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Objective: This study is aimed to know the histopathological spectrum and outcome of surgery for salivary gland tumors presented in a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan. Study Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Tertiary Care Hospital of Pakistan. Period: July 2018 to June 2020. Material & Methods: After approval from Institutional Review Board. Total 73 patients were selected with preoperative diagnosis of salivary gland tumors with consecutive non probability sampling. All surgical procedures were done by specialist general surgeons who had experience of more than 10 years of head and neck surgery. Results: Male to female ratio was 2:1 with mean age of patients was 46 years. Among males 29 (59.1%) were benign salivary gland tumors while 20 (40.81%) were malignant salivary gland tumors. Among females 13 (54.16%) were benign and 11 (45.83%) were malignant salivary gland tumors Most common benign tumor was pleomorphic adenoma 32 (43.8%) while mucoepidermoid carcinoma was most common malignant tumor 17 (23.28%). Only 9 (12.32%) patients experienced nerve paresis. Conclusion: Male preponderance, a relatively younger age at presentation and single predominant benign tumor (pleomorphic adenoma) were the significant findings. Majority of them were found in parotid gland and found to be benign in nature. Majority of them were found in parotid gland and found to be benign in nature. Although fine needle aspiration cytology and magnetic resonance imaging provide some useful information about the nature of tumor but most of them will acquire a surgical excision in order to find the definitive diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate supersymmetric models with left-right symmetry based on the group S U (4) c × S U (2) L × S U (2) R (4-2-2) with negative sign of bilinear Higgs potential parameter μ in the context of the latest experimental results. In the backdrop of experimental results from the Large Hadron Collider, we investigate the possibility of Yukawa unification in 4-2-2 and find out the same is still not ruled out. Furthermore, this scenario also provides a satisfactory dark matter candidate. The current experimental bounds on sparticle masses, mass bounds on Higgs particle, updated phenomenological constraints from the rare decays of B meson and the anomalous magnetic moment of muon with the requirement of a Yukawa unified theory having 10% or better third family Yukawa unification are utilized to bound the parametric space of these models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate neutralino dark matter in supersymmetric flipped SU(5), focusing on candidates with masses of order 30-150 GeV and spin-independent cross-sections that are consistent with the most recent CDMS II results. We assume gravity mediated supersymmetry breaking and restrict the magnitude of the soft supersymmetry breaking mass parameters to 1 TeV or less. With non-universal soft gaugino and Higgs masses, and taking flipped SU(5) into account, we identify allowed regions of the parameter space and highlight some benchmark solutions including Higgs and sparticle spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ablative materials are used extensively in the aerospace industry for protection against high thermal stresses and temperatures, an example being glass/silicone composites. The extreme conditions faced and the cost-risk related to the production/operating stage of such high-tech materials indicate the importance of detecting any anomaly or defect arising from the manufacturing process. In this paper, two different non-destructive testing techniques, namely active thermography and ultrasonic testing, have been used to detect a delamination in a glass/silicone composite. It is shown that a frequency modulated chirp signal and pulse-compression can successfully be used in active thermography for detecting such a delamination. Moreover, the same type of input signal and post-processing can be used to generate an image using air-coupled ultrasound, and an interesting comparison between the two can be made to further characterise the defect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil characteristics of Gujar Khan area of Rawalpindi district were evaluated through physical and chemical analysis. About 3002 soil samples were received/collected from farmers' fields of Gujar Khan during the period between 2012 and 2017 and analysed for texture, electrical conductivity (ECe), pH, organic matter (OM), available phosphorus (AP) and available potash (AK). The analysis results revealed that texture of the soils varied from sandy loam (33.5%) to loam (61.6%). The 98.6% soils had ECe values within the normal range (< 4 dS/m) and almost 74% soil had from 7.5 to 8.5 pH values with an average of 7.76. Thus there was no salinity/alkanity hazard in the area. Generally most of the soils were poor from the fertility point of view. About 96% soils were poor in both OM and AP contents, whereas, 3.0% soils have OM (>0.86%) and 3.4% satisfactory levels and AP (>7.0-14 mg/Kg). However, 62% soils has satisfactory to adequate AK status. The frequency distribution analysis indicated that 45% soils of Gujar Khan and OM content in the range of 0.4-0.6%, 57% and soil have AP in the range of 4.0-6.0 mg/Kg, while 50% and AK in the range of 81-120 mg/Kg. The soil fertility indexes in respect of OM and AP were low (1.0), whereas AK (1.7) indicating a medium fertility status of Gujar Khan soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast abscess is defined as an acute suppurative inflammatory lump which yields pus on incision/ aspiration. The high incidence is reported during lactation and is caused due to nipple piercing by child during feeding and bacterial colonization due to improper nursing technique and incomplete emptying of breast. Non-lactational abscesses are entirely different from those occurring during breast feeding. They occur in peri areolar tissue, has high recurrence and infecting organisms are polymicrobes. The present study compares the outcome and effectiveness of traditional technique of incision and drainage against needle aspiration in treatment of breast abscess. Material and Methods: This is comparative study carried out in department of General Surgery Mayo Hospital, Lahore in East Surgical ward for a period of 1.5 years from 1st January 2017 to 30th June 2018 after taking approval from Institutional Ethics Committee. 