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Magnetic tunnel junctions based on FeCoB as a magnetic electrode and MgO as a tunneling barrier gained much attention because of their applications in random access memories and magnetic sensors in disk drives. In this work, the structural and magnetic properties of the MgO/FeCoB/MgO trilayer have been studied precisely under x-ray standing wave (XSW) conditions, where XSW is generated through a high-density (Pt) waveguide structure. The combined x-ray scattering and fluorescence data obtained under XSW conditions revealed the formation of a high-density FeCoB layer at the MgO/FeCoB interface (FeCoB-on-MgO) in the as-deposited trilayer. Diffusion of B from the FeCoB layer into MgO is attributed to the formation of Fe- and Co-rich high-density layer (B-deficient FeCoB layer) at the interface. Angular-dependent magnetism of the trilayer structure revealed the presence of in-plane magnetic anisotropy (IMA), which disappeared with thermal annealing at a temperature of 450 °C. Stress in B-deficient FeCoB layer at the interface is attributed to the origin of IMA through magneto-elastic anisotropy energy minimization. The disappearance of anisotropy after annealing is mainly due to the removal of long-range stress and the formation of crystalline bcc-FeCo phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In traumatic dental injuries in children, due to a lack of maturity to cope with the situation, pain intolerance, amount of treatment procedure, and parental anxiety, simplified and non-invasive treatment procedures, such as biologic restorations, are useful. Using advanced adhesive material for fragment reattachment provides excellent esthetic results and a positive attitude from the patient and family. The purpose of this case report is to describe the biological restoration of a complicated crown-root fracture of a primary maxillary central incisor with the fragment reattachment technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Small round cell tumors (SRCTs) are a group of malignant neoplasms with minimal or no differentiation, characterized by the presence of round cells with high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio. Although SRCTs can occur in any part of the body, involvement of central nervous system (CNS) is uncommon. Aim: We aimed to study the clinicopathological spectrum of cranial SRCT diagnosed in our institute over a period of four years (2016-2019). Material and Methods: A retrospective review of medical records (2016-2019) with a morphological diagnosis of cranial SRCT was made. Both intra-axial and extra-axial tumors were included. A total of 60 cases were retrieved, and the clinical and histopathological features were studied. Special cytochemical staining and immunohistochemistry were performed, where needed. Results: The mean age at presentation was 18.4 years (range, 1-60 years), with a male-to-female ratio of 2.5:1. The most common site was posterior fossa of brain (n = 28, 47%), followed by dorso-lumbar spine (n = 9, 15%). The most common type of tumor was medulloblastoma (n = 29, 48.3%), followed by Ewing sarcoma (ES)/peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (pPNET) (n = 11, 18.3%), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (n = 9, 15%), neuroblastoma (n = 3, 5%), and CNS embryonal tumor, NOS (n = 2, 3.3%). One case each of atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT), rhabdomyosarcoma, pineoblastoma, melanoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was also documented. Conclusions: SRCTs have a variable age of presentation. Their incidence in CNS is low as compared to other organ systems. On light microscopy, the histopathology of these lesions is overlapping, posing a great diagnostic dilemma for the pathologist. The use of ancillary techniques like immunohistochemistry helps in arriving at the correct diagnosis. Treatment strategy and tumor prognosis also vary along the entire spectrum of SRCT, thus making exact characterization essential for proper management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/Aim:- The aim of the present research study was to study the facilitating factors of pharmaceutical digital marketing challenges and opportunities in the contemporary context. The role of digital marketing plays a crucial role for better interaction, cost-effectiveness, to build a relationship between physicians and people with personalized care. Research Methodology/Approach/Design:- It is a descriptive research design, the data collected through structured closed ended questionnaire with a sample of 50 from undergraduates and postgraduates. Statistical tools:- Applied both descriptive and inferential statistics like: Mean, SD, ANOVA and Chi-Square test to assess the opinion of the respondents. Findings:- The outcome of the research witnessed that the majority of the respondents agreed that Pharma products should be produced for specific purpose, availability of website and online content, usage of whatsApp, twitter, Instagram other platforms plays a crucial role to interact with the customers, recommendations by experts, users, building loyalty and trust plays a significant role to interact with the customers and to increase the sales of the business. Further, product differentiations, advertisements, building the databases are the essential aspects to strengthen the digital marketing. Novelty:- The concept which is novel, as few literatures are available on digital pharma marketing in the contemporary scenario. Generalizability:- The outcome of the research can be generalized under any phenomenon where need arises to strengthen the pharma digital marketing strategies in India. Originality:- The present research on antecedents of digital marketing strategies has not been copied from any source. Type of Research:- It is a descriptive research study where it has taken the advantage of both descriptive and inferential statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media platforms, namely Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. have gained a lot of attention as users used to share their views, and post videos, audio, and pictures for social networking. In near future, understanding the meaning and analyzing this enormously rising volume and size of online data will become a necessity in order to extract valuable information from them. In a similar context, the paper proposes an analysis model in two phases namely the training and the sentiment classification using the reward-based grasshopper optimization algorithm. The training architecture and context analysis of the tweet are presented for the sentiment analysis along with the ground truth processing of emotions. The proposed algorithm is divided into two phases namely the exploitation and the exploration part and creates a reward mechanism that utilizes both phases. The proposed algorithm also uses cosine similarity, dice coefficient, and euclidean distance as the input set and further processes using the grasshopper algorithm. Finally, it presents a combination of swarm intelligence and machine learning for attribute selection in which the reward mechanism is further validated using machine learning techniques. The comparative performance in terms of precision, recall, and F-measure has been measured for the proposed model in comparison to existing swarm-based sentiment analysis works. Overall, simulation analysis showed that the proposed work based on grasshopper optimization outperformed the existing approaches for Sentiment 140 by 5.93% to 10.05% SemEval 2013 by 6.15% to 12.61% and COVID-19 tweets by 2.72% to 9.13%. Thus, demonstrating the efficiency of the context-aware sentiment analysis using the grasshopper optimization approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Gliomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors. The current World Health Organization (WHO) classification of