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Abstract Floods are the most common and costly disasters worldwide, while spatial flood risk assessment is still challenging due to fewer observations and method limitations. In this study, the flood risk zonation in the Nile districts of the Damietta branch, Egypt, is delineated and assessed by integrating remote sensing with a geographic information system, and an analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Twelve thematic layers (elevation, slope, normalized difference vegetation index, topographic wetness index, modified normalized difference water index, topographic positioning index, stream power index, modified Fournier index, drainage density, distance to the river, sediment transport index, and lithology) are used for producing flood susceptibility zonation (FSZ) and six parameters (total population, distance to hospital, land use/land cover, population density, road density, and distance to road) are utilized for producing flood vulnerability zonation. Multicollinearity analysis is applied to identify highly correlated independent variables. Sensitivity studies have been used to assess the effectiveness of the AHP model. The results indicate that the high and very high flood risk classes cover 21.40% and 8.26% of the area, respectively. In 14.07%, 27.01%, and 29.26% of the research area, respectively, flood risk zones classified as very low, low, and moderate are found. Finally, FSZ is validated using the receiver operating characteristics curve and area under curve (AUC) analysis. A higher AUC value (0.741) in the validation findings demonstrated the validity of this AHP approach. The results of this study will help planners, hydrologists, and managers of water resources manage areas that are susceptible to flooding and reduce potential harm.

This research explores flood prediction in the Lower Damodar River Basin (LDRB) using a hybrid ensemble of a Naïve Bayes Tree (NBT) and five bivariate statistical models such as Evidential Belief Function (EBF), Index of Entropy (IOE), Frequency Ratio (FR), Statistical Index (SI), and Modified Information Value (MIV). A total of 348 flood locations and 15 conditioning factors including hydrological, topographical and land cover were considered for this analysis. To ensure the precision of model predictions, a multicollinearity assessment was executed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under curve (AUC), mean absolute error (MAE), mean squared error (MSE), and root mean squared error (RMSE) were performed to compare and asses each of the models all. The results reveal that all models performed well in creating flood hazard maps with AUC >0.8 and RMSE

Abstract The Himalayan region, characterized by its substantial topographical scale and elevation, exhibits vulnerability to flash floods and landslides induced by natural and anthropogenic influences. The study focuses on the Himalayan region, emphasizing the pivotal role of geographical and atmospheric parameters in flash flood occurrences. Specifically, the investigation delves into the intricate interactions between atmospheric and surface parameters to elucidate their collective contribution to flash flooding within the Nainital region of Uttarakhand in the Himalayan terrain. Pre-flood parameters, including total aerosol optical depth, cloud cover thickness, and total precipitable water vapor, were systematically analyzed, revealing a noteworthy correlation with flash flooding event transpiring on October 17th, 18th, and 19th, 2021. Which resulted in a huge loss of life and property in the study area. Contrasting the October 2021 heavy rainfall with the time series data (2000–2021), the historical pattern indicates flash flooding predominantly during June to September. The rare occurrence of October flash flooding suggests a potential shift in the area's precipitation pattern, possibly influenced by climate change. Robust statistical analyses, specifically employing non-parametric tests including the Autocorrelation function (ACF), Mann–Kendall (MK) test, Modified Mann–Kendall, and Sen's slope (q) estimator, were applied to discern extreme precipitation characteristics from 2000 to 201. The findings revealed a general non-significant increasing trend, except for July, which exhibited a non-significant decreasing trend. Moreover, the results elucidate the application of Meteosat-8 data and remote sensing applications to analyze flash flood dynamics. Furthermore, the research extensively explores the substantial roles played by pre and post-atmospheric parameters with geographic parameters in heavy rainfall events that resulted flash flooding, presenting a comprehensive discussion. The findings describe the role of real time remote sensing and satellite and underscore the need for comprehensive approaches to tackle flash flooding, including mitigation. The study also highlights the significance of monitoring weather patterns and rainfall trends to improve disaster preparedness and minimize the impact of flash floods in the Himalayan region.

