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This article fills a notable gap in existing research on outcome-based education (OBE) in India. It reports findings from a multi-sited field-based investigation of OBE across five relatively highly ranked institutions in India. Building on actor-network theory the article argues that attempting to study OBE opens up a range of concerns such as disciplinary dispositions, teacher training, methodological limitations of OBE, concerns of labour, management and the problem of designating the scalar boundaries of OBE. The article argues that OBE allows problematizing the distinction between skill and knowledge and the hierarchy that exists between them. It argues that OBE need not be construed as a degradation of higher education into trade schools, rather this moment provides us an opportunity to rethink the relationship between vocational, technical, and general education. This assumes significance in the current context as the new clientele of higher education do not have the luxury nor often the aspiration for further education but want to use undergraduate education as a take-off to build meaningful careers outside the academia.

This paper presents the design and implementation of a direct amplitude (AM) demodulator using artificial neural network (ANN) on field programmable gate array (FPGA), which enables direct demodulation of modulated carriers to baseband waveforms. This direct AM demodulator introduces a novel approach by eliminating the need for intermediate frequency (IF) conversion, leveraging a neural network instead of a traditional analog local oscillator and mixer. Eliminating the IF stage allows for the use of wider bandwidth, supporting modern wideband communication systems. By omitting these conventional components, the proposed ANN-based direct AM demodulator reduces system noise, thereby enhancing fidelity. The proposed ANN-based direct AM demodulator uses a pre-processing technique to generate the carrier signal digitally at the input of the ANN enabling effective handling of high-frequency modulated signals. The implementation of the proposed ANN-based direct AM demodulator targets the XC7VX690T Virtex-7 FPGA platform, validated using Xilinx Vivado simulations. The ANN’s adaptability across different carrier frequencies enhances hardware reusability and resource efficiency. The ANN-based direct AM demodulator implemented on FPGA is faster than the ANN implemented using the C++ based fast artificial neural network (FANN) library which reduces the overall processing time and allows the operation of higher carrier frequencies. Results demonstrate the demodulator’s capability to process sine and square waves across a wide frequency range: modulating frequencies from 2.5 MHz to 20 MHz and carrier frequencies from 50 MHz to 200 MHz supporting a maximum bandwidth of 40 MHz. The proposed demodulator operates efficiently at a maximum carrier frequency of 200 MHz, with a sampling frequency of 1.66 GHz. Experimental results confirm the ANN’s robust performance across varying signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) from 10 dB to 100 dB, showcasing MSE values ranging from 0.06 to 0.000001. Further to add, no noise filter is required after an SNR of 30 dB. The design is achieving only 16% amplitude distortion, thus offering an acceptable fidelity. The proposed demodulator consumed only 63.25% of LUT slices for a single hidden layer and 82.36% of LUT slices for two hidden layers ANN implementations on the specified FPGA board. DSP48E1 units used are 37.71% for the single layer and 60.21% for the multi-layer. The processing speed of the ANN based direct AM demodulator implemented on FPGA is 60.125, and 44.65 at fc of 50 MHz, and 200 MHz respectively. Overall, this ANN-FPGA based approach represents a significant advancement in AM demodulation technology, offering enhanced adaptability and performance compared to traditional methods.

Abstract Lassa fever virus (LASV), a member of the Arenavirus family, is the etiological agent of Lassa fever, a severe hemorrhagic disease that causes considerable morbidity and mortality in the endemic areas of West Africa. LASV is a rodent-borne CDC Tier One biological threat agent and is on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Priority Pathogen list. Currently, no FDA-licensed vaccines or specific therapeutics are available. Here, we describe the efficacy of a deactivated rabies virus (RABV)-based vaccine encoding the glycoprotein precursor (GPC) of LASV (LASSARAB). Nonhuman primates (NHPs) were administered a two-dose regimen of LASSARAB or an irrelevant RABV-based vaccine to serve as a negative control. NHPs immunized with LASSARAB developed strong humoral responses to LASV-GPC. Upon challenge, NHPs vaccinated with LASSARAB survived to the study endpoint, whereas NHPs in the control group did not. This study demonstrates that LASSARAB is a worthy candidate for continued development.