central nervous system tumors recommends integrated histo-molecular diagnosis of gliomas. However, molecular testing is not available in even most of the advanced centers of our country, and histopathology aided with immunohistochemistry (IHC) is still widely used for diagnosis. Immunohistochemical markers such as iso-citrate dehydrogenase1 (IDH1) and Alpha Thalassemia/ Mental Retardation Syndrome X-linked (ATRX) can be reliably used for the correct diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of gliomas. Aim: We aimed to develop a diagnostic algorithm by integrating morphology, IDH1, and ATRX status of gliomas seen in our institute for 1 year. Settings and Design: Analytical cross-sectional study. Materials and Methods: This study included 60 histopathologically confirmed cases of astrocytic (n = 51) and oligodendroglial tumors (n = 9). Clinical, radiological, and histopathological features were noted and tumor grades assigned according to the WHO recommendations. IDH1 and ATRX mutation status was evaluated using IHC. The tumors were divided into three molecular groups on the basis of their IDH1 and ATRX mutation status: (1) Group 1: IDH1 negative and ATRX positive, (2) Group 2: IDH1 positive and ATRX positive, (3) Group 3: IDH1 positive and ATRX negative. Results: The mean age of presentation was 45.0 ± 15.8 years with a male-to-female ratio of 2:1. Seizures, headache, and hemiparesis were the most common modes of presentation. The tumor subtypes studied were glioblastoma (n = 32), anaplastic astrocytoma (n = 7), diffuse astrocytoma (n = 6), oligodendroglioma (n = 6), pilocytic astrocytoma (n = 6), and anaplastic oligodendroglioma (n = 3). IDH1 mutation was present in 26 cases including anaplastic astrocytoma (n = 7), diffuse astrocytoma (n = 6), oligodendroglioma (n = 5), secondary glioblastoma (n = 5), and anaplastic oligodendroglioma (n = 3). ATRX mutation, i. e., loss of ATRX was observed in 17 cases including diffuse astrocytoma (n = 5), anaplastic astocytoma (n = 5), anaplastic oligodendroglioma (n = 3), oligodendroglioma (n = 3), and secondary glioblastoma (n = 1). All six cases of pilocytic astrocytoma were negative for IDH1 and ATRX mutation. There were 34 patients in Group 1 (IDH1-- and ATRX +), nine cases in Group 2 (IDH1 + and ATRX +), and 17 patients in Group 3 (IDH1 + and ATRX-). Conclusion: Diagnosis of gliomas should be based on a detailed clinicoradiological and histopathological assessment, followed by genotypic characterization. Evaluation for IDH1and ATRX status has both diagnostic and prognostic value as it helps in differentiating gliomas from reactive gliosis, primary glioblastoma from secondary glioblastoma, and pilocytic astrocytoma (WHO grade I) from diffuse astrocytoma (WHO grade II). Tumors with IDH1 mutations have a better outcome than those with wild-type IDH. IHC can serve as a useful surrogate to conventional molecular tests in resource-constrained settings. By devising an algorithm based on morphological and IHC features, we were able to stratify gliomas into three prognostic subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer worldwide. The pathogenesis of BCC involves interplay between various environmental and genetic factors. It is believed that chemokines play a significant role in the modulation of cancer growth by generating autocrine and paracrine signaling effects. The present study was conducted to elucidate the expression of chemokine, CXCL11, and its receptor CXCR3, and their interaction with tumor cells and peri-tumoral stroma in various subtypes of BCC. Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of chemokine CXCL11 and its receptor CXCR3 in various subtypes of BCC. Materials and Methods: The study included 40 cases of histopathologically confirmed BCC. Clinical and histopathological features of various tumor subtypes were noted. Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies against CXCL11 and CXCR3, and these were assigned scores 0, 1, and 2 on the basis of immunohistochemical expression. Results: The median age of study participants was 65.0 ± 12.2 years with a male-to-female ratio of 1.5:1. The most common site was face, followed by neck, scalp, and back. The tumor subtypes included in the study were nodular (n = 20), pigmented (n = 8), infiltrating (n = 5), superficial (n = 4), and adenoid (n = 3). On immunohistochemistry, CXCR3 expression was seen in 34 (85%) cases with stromal inflammatory cells immunopositivity in 29 (72.5%) cases and tumor cells immunopositivity in 5 (12.5%) cases. CXCL11 expression was seen in 36 (90%) cases with weak expression in stroma and tumor in 18 cases and strong expression in the rest 18 cases. In individual subtypes, higher immunopositivity for CXCR3 and CXCL11 in tumor cells and peri-tumoral stroma was seen for nodular, infiltrating, and pigmented subtypes, compared to adenoid and superficial subtypes. Conclusion: Our study shows the enhanced expression of chemokine CXCL11 and its receptor CXCR3 in tumor cells and peri-tumoral stroma of BCC. This expression is greater in tumor cells of aggressive subtypes, i.e. nodular, infiltrating, and pigmented types. This suggests that receptor ligand pathway involving CXCR3 and CXCL11 plays a key role in pathogenesis of BCC, and blocking this pathway may result in inhibition of tumor growth. Thus, these chemokines may serve as future potential targets in developing novel therapeutic regimens against BCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper focuses on the mental health needs, the need for mental health interventions and barriers in mental healthcare of women living in rural Maharashtra, India. Using a mixedmethods approach, the study has collected data from a sample of women living in the rural areas of Maharashtra through in-depth interviews. The data collected has been analyzed to identify the barriers and obstacles in mental healthcare, how the existing community support serves as a resource as well as the desire for potential mental healthcare interventions among participants. The findings of the study are expected to contribute to the development of effective mental health interventions tailored to the specific needs of women living in the rural areas of Maharashtra. Overall, this research paper aims to improve the understanding of the mental health needs of women in rural Maharashtra and provide insights for policymakers and mental health practitioners to develop effective interventions to promote their mental well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Approximately 40 percent of pregnant women worldwide, according to the WHO, have anemia. Postpartum anemia is frequently observed. It normally accounts for 20 to 30 percent cases. However its frequency may be even high in women who had (30 % to 60%) third or fourth degree tears of vagina, removal of placenta manually and instrumental delivery. Oral medication is insufficient to treat PPA in moderate and severe cases. Parenteral treatment can prevent the requirement for blood transfusions throughout pregnancy and after delivery in these individuals and offers a better compliance. Aim: To compare efficacy and safety of ferric carboxymaltose versus oral iron in postpartum women with anemia Methods and Materials: In this study 162 pregnant woman were included. 