Introduction: Serum cystatin C has been proposed as a sensitive marker for detecting renal impairment. Renal impairment can often co-exist with liver cirrhosis, as decreased blood flow through the cirrhotic liver can lead to kidney dysfunction. However, its role in patients with liver cirrhosis has not been extensively studied, especially in the detection of early renal impairment. Aim: To investigate whether serum cystatin C could serve as a potential marker for detecting early renal dysfunction in patients with liver cirrhosis. Materials and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 patients with liver cirrhosis at Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam, India, from June 2019 to May 2020. All patients were assessed for clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters, focusing on renal function tests, measurement of serum cystatin C levels, and Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR). A two-tailed p-value

Abstract Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a lethal disease with surgical resection as the only curative treatment. However, many patients are ineligible for surgery, and current adjuvant treatments exhibit limited effectiveness. Next-generation sequencing has improved our understanding of molecular pathways in cancer, sparking interest in microRNA-based gene regulation. The aim of the study is to identify dysregulated miRNAs in GBC and investigate their potential as therapeutic tools for effective and targeted treatment strategies. GBC and control tissue samples were sequenced for miRNA expression using the Illumina HiSeq platform. Biological processes and related pathways were determined using the Panther and Gene Ontology databases. 439 significantly differentially expressed miRNAs were identified; 19 of them were upregulated and 29 were downregulated. Key enriched biological processes included immune cell apoptosis, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) overload response, and negative regulation of the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway. Panther analysis revealed the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) cascade, p38 MAPK pathway, p53 pathway, and FAS (a subgroup of the tumor necrosis factor receptor) signaling pathway as highly enriched among dysregulated miRNAs. Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS), AR, and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) pathways were identified among the key pathways potentially amenable to targeted therapy. We concluded that a combination approach involving miRNA-based interventions could enhance therapeutic outcomes. Our research emphasizes the importance of precision medicine, targeting pathways using sense and anti-sense miRNAs as potential therapies in GBC.

Abstract The detection and discrimination of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions have been investigated using a simple probe (L), produced by the condensation of ethylenediamine and 3-ethoxysalicyaldehyde. Single crystal X-ray structures demonstrate that L interacts with Fe2+ and Fe3+. In aqueous-DMSO media, the L recognises AsO2 − by fluorescence and colorimetry techniques. The AsO2 − aided PET inhibition and H-bond assisted chelation enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) boost fluorescence by 91-fold. The L can detect 0.354 ppb Fe2+, 0.22 ppb Fe3+ and 0.235 ppt AsO2 −.

The present study focuses on developing a landslide susceptibility zonation (LSZ) using GIS-based bivariate statistical model in the Lunglei district of Mizoram. Initially, 17 factors were selected after calculating the multicollinearity test for LSZ. A landslide inventory map was created based on 234 historic landslide events, which were randomly divided into training (70%) and testing (30%) datasets. Using the Index of Entropy (IOE) model, nine causative factors were identified as having significant weightage for LSZ: elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, normalized difference vegetation index, geomorphology, distance to road, distance to lineament, and distance to river. On the other hand, factors such as land use land cover, stream power index, terrain ruggedness index, terrain roughness, topographic wetness index, annual rainfall, topographic position index, and geology had negligible weightage. Based on the relative importance of the causative factors, two models were developed: scenario 1, which considered nine factors, and scenario 2, which considered all 17 factors. The results revealed that 16% and 14% of the district area were identified as very highly landslide prone in scenario 1 and scenario 2, respectively. The high susceptibility zone accounted for 26% and 25% of the area in scenario 1 and scenario 2, respectively. To assess the accuracy of the models, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and quality sum ratio method was performed using 30% of the testing landslide data and an equal number of non-landslide data points. The area under the curve (AUC) for scenario 1 and scenario 2 were 0.947 and 0.922, respectively, indicating higher efficiency for scenario 1. The quality sum ratios were 0.435 and 0.43 for scenario 1 and scenario 2, respectively. Based on these results, the LSZ mapping from scenario 1 is considered suitable for policymakers to address development and risk reduction associated with landslides.