Abstract Myosin1D (Myo1D) has recently emerged as a conserved regulator of animal Left-Right (LR) asymmetry that governs the morphogenesis of the vertebrate central LR Organizer (LRO). In addition to Myo1D, the zebrafish genome encodes the closely related Myo1G. Here we show that while Myo1G also controls LR asymmetry, it does so through an entirely different mechanism. Myo1G promotes the Nodal-mediated transfer of laterality information from the LRO to target tissues. At the cellular level, Myo1G is associated with endosomes positive for the TGFβ signaling adapter SARA. myo1g mutants have fewer SARA-positive Activin receptor endosomes and a reduced responsiveness to Nodal ligands that results in a delay of left-sided Nodal propagation and tissue-specific laterality defects in organs that are most distant from the LRO. Additionally, Myo1G promotes signaling by different Nodal ligands in specific biological contexts. Our findings therefore identify Myo1G as a context-dependent regulator of the Nodal signaling pathway.

Dual-energy or spectral computed tomography (CT) information may be obtained by either sending X-ray beams of different energy spectra through the patient or by discriminating the energy of the X-rays that reach the detector. The spectral signal is then used to generate multiple results: conventional, virtual monoenergetic (MonoE), effective atomic number, electron density, and other material specific (e.g., iodine, calcium, or uric acid). This report demonstrates the potential benefits of spectral CT imaging during percutaneous tumor ablation procedures, specifically regarding visualization of inconspicuous tumors, accurate probe placement, and assessment of treatment efficacy.

The necessity for the development and enhancement of teacher commitment to satisfying students' learning needs in response to the COVID crisis is increasingly highlighted. It is not known, however, how to increase commitment in schoolteachers to boost online teaching in light of the fact that they, too, are struggling to cope with the rapid, unexpected change. A total of 601 teachers from primary and secondary schools across China participated in this study, with an average teaching experience of 15.9 years. Structural equation modelling was used to verify the significance of contextual, cognitive, affective and behavioural factors in boosting teachers' commitment to online teaching. The findings demonstrated that teacher agency played a complete mediating role in the predicting power of other factors to teacher commitment. Therefore, it was recommended that attention be paid to the practice and opportunities for teacher agentic actions, which necessitates real encounters with online teaching, allowing teachers to act meaningfully and initiate a new set of teaching strategies.

Introduction: Klebsiella pneumoniae is associated with a variety of infections across all age groups, both in community and hospital settings. Many strains of K. pneumoniae produce virulence factors such as a capsule, siderophores, biofilm, and hypermucoviscosity, which facilitate adhesion, invasion, and colonization. Additionally, the rising antibiotic resistance in K. pneumoniae strains poses a significant challenge, limiting treatment options. This study aims to identify the virulence factors and assess the antimicrobial susceptibility of clinically significant K. pneumoniae isolates. Materials and Methods: K. pneumoniae isolates were obtained from urine, sputum, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, pus swabs/aspirates, and tissue samples. Standard biochemical tests were performed for identification. Capsule formation, hypermucoviscosity, siderophore production, and biofilm formation were detected phenotypically. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out using the disk diffusion method, and primary and confirmatory tests were conducted for extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) and carbapenemase production. Results: Capsule formation, hypermucoviscosity, siderophore production, and biofilm formation were detected in 100%, 15%, 40%, and 15% of the isolates, respectively. Of the isolates, 40% were multidrug-resistant, 55% produced ESBL, 8% expressed AmpC beta-lactamase, and 10% produced carbapenemase. Conclusion: Capsule formation was the most prevalent virulence factor, followed by siderophore production. The majority of K. pneumoniae isolates demonstrated susceptibility to amikacin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and carbapenems. However, 40% of the isolates were multidrug-resistant, with ESBL production being the most common resistance mechanism.

Radical radiotherapy is one of the options for the management of prostate cancer. In external beam therapy, 3D conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) are the options for delivery of increased radiation dose, as vital organs are very close to the prostate and a higher dose to these structures leads to an increased toxicity. In brachytherapy, low dose rate brachytherapy with permanent implant of radioactive seeds and high dose rate brachytherapy (HDR) with remote after loaders are available. A dosimetric analysis has been made on IMRT and HDR brachytherapy plans. Ten cases from each IMRT and HDR brachytherapy have been taken for the study. The analysis includes comparison of conformity and homogeneity indices, D100, D95, D90, D80, D50, D10 and D5 of the target. For the organs at risk (OAR), namely rectum and bladder, V100, V90 and V50 are compared. In HDR brachytherapy, the doses to 1 cc and 0.1 cc of urethra have also been studied. Since a very high dose surrounds the source, the 300% dose volumes in the target and within the catheters are also studied in two plans, to estimate the actual volume of target receiving dose over 300%. This study shows that the prescribed dose covers 93 and 92% of the target volume in IMRT and HDR brachytherapy respectively. HDR brachytherapy delivers a much lesser dose to OAR, compared to the IMRT. For rectum, the V50 in IMRT is 34.0cc whilst it is 7.5cc in HDR brachytherapy. With the graphic optimization tool in HDR brachytherapy planning, the dose to urethra could be kept within 120% of the target dose. Hence it is concluded that HDR brachytherapy may be the choice of treatment for cancer of prostate in the early stage.