12 were lost to follow up.8 were of oral iron group and 4 were of FCM group .Finally 150 women were followed. They were divided into two groups. Group A (oral iron group) included 75 patients .They were given 100 mg of iron tablets bid for 4 weeks. Group B (FCM group) included 75 patients. They were given 1000 mg of injection FCM.FCM was given by 1000 mg of injection in 250ml of normal saline over 15 minutes. Complete hemogram and serum ferritin were repeated after 2 weeks from the last dose of iron and injection of FCM. The adverse effects of drug administration in the two groups were also recorded Results: On comparing both the groups using independent t test we found that increase in Hb concentration and serum ferritin in FCM group is found to be statistically significant over oral iron group (p value .0001 and .0001).Our study also documented safety of FCM .There were minimal side effects of this drug and that too were minor ones as burning sensation over injection site, headache, itching etc. No major side effects were seen. Women in the two groups had comparable demographic profile. (P value >0.05).Mean post transfusion Hb in oral iron and FCM group was 9.81g/dl and 10.73g/dl respectively, which is statistically significant (p value =0.0001). Mean ferritin after treatment with oral iron and FCM was 149.35 and 208.90ng/dl respectively which is also statistically significant (p value=0.0001). Mean increase in Hb and serum ferritin in oral iron and FCM groups was 1.228, 2.63g% and 105.93 and 160.53ng/dl, respectively. Conclusion: Ferric carboxymaltose is very effective in correcting iron deficiency anemia among patients with postpartum anemia. The added benefits of FCM over oral iron included significant rapid correction of iron deficiency anemia, fast replenishment of iron stores with better patient compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is considered the most common malignant tumor among the oral squamous cell carcinomas with a poor prognosis. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms that underpin TSCC and its treatments is the focus of the research. Deregulated expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) has recently been implicated in various biological processes linked to cancer. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to investigate miRNAs and their targets expressed in TSCC, which could be involved in its oncogenesis. We performed next-generation sequencing of small RNAs and transcriptomes in H357 TSCC cell line and human oral keratinocytes as a control to find miRNAs and mRNAs that are differentially expressed (DE), which were then supplemented with additional expression datasets from databases, yielding 269 DE miRNAs and 2094 DE genes. The target prediction followed by pathway and disease function analysis revealed that the DE targets were significantly associated with the key processes and pathways, such as apoptosis, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, endocytosis and vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathways. Furthermore, the top 12 DE targets were chosen based on their involvement in more than one cancer-related pathway, of which 6 genes are targeted by miR-128-3p. Real-time quantitative PCR validation of this miRNA and its targets in H357 and SCC9 TSCC cells confirmed their possible targeting from their reciprocal expression, with MAP2K7 being a critical target that might be involved in oncogenesis and progression of TSCC by acting as a tumor suppressor. Further research is underway to understand how miR-128-3p regulates oncogenesis in TSCC via MAP2K7 and associated pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary cutaneous large B cell lymphoma, leg type is a rare and aggressive variant of cutaneous B cell lymphoma. It predominantly affects elderly women, with the lower limb being the most common site of presentation. The overall prognosis is poor, compared to other cutaneous B cell lymphomas. A 47-year-old man presented with a progressively enlarging nodule over the medial aspect of the left foot since 2 months. Clinical examination revealed a nodular plaque-like lesion with central ulceration that measured 7 × 7 cm, firm in consistency, and with ill-defined margins. The initial clinical diagnosis was lupus vulgaris. An incision biopsy was done, which on histopathology and immunohistochemistry revealed a rare diagnosis of primary cutaneous B cell lymphoma, leg type. The patient was started on chemotherapy; however, he succumbed to his illness about 1 year after the initial presentation. It is a rare type of cutaneous lymphoma, which may masquerade infectious disorders such as lupus vulgaris. A detailed histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis is essential for its correct diagnosis and management. Only a handful of cases of this rare condition are reported to date. This case has been reported in view of its rarity and unusual clinical presentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diasporas are found as a key driver in developmental process and strengthen the relationship between home and host nations. The importance of diaspora has been recognized internationally which has given a push to the countries to engage with diaspora as a resource of development. Government is framing their foreign policies for securing the welfare of their overseas citizens as they can act as a catalyst to investment, technology transfer and economic development of their homeland. This research paper analyses the role of Indian diaspora in boosting country's economy. Information has been collected through primary data, secondary data and some personal semi structured interviews conducted with the 50 persons who are either living abroad or have returned after spending substantial number of years abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutation in Werner (WRN) RECQL helicase is associated with premature aging syndrome (Werner syndrome, WS) and predisposition to multiple cancers. In patients with solid cancers, deficiency of the WRN RECQL helicase is paradoxically associated with enhanced overall survival in response to treatment with TOP1 inhibitors, which stabilize pathological TOP1‐DNA‐covalent‐complexes (TOP1cc) on the genome. However, the underlying mechanism of WRN in development of chemoresistance to TOP1 inhibitors is not yet explored. Our whole‐genome transcriptomic analysis for ~25,000 genes showed robust activation of NF‐κB‐dependent prosurvival genes in response to TOP1cc. CRISPR‐Cas9 knockout, shRNA silencing, and under‐expression of WRN confer high‐sensitivity of multiple cancers to TOP1 inhibitor. We demonstrated that WRN orchestrates TOP1cc repair through proteasome‐dependent and proteasome‐independent process, unleashing robust ssDNA generation. This in turn ensues signal transduction for CHK1 mediated NF‐κB‐activation through IκBα‐degradation and nuclear localization of p65 protein. Intriguingly, our site‐directed mutagenesis and rescue experiments revealed that neither RECQL‐helicase nor DNA‐exonuclease enzyme activity of WRN (WRNE84A, WRNK577M, and WRNE84A‐K577M) were required for TOP1cc removal, ssDNA generation and signaling for NF‐κB activation. In correlation with patient data and above results, the TOP1 inhibitor‐based targeted therapy showed that WRN‐deficient melanoma tumors were highly sensitive to TOP1 inhibition in preclinical in vivo mouse model. Collectively, our findings identify hitherto unknown non‐enzymatic role of WRN RECQL helicase in pathological mechanisms underlying TOP1cc processing and subsequent NF‐κB‐activation, offering a potential targeted therapy for WRN‐deficient cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ion irradiation induced recovery of defects in 3C–SiC caused by electronic energy loss (S e) in the intermediate energy regime (a few 100s of keV to a few 10s of MeV) is less explored. Towards this, separate and sequential ion irradiation of 200 keV Si+ ions and 14 MeV Si+ ions in 3C–SiC were carried out. In our earlier work, RBS/C findings demonstrated that 14 MeV Si+ ion irradiation (S e - 4.9 keV/nm) resulted in defect recovery in 3C–SiC pre-damaged with 200 keV Si+ ions [1]. The present work investigates the strain and structural evolution using High-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), Reciprocal space mapping (RSM), X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) and Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), in the 3C–SiC layer as a result of ion irradiation induced defect production and recovery. HRXRD results revealed that 200 keV Si+ ion results in 4 % of strain at the projected range of ions and strain relaxation as a result of ionization-induced annealing is observed after subsequent 14 MeV Si+ ion irradiation. RSM measurements showed evidence for the formation of extended defects in sequentially ion irradiated samples. Optical characterization using DRS measurements indicates a reduction of refractive index in the ion-irradiated layer, however, for the amorphous SiC layer (ion dose: 0.6 dpa, 200 keV Si+ ion), the refractive index increased due to a reduction in mass density. Modification of refractive index in the ion irradiated layer is a result of the combination of negative change in volume effect and positive change in electronic polarizability. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes the design of two coordinated wide-area damping controllers (CWADCs) for damping low frequency oscillations (LFOs), while accounting for the uncertainties present in the power system. The controllers based on Deep Neural Network (DNN) and Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), respectively, coordinate the operation of different local damping controls such as power system stabilizers (PSSs), static VAr compensators (SVCs), and supplementary damping controllers for DC lines (DC-SDCs). The DNN-CWADC learns to make control decisions using supervised learning; the training dataset consisting of polytopic controllers designed with the help of linear matrix inequality (LMI)-based mixed $H_2/H_\infty$ optimization. The DRL-CWADC learns to adapt to the system uncertainties based on its continuous interaction with the power system environment by employing an advanced version of the state-of-the-art deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) algorithm referred to as bounded exploratory control-based DDPG (BEC-DDPG). The studies performed on a 33 machine, 127 bus equivalent model of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) system-embedded with different types of damping controls demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed CWADCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niche theory predicts specialists which will be more sensitive to environmental perturbation compared to generalists, a hypothesis receiving broad support in free‐living species. Based on their niche breadth, parasites can also be classified as specialists and generalists, with specialists infecting only a few and generalists a diverse array of host species. Here, using avian haemosporidian parasites infecting wild bird populations inhabiting the Western Ghats, India as a model system, we elucidate how climate, habitat and human disturbance affects parasite prevalence both directly and indirectly via their effects on host diversity. Our data demonstrate that anthropogenic disturbance acts to reduce the prevalence of specialist parasite lineages, while increasing that of generalist lineages. Thus, as in free‐living species, disturbance favours parasite communities dominated by generalist versus specialist species. Because generalist parasites are more likely to cause emerging infectious diseases, such biotic homogenisation of parasite communities could increase disease emergence risk in the Anthropocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise in the use of herbal product has also given rise to various forms of abuse and adulteration of the products leading to consumers’ and manufacturers’ disappointment and in some instances fatal consequences. The word “standardized” on a product label is no guarantee of higher product quality, since there is no legal definition of the word “standardized.” Consumers are often left on their own to decide what is safe and effective for them and the lack of consistent labelling on herbal products can be a source of consumer frustration. Certain information such as “the product has been manufactured according to Pharmacopoeia standards,” listing of active ingredients and amounts, directions such as serving quantity (dosage) and frequency of intake of the drug, must be in the label. Herbal drug technology is used for converting botanical materials into medicines, where standardization and quality control with proper integration of modern scientific techniques and traditional knowledge is important. The quality control standards of various medicinal plants used in indigenous system of medicine are becoming more relevant today in view of commercialization of formulations based on medicinal plants. This review seeks to enlighten techniques involved in standardization of crude/finished compound drugs so far, e.g. macroscopic methods, microscopic methods, physical methods, chemical methods, biological methods. Standardization of herbal drugs means confirmation of its identity, quality and purity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nivolumab is a programmed death receptor-1 blocking monoclonal antibody which has been approved by United States Food and Drug Administration for patients with metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. Endocrinopathies like thyroid dysfunction and adrenal insufficiency are its known immune related adverse effects. Hypophysitis is very rare and usually presents with minimal symptoms. We report development of hypophysitis in an 84-year-old female patient who developed a range of symptoms (fatigue, headache, nausea) as well as laboratory confirmation of both central hypothyroidism and central adrenal deficiency which is unusual in cases of nivolumab induced hypophysitis. The patient had well differentiated adenocarcinoma of the left upper lobe of the lung. She underwent wedge resection followed by chemotherapy and was started on nivolumab due to recurrence. After 14 cycles of nivolumab, she started complaining of intense fatigue. She was found to have central thyroid deficiency and was started on levothyroxine. But her symptoms did not improve. Then she underwent adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test which showed central adrenal deficiency, but her brain magnetic resonance imaging did not reveal any pituitary or sellar changes. A diagnosis of nivolumab induced hypophysitis was made, based on clinical grounds and hormonal profile and she was started on oral steroids. She responded dramatically to this steroidal therapy within four weeks of its initiation and her immunotherapy with nivolumab was restarted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) is a rare benign brain tumor predominantly involving children and young adults. Histologically, it corresponds to WHO Grade I tumors; however, it may masquerade aggressive neural tumors such as oligodendroglioma, oligoastrocytoma, pilocytic astrocytoma, and ganglioglioma. The literature on clinical, radiological, and pathological spectrum of DNT is described mostly in the form of case reports, with only a few case series reported till date. Methods: A retrospective review of files with diagnosis of DNT (2016 to 2018) was made in the Department of Pathology, National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi. A total of ten cases were retrieved, and their clinical, radiological, and histopathological features were reviewed and studied. Special stains and immunohistochemistry were done, wherever required. Results: The mean age was 14.8 (±7.9) years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.5:1. The most common mode of presentation was recurrent, intractable seizures. The most common site of lesion was parietal lobe followed by temporal and frontal lobes of the brain. On histology, mucoid matrix admixed with floating neurons and oligodendrocyte-like cells was a consistent feature; however, the presence of specific glioneuronal elements was observed in only a few cases. Conclusions: DNT is a benign, low-grade, nonrecurrent neuroepithelial neoplasm. It is important to differentiate this rare entity from other mimickers, as it is surgically curable and carries an