This study elaborately manifests a simplified Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) approach that goals to determine the disparity among the distances between the positive and negative ideal solutions. MCDM methods evaluate options based on a variety of criteria by using mathematical and analytical methodologies. This promotes a more transparent and objective decision-making process by removing human biases and subjective judgements. By considering the comparative proximity to the optimal situation, TOPSIS considers the distances between the ideal and the negative-ideal alternatives. This study has concentrated on the normalization process, the appropriate determination of the ideal and the anti-ideal solution, and the metric utilized to compute the euclidean distances from the ideal best and the ideal worst. • This study expresses the simplified TOPSIS methodology as stated by Hwang and Yoon (1981). The categorization and weight assignments of the criteria have been executed from the expert's opinion and based on existing literatures. • Integration of the TOPSIS technique with GIS has been properly performed for the production of a flood susceptibility map of a highly vulnerable region and visual interpretation of the TOPSIS algorithm. • This kind of investigation saved time by sufficiently skilled specialized personnel in this field.

Abstract Floods are the most common and expensive natural calamity, affecting every country. Flooding in the Shebelle River Basin (SRB) in southern Somalia has posed a significant challenge to sustainable development. The main goal of this study was to analyze flood hazard, vulnerability and risk in the part of SRB using GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). The flood hazard map was constructed using seven important causative factors: elevation, slope, drainage density, distance to river, rainfall, soil and geology. The results demonstrate that very low, low, moderate, high, and very high flood hazard zones correspond to 10.92%, 24.97%, 29.13%, 21.93% and 13.04% of the area of SRB, respectively. The flood vulnerability map was created using five spatial layers: land use/land cover, population density, distance to road, Global man-made impervious surface (GMIS), and Human built-up area settlement extent (HBASE). In addition, the results of the flood susceptibility and vulnerability maps were used to create a flood risk map. The results demonstrate that for the Shebelle River Basin, 27.6%, 30.9%, 23.6%, 12.1%, and 5.7% area correspond to very low, low, moderate, high, and very high flood risk zones, respectively. The Receiver Operating Characteristics-Area Under the Curve (ROC-AUC) of the flood hazard model exhibited a good prediction accuracy of 0.781. The majority of the basin is at risk of flooding in the very low, low, and moderate ranges; however, some tiny areas are at risk of flooding in the high and very high ranges. Flood hazard, vulnerability and risk maps should be provided and distributed the authorities responsible for flood protection so that people are aware flood risk locations.

Complications are neither entirely predictable nor preventable in the practice of spinal surgery. Communications, particularly the pre-operative consent, play an important role in the management of complications. Patient dissatisfaction leading to complaints and legal proceedings are common and expected sequelae to complications. This article is an overview of important aspects of doctor–patient communication and the relevant legal issues including the principles followed by the judicial system in India while adjudicating on alleged medical negligence.

Floods have received global significance in contemporary times due to their destructive behavior, which may wreak tremendous ruin on infrastructure and civilization. The present research employed an integration of the Geographic information system (GIS) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method for identifying the flood susceptibility zonation (FSZ), flood vulnerability zonation (FVZ), and flood risk zonation (FRZ) of the humid subtropical Uttar Dinajpur district in India. The study combined a large number of thematic layers (N = 12 for FSZ and N = 9 for FVZ) to achieve reliable accuracy and included the multicollinearity analysis of these variables to overcome the issues related to highly correlated variables. According to the findings, 27.04, 15.62, and 4.59% of the area were classified as medium, high, and very high FRZ, respectively. The ROC-AUC, MAE, MSE, and RMSE of the model exhibited a good prediction accuracy of 0.73, 0.15, 0.16, and 0.21, respectively. The performance of the AHP model has been evaluated using sensitivity analyses. It also highly recommends that persistent improvement in this subject, such as sensitivity studies on modifying criteria thresholds, changing the relative significance of criteria, and changing the desired matrix, will permit GIS and MCDA to be progressively adapted to real hazard-management issues.