50-female patients of age between 18-60 years and diagnosed breast abscess with abscess size of equal to or < 5 cm in diameter clinically or on ultrasonography were included in the study after taking written consent. Of these 25-patients had undergone percutaneous aspiration of the breast abscess (group-A) and 25 had undergone incision and drainage of the breast abscess (group- B). Follow up of both groups was done for 6-weeks. Results: A total of 50 breast abscess were treated by these methods. In group-A 20 patients were successfully treated with needle aspiration and antibiotics after culture and sensitivity. The mean time for healing in group-A is 11.3 days for 2 cm abscess and longest is 16.1 days in 5 cm abscess. Failure rate in aspiration group is 20%. This is an outpatient procedure with no scar and does not require general anesthesia. Patient satisfaction is more in aspiration group. Group-B patients underwent incision and drainage, but it was associated with bad scars while healing time was not so different from that in group-A. Conclusion: Breast abscess in patients with abscess size of less than or equal to 5 cm can be treated with needle aspiration successfully and with good cosmetic outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Preprocedure systemic antibiotic prophylaxis reduces infections in patients undergoing cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) implantations. Whether pocket irrigation with antibiotic solution offers any advantage over saline solution in CIED implantation is unknown. Methods Records from 327 consecutive patients who underwent CIED implantation by three operators from February 2011 to January 2014 were reviewed. From February 2011 to January 2012, the antibiotic solution was used for pocket irrigation; from February 2012 to January 2014, saline solution was used. All patients received preprocedural IV antibiotics. Baseline demographics, comorbidities, lab data, and occurrence of any pocket infection postimplant were collected. Results There were 118 and 209 patients in the antibiotic solution and saline solution group, respectively. A total of four (1.2%) patients had CIED infection: two in the antibiotic solution group and two in the saline solution group. Median time to infection from implant date was 81.5 ± 35 days. Two patients (50%) had infection after first device implantation. Of the four patients, one had positive blood culture, three had positive pocket cultures, one had lead vegetation, one underwent pocket exploration, and all of them had devices/leads extracted, with reimplantation on the contralateral side. No mortality was observed due to infectious complications. Conclusion When compared to pocket irrigation in the antibiotic solution group, the saline solution group was not associated with increased incidence of infectious complications after CIED implantation. The use of saline solution pocket irrigation alone may be used in CIED pocket irrigation periprocedurally. Further evaluation in larger randomized trials is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted at two different locations (Barani Agriculture Research Institute Chakwal and farmer's field in Talagang) in northern rainfed Punjab, Pakistan, to assess relative efficiency of two sources of sulfur (S) in enhancing nitrogen (N) fixation and yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The treatments were four combinations of two levels of S (15 and 30 kg ha−1) from two sources [gypsum and ammonium sulfate (AS)] and a no-S control. Application of S significantly increased seed yield up to 12% and 14% at Chakwal and Talagang, respectively. Response (kg seed yield kg−1 S) at economic optimum dose (EOD) was greater for AS than for gypsum. Sulfur application enhanced the S uptake at both locations significantly. Sulfur harvest index and S economic yield efficiency ratio were greater at Talagang than at Chakwal. Sulfur application resulted increases in N uptake by 19% and 20% and N fixation by up to 19% and 30% at Chakwal and Talagang, respectively. Ammonium sulfate was more effective in increasing N fixation and uptake as compared to gypsum at Chakwal, whereas the difference between the two sources was nonsignificant at Talagang. Thus, it can be concluded that S should be applied to chickpea crop to enhance yield and improve soil fertility status as result of greater amount of N fixed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted at two locations in northern rainfed Punjab, Pakistan to assess the seed yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in response to application of different levels of sulfur and phosphorus. The treatments comprised three levels (0, 40 & 80 kg P2O5 ha-1) of phosphorus and three levels (0, 15 & 30 kg S ha-1) of sulfur from two sulfur sources (gypsum & ammonium sulfate) in different combinations. Phosphorus was applied in the form of triple super phosphate. Crop was harvested at maturity and data were recorded for seed yield. Application of phosphorus and sulfur resulted in significant increase in seed yield up to 34 and 17 % over control, respectively. Effect of combined application of phosphorus and sulfur was synergistic at nutrient application rate of 40 kg phosphorus and 15 kg sulfur ha-1, while antagonistic at 80 kg phosphorus and 30 kg sulfur ha-1. Value cost ratio was higher for combined application of phosphorus and sulfur as compared to their sole application. Therefore either 80 kg phosphorus along with 15 kg sulfur ha-1 or 40 kg phosphorus in combination with 30 kg sulfur ha-1 should be applied in order to maximize profit from chickpea crop under rainfed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted at Barani Agriculture Research Institute Chakwal Punjab, Pakistan to assess the seed yield, nitrogen fixation and nutrient uptake by chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in response to application of different levels of phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S). The treatments comprised three levels (0, 40 & 80 kg P2O5 ha-1) of P and three levels (0, 15 & 30 kg S ha-1) of S from two sulfur S sources (gypsum & ammonium sulfate) in different combinations. The trial was laid out according to randomized complete block design with split split plot arrangement. Application of P and S resulted in significant increase in seed yield by 21 and 12% over control, respectively. Effect of combined application of P and S was synergistic at nutrient application rate of P40S15, while antagonistic at P80S30. Sulfur application had significant effect on percent nitrogen derived from atmosphere (% Ndfa), while effect of P was non-significant. There was significant increase in protein content of chickpea seed due to application of S. Application of both P and S resulted in increase in nitrogen (N) fixation by 16%. Value cost ratio was less than 2 for higher level of P either sole or in combination with S. A fertilizer combination of P40S30 is more economical and cost effective for chickpea production under rainfed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]