching anomalies especially the presence of the VST. Materials and Methods: Contrast Enhanced Computed Tomographic (CECT) scans of chest of 410 patients were analysed and interpreted by two radiologists. Results: The VST was noted in three male patients with an estimated incidence of 0.73%. In one male patient the VST was associated with the presence of a common stem of origin of brachiocephalic trunk and left common carotid artery (so called bovine arch). Thus, there were two common trunks originating from the arch. Conclusion: Careful observation of aortic arch branching pattern has revealed the presence of origin of left vertebral artery from the root of left subclavian artery just above the arch, the common trunk designated as VST. Catheterisation of left vertebral artery in such cases may be difficult and adequate preprocedural knowledge can help in successful accomplishment of interventional procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously showed that intrathecal application of endomorphin 2 [EM2; the highly specific endogenous μ-opioid receptor (MOR) ligand] induces antinociception that varies with stage of the rat estrous cycle: minimal during diestrus and prominent during proestrus. Earlier studies, however, did not identify proestrus-activated signaling strategies that enable spinal EM2 antinociception. We now report that in female rats, increased spinal dynorphin release and κ-opioid receptor (KOR) signaling, as well as the emergence of glutamate-activated metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR¹) signaling, are critical to the transition from an EM2 nonresponsive state (during diestrus) to an analgesically responsive state (during proestrus). Differential signaling by mGluR¹, depending on its activation by membrane estrogen receptor α (niERα; during diestrus) versus glutamate (during proestrus), concomitant with the ebb and flow of spinal dynorphin/KOR signaling, functions as a switch, preventing or promoting, respectively, spinal EM2 antinociception. Importantly, EM2 and glutamate-containing varicosities appose spinal neurons that express MOR along with mGluRs and mERa, suggesting that signaling mechanisms regulating analgesic effectiveness of intrathecally applied EM2 also pertain to endogenous EM2. Regulation of spinal EM2 antinociception by both the nature of the endogenous mGluR¹ activator (i.e., endogenous biased agonism at mGluR¹) and changes in spinal dynorphin/KOR signaling represent a novel mechanism for modulating analgesic responsiveness to endogenous EM2 (and perhaps other opioids). This points the way for developing noncanonical pharmacological approaches to pain management by harnessing endogenous opioids for pain relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Source parameters of 41 local events (0.5 ≤ M ≤ 2.9) occurred around Bilaspur region of the Himachal Lesser Himalaya from May 2013 to March 2014 have been estimated adopting Brune model. The estimated source parameters include seismic moments ( M ), source radii ( r), and stress drops (Δ σ), and found to vary from 4.9 × 10 to 7 × 10 dyne-cm, about 187-518 m and less than 1 bar to 51 bars, respectively. The decay of high frequency acceleration spectra at frequencies above f has been modelled using two functions: a high-cut filter and κ factor. Stress drops of 11 events, with M between 1 × 10 and 7 × 10 dyne-cm, vary from 11 bars to 51 bars with an average of 22 bars. From the variation of the maximum stress drop with focal depth it appears that the strength of the upper crust decreases below 20 km. A scaling law M = 2 × 10 f between M , and corner frequency (f ), has been developed for the region. This law almost agrees with that for the Kameng region of the Arunachal Lesser Himalaya. f is found to be source dependent whereas f is source independent and seems to indicate that the size of the cohesive zone is not sensitive to the earthquake size. At four sites f is found to vary from 14 to 23, 11 to 19, 9 to 23 and 4 to 11 Hz, respectively. The κ is found to vary from 0.01 to 0.035 s with an average of 0.02 s. This range of variation is a large compared to the κ variation between 0.023 and 0.07 s for the Garhwal and Kumaon Himalaya. For various regions of the world, the κ varies over a broad range from 0.003 to 0.08 s, and for the Bilaspur region the κ estimates are found to be consistent with other regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an experimental L-band compact magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator (MILO) has been simulated using the 3D PIC simulation code "Particle Studio," and an improvement in the device efficiency has been obtained. The detailed interaction and operating mechanism describing the role of sub-assemblies have been explained. The performance of the device was found to be the function of the distance between the end-surface of the cathode and the beam-dump disk. During simulation, a high power microwave of the TM01 mode is generated with the peak RF-power of 6GW and the power conversion efficiency of 19.2%, at the operating voltage of ~600 kV and at the current of 52 kA. For better impedance matching or maximum power transfer, four stubs have been placed at the λg/4 distance from the extractor cavity, which results in the stable RF power output. In this work, an improved L-band MILO along with a new type beam-dump disk is selected for performance improvement with typical design parameters and beam parameters. The total peak power of improved MILO is 7GW, and the maximum power conversion efficiency is 22.4%. This improvement is achieved due to the formation of the virtual cathode at the load side, which helps in modulating the energy of electrons owing to maximum reflection of electrons from the mesh or foil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]