Predicting landslides is becoming a crucial global challenge for sustainable development in mountainous areas. This research compares the landslide susceptibility maps (LSMs) prepared from five GIS-based data-driven bivariate statistical models, namely, (a) Frequency Ratio (FR), (b) Index of Entropy (IOE), (c) Statistical Index (SI), (d) Modified Information Value Model (MIV) and (e) Evidential Belief Function (EBF). These five models were tested in the high landslides-prone humid sub-tropical type Upper Tista basin of the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya by integrating the GIS and remote sensing. The landslide inventory map consisting of 477 landslide locations was prepared, and about 70% of all landslide data was utilized for training the model, and 30% was used to validate it after training. A total of fourteen landslide triggering parameters (elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, roughness, stream power index, TWI, distance to stream, distance to road, NDVI, LULC, rainfall, modified fournier index, and lithology) were taken into consideration for preparing the LSMs. The multicollinearity statistics revealed no collinearity problem among the fourteen causative factors used in this study. Based on the FR, MIV, IOE, SI, and EBF approaches, 12.00%, 21.46%, 28.53%, 31.42%, and 14.17% areas, respectively, identified in the high and very high landslide-prone zones. The research also revealed that the IOE model has the highest training accuracy of 95.80%, followed by SI (92.60%), MIV (92.20%), FR (91.50%), and EBF (89.90%) models. Consistent with the actual distribution of landslides, the very high, high, and medium hazardous zones stretch along the Tista River and major roads. The suggested landslide susceptibility models have enough accuracy for usage in landslide mitigation and long-term land use planning in the study area. Decision-makers and local planners may utilise the study's findings. The techniques for determining landslide susceptibility can also be employed in other Himalayan regions to manage and evaluate landslide hazards.

Abstract This case emphasizes that, with the availability of novel immunotherapy agents (Daratumumab), and repurposed use of bortezomib, a patient with HIV‐negative relapsed PBL can be treated successfully and consolidated with an allogeneic haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation.

The analysis of morphometric parameters gives a precise scenario about the geomorphic characteristics and the hydrological behaviour of a drainage basin, especially in the areas where hydrological data are unavailable due to the absence of a gauging station or inaccessibility for harsh topographic conditions. So, the current study is aimed to investigate the hydro-geomorphic characteristics of the Rayeng basin in Darjeeling Himalaya. The extraction and analysis of the morphometric variables of the study area were done using remote sensing and GIS. The spatial disparity in drainage density, lineament density, stream frequency, texture ratio, and infiltration number has inferred that the Rayeng basin is carried a high runoff intensity and low infiltration rate on the upper reaches and an inverse situation in the lower reaches. The extracted ruggedness index and Melton's Ruggedness index indicate the unevenness of the topography and normal flow in the main channel in the Rayeng basin. A distinctive topographic diversity is also depicted by the basin's Topographic Positioning Index (TPI). A significant spatial variation of water availability in this basin is indicated by the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI); the depressed areas of the basin have higher TWI compared to the steep-sloped high land. The basin's hypsometric integral (HI) is inferred youthful stage. This basin has a good potentiality of water which can be sustainably used by the people of the lower reaches of the basin. This study will be helpful to assess the hydro-geomorphic characteristics of a drainage basin where hydrological data are not available.

IntroductionDespite high cure rates with standard treatment, 30% patients with Hodgkin lymphoma develop relapsed or refractory (R/R) disease. Salvage therapy followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is considered standard of care. Brentuximab Vedotin (Bv) in combination with Bendamustine (B) has been tested in the salvage setting with promising results.Materials and MethodologyWe conducted a single centre retrospective chart review of patients who received BBv salvage therapy to determine its activity and safety in patients with R/R classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Between May 2011- December 2019, 179 patients were diagnosed with R/R HL.ResultsThirty patients received BBv [median age: 30 (15-59) years, females (n=15)]. Primary refractory disease in 19 patients (63%), and 26 patients (87%) had advanced stage at treatment. Most patients received BBv after 2 prior lines of therapy [n=16 (53%)]. The median number of cycles of BBv were 3 (1-6). The number of BBv cycles delivered as outpatient was 63%. The most common Grade III/IV hematological adverse event was neutropenia [n=21, (70%)], while grade III/IV non-hematological toxicities included infections in 4 (13%), neuropathy in 4(13%), skin rash in 2 (7%), GI toxicities in 3 (10%) and liver dysfunction in 2 (7%) patients. The ORR and CR rates were 79% and 62%, respectively. Seventeen patients (57%) underwent an autologous HCT and 8 (26%) underwent an Allogeneic HCT (all haploidentical). The median follow up time from BBv administration was 12 months. Six patients died: 2 = disease progression, and 4 = non-relapse causes (Infection and sepsis = 2, GVHD=2). In addition to this, one patient progressed soon after HCT and another patient relapsed 22 months post HCT. Three year Overall survival (OS) and Event free survival (EFS) probability post-BBv treatment was 75% and 58%, respectively. OS and EFS analysis based on response (viz., CMR) to BBv demonstrated that patients in CMR had better survival probability [93% (p=0.0022) 3yr-OS and 72% (p=0.038) 3yr-EFS probability].ConclusionsBBv is an active and well-tolerated salvage treatment for patients with R/R HL, even in refractory and advanced settings. In middle-income settings, cost constraints and access determine patient uptake of this regimen.