A shift towards outcome-based education (OBE) is visible in an emerging set of educational policy and regulatory documents and higher education institutions across the country. The article argues for OBE to be approached through the lens of 'travelling theory' to foreground the process of translation across various scales, from the transfer of policy knowledge to negotiations in the classroom. By doing so, the article highlights the process of translation which remains at the core of OBE, as it tends to mobilize both managerial and behaviourist approaches along with a constructivist and constructionist approach. The popularity and acceptance of OBE and the disagreements surrounding it are made possible due to this Janus-faced nature of OBE. It argues for acknowledging the mobilization of multiple, contradictory and divergent epistemological approaches as integral to the process of translation of OBE.

Over the past few decades, cones of different diameter (12.5 mm to 40 mm) were used for treatment of intracranial lesions. These give very focused dose delivery to the target with minimum dose to outside normal brain tissues. This study is intended to compare the older method of arc-based stereotactic treatments using cones with the new mini-multileaf collimator (mMLC). Treatment plans are made for various sites of intracranial lesions with the cones and mMLC. In case of nonspherical lesions, more than one isocenter is used to get an optimum dose distribution with cones, while a single isocenter is sufficient with mMLC. Treatment plans are compared for irregular lesions using cones with multiple isocenters and mMLC. It is observed that conformity index and dose heterogeneity are better for mMLC based treatments.

For the construction of railway embankments, geotechnical engineers pay special attention to slope stability studies. The factor of safety values plays a crucial part in assessing the safe design of slopes. The factor of safety values is used to determine how close or far slopes are from failing due to natural or man-made causes. The factor of safety is a numeric value to indicate the relative stability, it doesn’t tell about the actual risk level of any structure, but the reliability index and probability of failure quantify the risk level. The present study discusses the findings of a study to determine the factor of safety of an embankment of height 12.3 m by using Geo-studio 2012 software. In this article, the fragility curve for six different types of cross-sections was also developed i.e. the graph between the probability of failure ( ) and horizontal seismic coefficient ( ), for various values of (i.e. 0.1, 0.12, 0.144, 0.18, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5). It is observed from the developed fragility curve, as the value increases value decreases. A fragility curve can be used to calculate failure probability over a range of seismic zones, and for design purposes, a given seismic zone and probability of failure a unique reliable side slope is selected. Further, two machine learning (ML) models namely, Deep Neural Network (DNN) and Support Vector Regression (SVR) have been developed for the prediction of the factor of safety for different sides slope. Obtained correlation values (R) for SVR and DNN are approximately 0.95 and 0.82 respectively. From the help of the predicted factor of safety fragility curve against horizontal seismic coefficient is drawn for both SVR and DNN models, that for reducing the time of calculation and ease in working best result giving model will be suggested for further analysis of railway embankment.

Nucleoside and polynucleotide cytidine deaminases (CDAs), such as CDA and APOBEC3, share a similar mechanism of cytosine to uracil conversion. In 1984, phosphapyrimidine riboside was characterised as the most potent inhibitor of human CDA, but the quick degradation in water limited the applicability as a potential therapeutic. To improve stability in water, we synthesised derivatives of phosphapyrimidine nucleoside having a CH2 group instead of the N3 atom in the nucleobase. A charge-neutral phosphinamide and a negatively charged phosphinic acid derivative had excellent stability in water at pH 7.4, but only the charge-neutral compound inhibited human CDA, similar to previously described 2'-deoxyzebularine (Ki = 8.0 ± 1.9 and 10.7 ± 0.5 µM, respectively). However, under basic conditions, the charge-neutral phosphinamide was unstable, which prevented the incorporation into DNA using conventional DNA chemistry. In contrast, the negatively charged phosphinic acid derivative was incorporated into DNA instead of the target 2'-deoxycytidine using an automated DNA synthesiser, but no inhibition of APOBEC3A was observed for modified DNAs. Although this shows that the negative charge is poorly accommodated in the active site of CDA and APOBEC3, the synthetic route reported here provides opportunities for the synthesis of other derivatives of phosphapyrimidine riboside for potential development of more potent CDA and APOBEC3 inhibitors.

