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Global agriculture is challenged with achieving sustainable food security while the climate changes and the threat of drought increases. Much of the research attention has focused on above-ground plant responses with an aim to improve drought resistance. The hidden half, that is, the root system belowground, is receiving increasing attention as the interface of the plant with the soil. Because roots are a sensing organ for nutrients and moisture, we speculate that crop root system traits can be managed using smart nutrient application in order to increase drought resistance. Roots are known to be influenced both by their underlying genetics and also by responses to the environment, termed root plasticity. Though very little is known about the combined effect of water and nutrients on root plasticity, we explore the possibilities of root system manipulation by nutrient application. We compare the effects of different water or nutrient levels on root plasticity and its genetic regulation, with a focus on how this may affect drought resistance. We propose four primary mechanisms through which smart nutrient management can optimize root traits for drought resistance: (1) overall plant vigor, (2) increased root allocation, (3) influence specific root traits, and (4) use smart placement and timing to encourage deep rooting. In the longer term, we envision that beneficial root traits, including plasticity, could be bred into efficient varieties and combined with advanced precision management of water and nutrients to achieve agricultural sustainability.

The potential growth of communication medium and its associated devices are rapidly increasing day by day. A most powerful communication support with 5G network features is required nowadays to resolve all communication overheads. The traditional method of embryonic data transfer between base station and the user device follows channel allocation strategy, which is internally used for the maintenance of random entry of data packets resulted in poor scalable nature, poor traffic handling, latency, and so on. The efficiency of network technologies with 5G support suffers from major issues such as the network performance, collision, and delay that are needed to be concerned with. To combat this, the technique of decoding of two or more packets is followed; hence, the concept of NORA was proposed. In analysis of the existing NORA method, Zadoff–Chu sequence was used to obtain the performance of NORA in 5G which gave better performance yet, resulting in collisions. Keeping these issues in consideration, an efficient communication model called fair scheduling non-orthogonal random access (FSNORA) is proposed. In the proposed method, we have scrutinized NORA to improve the fairness of scheduling by using round-robin algorithm so as to make a contentionless system and improve the channel enhancement of 5G networks. Simulation results convey that there is an improvement in the access delay, success probability, throughput, collision probability, and the preamble transmissions in context with contention compared to the existing NORA method.

Background: Cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors are usually benign, and they are divided into extra-axial, intra-axial, extradural, and petrous axis tumors. CPA pathologies can be asymptomatic or it may present with vertigo, tinnitus, or unilateral hearing loss depending upon the site of tumor origin and displacement of the neurovascular structure. Aim and Objectives: To evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) aided with contrast-enhanced MRI as an imaging modality for diagnosis of CPA lesions. Materials and Methods: Analysis of 36 patients of CPA lesions over a period of 2 years was done. MRI was performed on Siemens 1.5 Tesla MAGNETOM Avanto Machine. Conclusion: There are spectrums of pathologies, which can present with these symptoms, which includes tumors, vascular malformations, and vascular loop compressing vestibulocochlear nerve or mastoid pathology so it is important to investigate the patient by MRI. Contrast-enhanced MRI is the most sensitive investigation in the evaluation of the CPA lesions, its characteristic, and its extent.

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is a common hip condition occurring in adolescents, with a prevalence of 10 cases per 100,000 children. It usually affects younger age group from 10 to 17 years. The condition is usually found to be coexistent with various other conditions such as obesity, growth surges, and endocrine disorders such as hypothyroidism, growth hormone supplementation, hypogonadism, and pan-hypopituitarism. Patients present with limping and a poorly localized pain in the hip, groin, thigh, or knee. Diagnosis of the condition is often delayed due to its nonassociation with trauma and hence increases the chances of developing various complications such as avascular necrosis, chondrolysis and deformity. Majority of researches of SCFE are from Europe and North America, while studies in Asian populations are rare. Delay in diagnosis of SCFE is usually due to patients presenting with knee pain. Imaging can thus aid in early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the disease, which in turn reduces incidence of deformity and disability in the affected children. Bilateral hip radiography - anteroposterior and frog's-leg lateral views and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the radiological techniques that help in early diagnosis. MRI detects early physeal changes of both preslip and SCFE even when radiographs and computed tomography are normal. MRI should be routinely used to diagnose early SCFE in preslip stage to avoid further complications.