Penetrating orbitocranial injuries can present with foreign body/bodies (FBs) lodged in eye, orbit, and/or brain. But limited literatures are available about FBs lodged partly in orbit and partly intracranially. Here, we present a rare case of orbitocranial wooden FB impacted in right palpebral aperture extending intracranially following accidental fall from height. Unexpectedly, the patient himself removed the FB in fully conscious and oriented state while waiting for neurosurgical intervention, later completely recovered under observation and antibiotic prophylaxis. Therefore, it is important to have high suspicion of intracranial extension in impacted orbital FBs and a team approach for managing such cases.

We report the synthesis and characterization of a multifunctional composite obtained by integrating micron-sized Ni52Mn26Ga22 Heusler alloy particles into a polysulfone matrix. The Heusler alloy powders were synthesized by the ball milling of as-spun Ni52Mn26Ga22 ribbons and subsequently incorporated into a polysulfone matrix using the solution casting process. The microstructural, magnetic and thermomechanical properties of the alloy-polymer composites were investigated. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed the presence of a 14M modulated crystal structure along with a hierarchical twinning system down to the atomic scale. Magneto-metric and thermomechanical testing revealed that the prepared composite demonstrates a magnetocaloric effect with a usable refrigeration capacity of 3.1 J/kg under a moderate magnetic field change of 1.38 T as well as a wideband energy absorption capability at a low 5 wt% loading. The disadvantages of bulk Ni-Mn-Ga single crystals such as inherent brittleness and difficulty of production may be overcome by the incorporation of micro-size particles into a flexible polymer matrix without compromising with its functional properties. Our work demonstrates a tailored processing route to obtain multifunctional composites for possible applications in spot cooling and broadband energy absorption. Keywords: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Nanotwinning, Multifunctional composites, Magnetocaloric effect, Thermomechanical properties

Alteration of the epigenetic landscape has been implicated in several disease processes, where targeting histone modifiers may have therapeutic applications. Here the authors report a bifunctional small molecule inhibitor that simultaneously targets the deacetylase (HDAC1) and demethylase (LSD1) activities of the CoREST complex.

The effect of cold rolling on the evolution of hardness (H) and Young’s modulus (E) on the rolling-width (RW), normal-rolling (NR), and normal-width (NW) planes in Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 (Vitreloy 1) bulk metallic glass (BMG) was investigated systematically using nanoindentation at peak loads in the range of 50 mN–500 mN. The hardness at specimen surface varied with cold rolling percentage (%) and the variation is similar on RW and NR planes at all the different peak loads, whereas the same is insignificant for the core region of the specimen on the NW plane. Three-dimensional (3D) optical surface profilometry studies on the NR plane suggest that the shear band spacing decreases and shear band offset height increases with the increase of cold rolling extent. Meanwhile, the number of the pop-in events during loading for all the planes reduces with the increase of cold rolling extent pointing to more homogeneous deformation upon rolling. Calorimetric studies were performed to correlate the net free volume content and hardness in the differently cold rolled specimens.