excellent prognosis without the need for adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The study helps to enrich the clinicopathological aspects of this rare but important entity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hard X‐ray engineering applications beamline (BL‐02) was commissioned recently and started operation in March 2019 at the Indian synchrotron source, Indus‐2. This bending‐magnet‐based beamline is capable of operating in various beam modes, viz. white, pink and monochromatic beam. The beamline utilizes the X‐ray diffraction technique in energy‐dispersive and angle‐dispersive modes to carry out experiments mainly focused on engineering problems, viz. stress measurement, texture measurement and determination of elastic constants in a variety of bulk as well as thin‐film samples. An open‐cradle six‐circle diffractometer with ∼12 kg load capacity allows accommodation of a wide variety of engineering samples and qualifies the beamline as a unique facility at Indus‐2. The high‐resolution mode of this beamline is suitably designed so as to carry out line profile analysis for characterization of micro‐ and nano‐structures. In the present article the beamline is described starting from the beamline design, layout, optics involved, various operational modes and experimental stations. Experiments executed to validate the beamline design parameters and to demonstrate the capabilities of the beamline are also described. The future facilities to be incorporated to enhance the capabilities of the beamline are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) is a rare benign brain tumor predominantly involving children and young adults. Histologically, it corresponds to WHO Grade I tumors; however, it may masquerade aggressive neural tumors such as oligodendroglioma, oligoastrocytoma, pilocytic astrocytoma, and ganglioglioma. The literature on clinical, radiological, and pathological spectrum of DNT is described mostly in the form of case reports, with only a few case series reported till date.Methods: A retrospective review of files with diagnosis of DNT (2016 to 2018) was made in the Department of Pathology, National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi. A total of ten cases were retrieved, and their clinical, radiological, and histopathological features were reviewed and studied. Special stains and immunohistochemistry were done, wherever required.Results: The mean age was 14.8 (±7.9) years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.5:1. The most common mode of presentation was recurrent, intractable seizures. The most common site of lesion was parietal lobe followed by temporal and frontal lobes of the brain. On histology, mucoid matrix admixed with floating neurons and oligodendrocyte-like cells was a consistent feature; however, the presence of specific glioneuronal elements was observed in only a few cases.Conclusions: DNT is a benign, low-grade, nonrecurrent neuroepithelial neoplasm. It is important to differentiate this rare entity from other mimickers, as it is surgically curable and carries an excellent prognosis without the need for adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The study helps to enrich the clinicopathological aspects of this rare but important entity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Room‐temperature synchrotron X‐ray diffraction and subsequent detailed line profile analysis of Fe powder were performed for microstructural characterization. The peak shapes of the diffraction pattern of Fe were found to be super‐Lorentzian in nature and the peak widths were anisotropically broadened. These peak profile features of the diffraction pattern are related to the microstructural parameters of the material. In order to elucidate these features of the diffraction pattern, detailed line (peak) profile analyses were performed using the Rietveld method, modified Williamson–Hall plots and whole powder pattern modelling (WPPM), and related microstructural parameters were determined. Profile fitting using the Rietveld and WPPM methods with a single microstructural (unimodal) model shows systematic deviation from the experimentally observed diffraction pattern. On the basis of Rietveld analysis and microstructural modelling it is revealed that the microstructure of Fe consists of two components (bimodal profile). The microstructural parameters of crystallite/domain size distribution, dislocation density, nature of dislocations and phase fraction were evaluated for both components. The results obtained using different methods are compared, and it is shown that diffraction peak profile analysis is capable of modelling such inhomogeneous bimodal microstructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study uses the theory of weakly nonlinear geometrical acoustics to derive the high-frequency small amplitude asymptotic solution of the one-dimensional quasilinear hyperbolic system of partial differential equations characterizing compressible, unsteady flow with generalized geometry in ideal gas flow with dust particles. The method of multiple time scales is applied to derive the transport equations for the amplitude of resonantly interacting high-frequency waves in a dusty gas. These transport equations are used for the qualitative analysis of nonlinear wave interaction process and self-interaction of nonlinear waves which exist in the system under study. Further, the evolutionary behavior of weak shock waves propagating in ideal gas flow with dust particles is examined here. The progressive wave nature of nonresonant waves terminating into the shock wave and its location is also studied. Further, we analyze the effect of the small solid particles on the propagation of shock wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present paper is to obtain the degree of approximation in terms of a Lipschitz type maximal function for the Kantorovich type modification of Jakimovski–Leviatan operators based on multiple Appell polynomials. Also, we study the rate of approximation of these operators in a weighted space of polynomial growth and for functions having a derivative of bounded variation. A Voronvskaja type theorem is obtained. Further, we illustrate the convergence of these operators for certain functions through tables and figures using the Maple algorithm and, by a numerical example, we show that our Kantorovich type operator involving multiple Appell polynomials yields a better rate of convergence than the Durrmeyer type Jakimovski Leviatan operators based on Appell polynomials introduced by Karaisa (2016). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article details the contributions of Heinrich Adolf Gottron to the field of dermatology. The article presents a list of dermatological signs and conditions named for Gottron including Gottron syndrome (which is also known as Gottron acrogeria), Gottron papule, and Arndt-Gottron disease along with a description of each.