Two cases, one of a 6-old-year male and another of 18-year-old female with an intracranial lipoma of quadrigeminal region is reported. Intracranial lipomas usually occur in midline areas and are extremely uncommon with an incidence of 0.1% of all intracranial tumors. These were incidentally detected by computed tomography (CT) or by autopsy. Autopsy incidence of intracranial lipoma is 0.08-0.46%, while incidence of CT findings is not >0.03-0.06%. CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination usually lead to the diagnosis, because of the very low attenuation values of lipomas on CT and the short T1 and T2 on magnetic resonance. We describe the findings of imaging studies, including CT, MRI along with a brief review of the literature.

Morel-Lavallee lesion is a degloving injury occurring at the interface of the subcutaneous fat and the underlying fascia. The lesion usually results from shearing forces due to trauma separating the skin and subcutaneous tissue. We report here a case of a patient diagnosed with Morel-Lavallee lesion in the hip region.

Background Discrepancies in the management of pharyngitis in children have been reported in Europe and the United States, and recommendations concerning the use of clinical scores, rapid antigen diagnostic tests (RADTs) or throat cultures, and the indications for antibiotic treatment largely differ. Objective This article summarizes the Italian guidelines on the management of pharyngitis in children issued by the National Institute of Health. Methods A multidisciplinary panel of experts (the Guidelines Development Group) developed and used a set of key questions to conduct a systematic review of the literature. Relevant publications in English were identified through a systematic review of MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from their inception through April 30, 2011. Final recommendations were scaled according to the Italian National Guidelines Program grading. Results Eighteen clinical questions were defined, and 44 recommendations were issued. None of the available scoring systems is sufficiently accurate to identify group A β-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS) pharyngitis in settings with low prevalence for rheumatic disease. RADT should be performed by trained personnel in every child with a history and signs/symptoms suggestive of GABHS pharyngitis. RADT is not recommended in children with a McIsaac score of 0 or 1 with ≥2 signs/symptoms suggestive of viral infection. Backup culture in children with negative RADT result is not recommended. Culture test with antibiotic susceptibility assay should be performed exclusively for epidemiologic purposes. Streptococcal antibody titers are of no value in diagnosing acute pharyngitis. Antibiotic therapy is recommended in microbiologically documented GABHS pharyngitis. Because penicillin V is not available in Italy, amoxicillin (50 mg/kg/d in 2–3 doses orally) for 10 days is the first choice of treatment. In noncompliant cases, benzathine penicillin may be administered. Although not routinely recommended due to the high cost and wide spectrum of activity, a 5-day course with a second-generation cephalosporin may be used in noncompliant cases. Macrolides should be limited to children with demonstrated type I hypersensitivity to penicillin. Ibuprofen or paracetamol is recommended for relief of pain or fever associated with discomfort. Because the carrier state is not associated with increased risk of suppurative complications and risk of GABHS transmission to contacts is minimal, the carrier state should never be investigated and treated. Recommendations for the management of suppurative complications are given. Conclusions This guideline provides a comprehensive, evidence based, tool for the diagnosis and therapy of acute pharyngitis in children.

Head injury is considered one of the single most important causes of subdural hematoma. Other cause include bleeding diasthesis. We report here a case of 70-year-old female patient with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) presenting with bilateral chronic subdural hematoma after an incremental high-dose of imatinib mesylate (IM) due to loss of complete molecular response. IM is useful to treat a wide range of diseases, including Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML, as it has high tolerability and low incidence of minor side effects. Hemorrhage is a rare complication of IM. IM is associated with reduced α2-plasmin inhibitor and platelet dysfunction. This case report emphasizes on the need to consider chronic subdural hematoma as atypical cause of headache in a patient of CML taking high-dose IM.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is characterized by symptoms of raised intracranial tension (ICT) as headache and visual disturbances due to raised cerebrospinal fluid pressure, however without any ventricular enlargement or space occupying lesion. The characteristic findings include papilledema which is usually bilateral, however which may be unilateral or asymmetrical. We report a case of 35-year-old female patient who came with complaints of headache and diplopia. She underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the brain which showed changes in bilateral globes, optic nerves and sella, which were suggestive of increased ICT. The ventricles and basal cisterns were normal. No other abnormality was seen. The magnetic resonance venogram was also normal. Thus, we concluded the diagnosis of IIH. The patient underwent therapeutic lumbar puncture after which she showed significant improvement in symptoms.

A 20-month-old girl successfully underwent repair of pulmonary artery sling through a median sternotomy by division of the left pulmonary artery and its reimplantation into the main pulmonary artery without cardiopulmonary bypass or tracheal reconstruction. The patient is doing well on 18 months follow-up with unobstructed pulmonary blood flow and dramatic reduction of tracheal stenosis. Simple repair of pulmonary artery sling is feasible with good results in selected cases without tracheomalacia.