Introduction: Vitamin D is the generic name given to all steroids that exhibit the biological activity of Cholecalciferol and derived from 7-dehydrocholesterol. Vitamin D has a major role in maintenance of healthy bones and teeth, which are of considerable public health importance. Vitamin D is normally synthesised in the skin in adequately sun exposed individuals and a minor portion is derived from the diet. Deficiency of vitamin D is prevalent worldwide. Vitamin D levels range from 30-100 ng/mL in healthy individuals. The Indian population is being evaluated for vitamin D using Biological Reference Interval (BRI) derived from western studies. Aim: To evaluate the BRI set by two reagent manufacturers, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics and Biomerieux to assess whether they were adequate for the North-Eastern Indian population. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of 678 participants, comprising of healthy attendants accompanying patients presenting at two tertiary level super-speciality hospitals in Guwahati, Assam, India. Samples were collected all through one year, from July 2017 to June 2018. Both male and female participants were assessed for 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels by Chemiluminescence and Enzyme-linked Fluorescence techniques, the two most common techniques employed in the region. The values obtained were statistically analysed by unpaired Student’s t-test. The p-value30 ng/mL). In our study, we also found that vitamin D levels decreases with age, with highest levels in the age group 1-10 years and lowest levels in the geriatric age group (> 60 years age). Statistically significant difference was found between vitamin D levels between male and female participants (p

Objective(s): The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of PET-CT in identification of different patterns of extranodal involvement in Hodgkin’s disease (HD) and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) and to enlist the common sites of extranodal involvement in each histological type and compare our results with the existing literature. Methods: In this retrospective study of 281 cases of lymphomas of various histologies, we illustrate the spectrum of PET/CT features of extranodal lymphoma (ENL) of commonly involved organs and compare our result with the literature. Result: Extranodal appearance in lymphoma is strikingly varied. Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the commonest histological subtype and gastrointestinal tract is the commonest anatomical subsite in NHL. Skeletal system is the commonest site for involvement in HD. Conclusion: A broad spectrum of extranodal organs is involved in various subtype of lymphoma which can be depicted in PET-CT in the most appropriate manner. Familiarity with the pattern of involvement is essential for comprehensive management.

The present study demonstrates the evolution of eutectic microstructure in arc-melted (Zr0.76Fe0.24)100−xNbx (0 ≤ x ≤ 10 atom %) composites containing α-Zr//FeZr2 nano-lamellae phases along with pro-eutectic Zr-rich intermetallic phase. The effects of Nb addition on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties under compression, bulk hardness, elastic modulus, and indentation fracture toughness (IFT) were investigated. The Zr–Fe–(Nb) eutectic composites (ECs) exhibited excellent fracture strength up to ~1800 MPa. Microstructural characterization revealed that the addition of Nb promotes the formation of intermetallic Zr54Fe37Nb9. The IFT (KIC) increases from 3.0 ± 0.5 MPa√m (x = 0) to 4.7 ± 1.0 MPa√m (x = 2) at 49 N, which even further increases from 5.1 ± 0.5 MPa√m (x = 0) and up to 5.9 ± 1.0 MPa√m (x = 2) at higher loads. The results suggest that mutual interaction between nano-lamellar α-Zr//FeZr2 phases is responsible for enhanced fracture resistance and high fracture strength.

The effect of cryorolling (CR) strain at 153 K on the evolution of structural defects and their interaction in α−brass (Cu–30 wt.% Zn) during nanostructuring has been evaluated. Even though the lattice strain increases up to 2.1 × 10−3 at CR strain of 0.6 initially, but it remains constant upon further rolling. Whereas, the twin density (β) increases to a maximum value of 5.9 × 10−3 at a CR strain of 0.7 and reduces to 1.1 × 10−5 at 0.95. Accumulation of stacking faults (SFs) and lattice disorder at the twin boundaries causes dynamic recrystallization, promotes grain refinement and decreases the twin density by forming subgrains. Detailed investigations on the formation and interaction of defects have been done through resistivity, positron lifetime and Doppler broadening measurements in order to understand the micro-mechanism of nanostructuring at sub-zero temperatures.

16-Dehydropregnenolone acetate (16-DPA) (1), an exocyclic α,β-conjugated ketone having a steroidal skeleton, when treated with mercuric(II) acetate in acetic acid furnished a single compound identified as (2). The structure of compound (2) has been elucidated on the basis of spectral data analysis (IR, NMR and MS).