The main motive of the present study is to determine the closed form solution of the generalized Riemann Problem (GRP) for the 1-D Euler's equation for Chaplygin gas by using the Differential Constraint Method (DCM). The consistency conditions and differential constraint for the governing model is determined. Also, the compatibility condition between differential constraints and Chaplygin gas model is computed here. Further, to obtain an exact (closed form) solution of Generalized Riemann Problem (GRP), we characterize the solution for a smooth arbitrary function as initial data. Ultimately, we solve the GRP with generalized discontinuous initial data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present paper is to introduce and study a sequence of positive linear operators defined on suitable spaces of measurable functions on [ 0 , ∞) and continuous function spaces with polynomial weights. These operators are Kantorovich type generalization of Jakimovski–Leviatan operators based on multiple Appell polynomials. Using these operators, we approximate suitable measurable functions by knowing their mean values on a sequence of subintervals of [ 0 , ∞) that do not constitute a subdivision of it. We also discuss the rate of convergence of these operators using moduli of smoothness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complement system is a critical component of both innate and adaptive immune responses. It has both protective and pathogenic roles in viral infections. There are no studies regarding the role of complement system in Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection. The current study has investigated the role of complement pathways in the in vitro neutralization of CHPV in Vero E6 cells. Using normal human serum (NHS), heat-inactivated serum (HIS), human serum deficient of complement factor, respective reconstituted serum, assays like in vitro neutralization, real-time PCR, and flow cytometry-based tissue culture-based limited dose assay (TC-LDA) were carried out for assessing the activation of different complement pathways. NHS from 9/10 donors showed complement dependent neutralization, reduction in viral load and decrease in percentage of CHPV-positive cells compared to their HIS counterparts. EGTA or EDTA pretreatment experiments indicated that CHPV neutralization proceeds through the alternative pathway of the complement activation. Our data showed a strong dependence on C3 for the in vitro neutralization of CHPV. Disparity in CHPV neutralization levels between factor B-deficient and reconstituted sera could be attributed to amplification loop/"tick-over" mechanism. Assays using C3, C5, and C8 deficient sera indicated that complement-mediated CHPV neutralization and suppression of CHPV infectivity are primarily through C3 and C5, and not dependent on downstream complement factor C8. With no specific anti-viral treatment/vaccine against Chandipura, the current data, elucidating role of human complement system in the neutralization of CHPV, may help in designing effective therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parasites, and the diseases they cause, are important from an ecological and evolutionary perspective because they can negatively affect host fitness and can regulate host populations. Consequently, conservation biology has long recognized the vital role that parasites can play in the process of species endangerment and recovery. However, we are only beginning to understand how deeply parasites are embedded in ecological systems, and there is a growing recognition of the important ways in which parasites affect ecosystem structure and function. Thus, there is an urgent need to revisit how parasites are viewed from a conservation perspective and broaden the role that disease ecology plays in conservation-related research and outcomes. This review broadly focusses on the role that disease ecology can play in biological conservation. Our review specifically emphasizes on how the integration of tools and analytical approaches associated with both disease and molecular ecology can be leveraged to aid conservation biology. Our review first concentrates on disease-mediated extinctions and wildlife epidemics. We then focus on elucidating how host–parasite interactions has improved our understanding of the eco-evolutionary dynamics affecting hosts at the individual, population, community and ecosystem scales. We believe that the role of parasites as drivers and indicators of ecosystem health is especially an exciting area of research that has the potential to fundamentally alter our view of parasites and their role in biological conservation. The review concludes with a broad overview of the current and potential applications of modern genomic tools in disease ecology to aid biological conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is known and objective: Oxidative stress and inflammation are known to be high in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, association of change in their levels with treatment response remains unaddressed. The present study evaluated change in blood levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in NSCLC patients, after first course of platinum‐based chemotherapy. Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled newly diagnosed NSCLC patients receiving either pemetrexed‐carboplatin (group A) or paclitaxel‐carboplatin (group B). Blood levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), C‐reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) were measured at baseline and after first cycle. Response to treatment was noted after 2nd or 4th cycle, as available. Subgroup analysis was done (group B), based on paclitaxel dose/formulation. Results: Of the 85 patients screened, 38 were enrolled with a mean age of 56.7 ± 9.2 years. Baseline levels of oxidative and inflammatory markers were not different between the groups and did not change significantly within the groups. Significant reduction in IL‐6 was seen with three‐weekly paclitaxel‐carboplatin (from median 81.3 [range 8.6, 1006] pg/mL to 51.8 [11.4, 99.5] pg/mL; P =.025). C‐reactive protein levels reduced with weekly nab‐paclitaxel (P =.043). Change in levels did not relate with therapeutic response except for IL‐6 which decreased in patients with partial response (from 102.6 [8.1, 1006] pg/mL to 38.9 [8.4, 99.5] pg/mL; P =.036). What is new and conclusion: Although the levels of oxidative and inflammatory markers varied following chemotherapy, trend indicates that IL‐6 may be a potential marker of treatment response in NSCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Problem: A surgical resection is considered standard in myoepithelial carcinoma. • We performed an individual patient data analysis to check role of adjuvant therapy. • Surgery remains standard of care with adjuvant radiation in high risk cases. Myoepithelial carcinoma (MEC) is an extremely rare low grade salivary gland neoplasm [1–4]. A surgical resection is considered as corner stone of therapy. Role of adjuvant therapy is not clear. We performed systematic review and individual patient data analysis of 691 patients to look into the impact of adjuvant therapy and different prognostic variable for MEC. Data of 691 individual patients were retrieved from 340 publications. Median age of presentation was 56 years (Range: 0–103 years) with a trend of increasing incidence for increase in age. Major salivary glands (36.4%) were the commonest sub-site followed by minor salivary glands, skin and soft tissue, and breast. Median PFS and OS of entire cohort was 48 months (95% CI: 30–65 months) and 167 months (95% CI: 82–251 months). In univariate analysis A R0 resection was associated with significantly better PFS and OS. Median PFS and OS were significantly worse for patients with tumour size >5 cm compared to smaller tumours and for patients with a mitotic index >10/10 high power field (hpf) compared to lower mitotic index. Adjuvant radiation was found to reduce loco-regional recurrence. Adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy both were associated with negative impact on survival in univariate analysis. This negative impact on survival was lost in multivariate analysis. MEC appears to be a low grade malignancy with good survival outcome. A R0 resection should be the standard of care. Adjuvant radiation should be considered for patients with adverse risk features to improve loco-regional disease control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider several dual models for a multiobjective semiinfinite fractional programming problem and establish usual duality theorems involving type-I and related functions. Our results generalize the results of Zalmai and Zhang [G.J. Zalmai and Qing-hong Zhang, Parametric duality models for semiinfinite multiobjective fractional programming problems containing generalized (α, η, ρ)-V-invex functions, Acta Math. Appl. Sinica29(2) (2013), 225–240]. Results obtained in this paper extend and unify several results in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Drug–Drug-Interaction (DDI), the task is to predict the (adverse) effect of administering two drugs simultaneously. Currently, the techniques proposed in this direction are generally based on either shallow learning paradigms like Random Decision Forest (RDF), Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machines (SVM), etc., or deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). However, specific works combine traditional machine learning (ML) algorithms such as RDF, LR, SVM, and deep learning paradigms such as CNNs in a piecemeal fashion which might not be optimal. Hence, the present work proposes a framework that presents a joint end-to-end solution. We propose a Siamese-like architecture with two processing channels' networks based on deep convolutional transform learning. Common fused representations as well as channel-wise representations are learnt, in addition with the transform across them. The final representation is passed to a decision forest to give final predictions. The proposed method is thus a supervised end-to-end multi-channel fusion framework that (i) learns unique and interpretable filters in contrast with CNNs, and (ii) jointly learns and optimizes decision forest in contrast with state-of-the-art piecemeal approach. We apply this technique to identify DDIs among 1059 drugs from the DrugBank database showing superiority of our method compared to the state-of-the-art(s). • The work proposes a supervised multi-channel information fusion framework. • It is based on Deep Convolutional Transform Learning and Decision Forests. • The practical goal is to perform classification tasks on drug–drug interaction data. • It improves over the state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper concerns with the propagation of weak shock waves in a dusty gas governed by the quasilinear hyperbolic partial differential equations. Using the method of wavefront analysis the transport equations governing the evolution of weak discontinuities are derived. Transport equations are used to determine the shock formation distance and conditions which ensure that there will not evolve any shock. Also the influence of dust particles, ratio of specific heats and upstream flow Mach number on the shock formation distance is analyzed. • The paper concerns with the propagation of weak shock waves in a dusty gas. • Method of wavefront analysis is used to derive the transport equations. • The shock formation distance is computed from the derived transport equations. • The conditions which ensure that there will not evolve any shock is obtained. • Influence of dust particles and Mach number on the shock formation is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Effect of thermal annealing on FeCoNbB thin film having different thicknesses has been studied. • UMA gradually decreases with annealing and disappears upon annealing at 773 K. • Growth induced anisotropic tensile stresses as the possible origin of observed UMA. • Nb addition improves thermal stability, inhibits grain growth and stabilises bcc-FeCo phase. • FeCoNbB films are proposed as potential material for magnetic electrode in MTJ applications. Abstract Influence of thermal annealing on the ion beam sputtered FeCo(Nb)B quaternary alloy thin films having thickness ∼20 nm and 80 nm was investigated. Regardless of amorphous microstructure, the as-deposited films possess uniaxial magnetic anisotropy (UMA) in the film plane. Annealing at temperature ∼503 K results in amorphous to nanocrystalline phase transformation with precipitation of bcc-FeCo phase. With increasing annealing temperature, magnetic anisotropy gradually decreases and thermal annealing at 773 K results in complete disappearance of UMA. In-plane strain distribution in such nanocrystalline FeCo(Nb)B thin films was obtained by using laboratory and synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. In-plane and out-of-plane X-ray diffraction measurements suggest, growth induced long range non-uniform tensile stress, as the possible origin of in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in such films. It is demonstrated that the stress distribution becomes uniform after annealing at 773 K and results in complete disappearance of magnetic anisotropy. The study further suggests that the presence of Nb in FeCoB film improves the thermal stability, inhibits grain growth and stabilizes bcc-FeCo phase up to elevated temperatures. This information is useful for magnetic tunnel junction application, where annealing of FeCoB magnetic electrode is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding why some parasites emerge in novel host communities while others do not has broad implications for human and wildlife health. In the case of haemosporidian blood parasites, epidemic wild bird mortalities on oceanic islands have been linked to Plasmodium spp., but not genera like Haemoproteus. Indeed, Haemoproteus is absent from many oceanic islands. By contrast, birds on continental islands share long coevolutionary histories with both Plasmodium and Haemoproteus, and are thus ideal model systems to elucidate eco-evolutionary endpoints associated with these parasites in oceanic islands. Here, we examine eco-evolutionary dynamics of avian haemosporidian in the Shola sky-island archipelago of the Western Ghats, India. Our analyses reveal that compared to Plasmodium, Haemoproteus lineages were highly host-specific and diversified via co-speciation with their hosts. We show that community structure of host-generalist Plasmodium was primarily driven by geographical factors (e.g. biogeographic barriers), while that of host-specialist Haemoproteus was driven by host species barriers (e.g. phylogenetic distance). Consequently, a few host species can harbour a high diversity of Plasmodium lineages which, in turn, are capable of infecting multiple host species. These two mechanisms can act in concert to increase the risk of introduction, establishment, and emergence of novel Plasmodium lineages in island systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current mode circuits are receiving considerable interest from engineering community due to their unique characteristics that are not found in their voltage mode counterparts. This paper presents a series method based design of a current conveyor active control circuit. An algorithm based on the principle of the series expansion of the pulse transfer function is employed for obtaining the transfer function of the controller. The controller is subsequently realized using the second generation current conveyors. The proposed methodology is used to design a CCII controller for a practical system, which is subsequently simulated using the AD844 IC's in the NI's Multisim simulation tool. Subsequently, the controller was designed and the comparisons are drawn between the experimental and simulation results in order to validate the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main motive of the present paper is to derive the analytical solution of the Riemann problem for magnetogasdynamic equations governing an inviscid unsteady one-dimensional flow of non-ideal polytropic gas subjected to the transverse magnetic field with infinite electrical conductivity. By using the Lax entropy condition and R–H conditions, we derive the elementary wave solutions i.e. shock wave, simple wave and contact discontinuities without any restriction on the magnitude of initial data states and discussed about their properties. Further, the density and velocity distribution in the flow field for the cases of compressive wave and rarefaction wave is discussed. Here we also compare/contrast the nature of solution in non-ideal magnetogasdynamic flow and ideal gas flow. • Solution of the Riemann Problem for non-ideal magnetogasdynamics flow is obtained. • Lax entropy and R–H conditions are used to derive elementary wave solutions. • Density and velocity profiles for 1- and 3-shock wave is presented. • Effect of non-idealness of the gas in the presence of magnetic field is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workload patterns of cloud applications are changing regularly. The workload prediction model is key for auto-scaling of resources in a cloud environment. It is helping with cost reduction and efficient resource utilization. The workload for the web applications is usually mixed for different application at different time span. The single prediction model is not able to predict different kinds of workload pattern of cloud applications. In this paper, an adaptive prediction model has been proposed using linear regression, ARIMA, and support vector regression for web applications. Workload classifier has been proposed to select the model as per workload features. Further the model parameters are selected through a heuristic approach. We have used real trace files to evaluate the proposed model with existing state-of-the-art models. The experiment results describe the significant improvement in root-mean-squared error and mean absolute percentage error metrics, and improve the quality of service of web applications in a cloud environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In patients with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF), pulmonary regurgitation (PR) leads to significant morbidity. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is the gold standard to assess severity of PR in rTOF patients. We compared Doppler echocardiography derived indices of PR with CMR to find the best predictive parameter for hemodynamically significant (hs) PR.Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of echocardiogram and CMR measurements. Doppler indices obtained included: PR deceleration slope, pressure half time (PHT) and PR index. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to optimize the sensitivity and specificity of selected variables in predicting hsPR. Inter-observer variability of the Doppler parameters was assessed in a random sample of 25 Doppler spectral recordings.Results: Our cohort (n = 96) comprised of 52 (54.2%) males. The mean (SD) age at CMR was 22.9 (10.3) years. 83.4% patients underwent complete repair with transannular patch. 78 (81%) patients had hsPR as defined by CMR PR > 20%. Doppler parameters with the values of; PR index of < 0.86, PR deceleration slope of > 375 cm/s2 and a PHT < 130 ms, demonstrated high sensitivity (93%) and high negative predictive values (98-99%). All the Doppler indices demonstrated minimal inter-observer variability (PHT = 0.9, 95% CI 0.69-0.97; PRi = 0.95, 95%CI 0.83-0.98).Conclusion: Our data, with its high negative predictive values, show that Doppler derived echocardiography indices have an ability to rule out hsPR, as measured by CMR. PHT, PR index and deceleration slope correlate with hsPR and can be used as screening tools for further testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work demonstrates an interferometric technique to estimate the reflected powers from dielectric interfaces and the reflection coefficient using the Fresnel equation for measurement of the refractive index (RI) of liquid samples. It uses low-coherence common-path optical interferometry that is commonly used for optical imaging. A uniquely designed optical fiber tip generating a high-quality non-diffractive Bessel beam probes liquid samples in a glass container non-invasively. The light reflected from different interfaces of the container is recollected by the same optical fiber tip. The reflected beams interfere with the reference beam generated at the fiber tip itself. This interference spectrum is further processed using fast-Fourier transform to measure reflected powers from the respective interfaces. The acquired powers are used to solve the Fresnel equation to find RI of liquid samples. As a proof of concept, experiments have been performed on several liquid samples including turbid media such as blood. This non-invasive interferometric technique could also be an ideal example confirming the Fresnel equation for reflection of light. Unlike other optical fiber-based RI sensors, this technique does not require temperature compensation. The method can be employed for inspection of the production process in terms of RI in pharmaceutical and chemical process plants, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground improvement with granular piles increases the load-carrying capacity, reduces the settlement of foundations built on the reinforced ground and is also a good alternative to concrete pile. Granular piles or stone columns are composed of granular material, such as crushed stone or coarse dense sand. An analytical approach based on the continuum approach is presented for the non-linear behaviour of the granular pile. The formulation for pile element displacement is done considering the non-homogeneity of the granular pile as it reflects the true behaviour and also accounts for the changes in the state of the granular pile due to installation, stiffening and improvement effects. The present study shows that the settlement influence factor for an end-bearing granular pile decreases with increase in the relative stiffness of the bearing stratum. The settlement influence factor decreases with increase in linear and non-linear non-homogeneity parameters for all values of relative length. For a shorter pile, the rate of decrease of the settlement influence factor is greater in comparison to that for a longer pile. Shear stress at the soil–granular pile interface reduces in the upper compressible portion of the granular pile and increases in the lower stiffer portion of the granular pile due to the non-homogeneity of an end-bearing granular pile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores trends in credit basis spread in the U.S., focusing on the widening of spreads in credit market basis trades between the cash bond and credit-default swap (CDS) markets. It examines three possible sources of the prolonged dislocation between the cash bond and CDS, including increased idiosyncratic risk, strategic positioning in CDS products, and post-crisis regulatory changes. The trade mechanics of the CDS-bond basis trade is reviewed.

The article looks at interest rate swap spreads in the U.S., focusing on the impact of regulatory increases in required leverage ratios. It explores the decline of U.S. interest rate swap rates relative to Treasury yields of equal maturity and offers an analysis that suggests spreads must reach more negative levels to yield sufficient return on equity for dealers. Also discussed is the effects of exogenous shocks.

In this paper, we consider a nonsmooth vector optimization problem involving locally Lipschitz generalized approximate convex functions and find some relations between approximate convexity and generalized approximate convexity. We establish relationships between vector variational inequalities and nonsmooth vector optimization problem using the generalized approximate convexity as a tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 6-port optical circulator using silicon photonic crystals has been designed and proposed in this paper as an essential component of an optical communication system. The proposed 6-port circulator has greater isolation values between the input and isolated ports and lower insertion loss values between the input and output ports. The proposed circulator achieves maximum isolation of 38.7 dB and minimum insertion loss of 0.0029 dB. The proposed designs are extremely useful in the telecommunications industry, wavelength division multiplexing and photonic integrated circuits applications due to their low insertion and high isolations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]