Non-invasive tests (NITs) are a potential alternative to screening oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) for ruling out high-risk varices (HRVs) in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD). This retrospective study aimed to externally validate and compare various NITs in a multi-centre Australian cohort. Patients with cACLD were enrolled between January 2013 and December 2022. Liver stiffness measurements (LSMs), clinicopathological data, and OGD results were collected. A total of 210 patients were included. The median age was 57 years and 65.7% were male. The main aetiology of cACLD was hepatitis C (41.9%), and 91.9% of patients were Child–Pugh A. HRV prevalence was 12.4%. The Baveno VI criteria (B6C) was the only NIT that could safely reduce the need for OGDs across all aetiologies of cACLD, with a negative predictive value of 98.6 and spared OGD in 33.8%. The FIB-4 would have avoided the most OGDs (71%); however, the HRV miss rate was 6%. The results suggest that the B6C is the best performing NIT in our cohort and reliably excludes HRVs in cACLD patients, regardless of aetiology. This study confirms that the Baveno VI criteria can be applied in an Australian, mixed aetiology cohort to avoid unnecessary screening OGD.

Khaled Saeed Yousef Al Baloushi,1 Annadurai Senthilkumar,1,2 Karthishwaran Kandhan,1 Radhakrishnan Subramanian,1 Jaleel Kizhakkayil,3 Tholkappiyan Ramachandran,4,5 Safa Shehab,6 Shyam Sreedhara Kurup,1 Mohammed Abdul Muhsen Alyafei,1 Ayesha Salem Al Dhaheri,3 Abdul Jaleel1 1Department of Integrative Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates; 2PG and Research Department of Botany, Kandaswami Kandar’s College, Velur, TN, India; 3Department of Nutrition & Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates; 4Department of Physics, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 5Department of Physics, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science, Saveetha University, Chennai, TN, India; 6Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesCorrespondence: Abdul Jaleel, Tel +971-3-713-4576, Email abdul.jaleel@uaeu.ac.aeIntroduction: The synthesis of nanoparticles using naturally occurring reagents such as vitamins, sugars, plant extracts, biodegradable polymers and microorganisms as reductants and capping agents could be considered attractive for nanotechnology. These syntheses have led to the fabrication of limited number of inorganic nanoparticles. Among the reagents mentioned above, plant-based materials seem to be the best candidates, and they are suitable for large-scale biosynthesis of nanoparticles.Methods: The aqueous extract of Moringa peregrina leaves was used to synthesize silver nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by various spectral studies including FT-IR, SEM, HR-TEM and XRD. In addition, the antioxidant activity of the silver nanoparticles was studied viz. DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl radical scavenging, superoxide radical scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging potential and reducing power with varied concentrations. The anticancer potential of the nanoparticles was also studied against MCF-7 and Caco-2 cancer cell lines.Results: The results showed that silver nanoparticles displayed strong antioxidant activity compared with gallic acid. Furthermore, the anticancer potential of the nanoparticles against MCF-7 and Caco-2 in comparison with the standard Doxorubicin revealed that the silver nanoparticles produced significant toxic effects against the studied cancer cell lines with the IC50 values of 41.59 (Caco-2) and 26.93 (MCF-7) μg/mL.Conclusion: In conclusion, the biosynthesized nanoparticles using M. peregrina leaf aqueous extract as a reducing agent showed good antioxidant and anticancer potential on human cancer cells and can be used in biological applications.Keywords: plant-based nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, Moringa peregrina, anticancer, antioxidant activity

Building the capacity of pre-service teachers to work in globalized cross-cultural environments is essential to cope with the challenges of the 21st century. This study establishes the value of internationally paired, authentically collaborative practicums with strong epistemological and positional framing in pursuing such capacity development. It was conducted among 90 pre-service teachers from three different universities in Australia and India who participated in a three-week paired practicum in three schools in India. The practicum included the collaborative production of an integrated Australian and Indian combined theme presented in a whole school forum. Mixed methods and a design-based research approach yielded data affirming that such a model did indeed provide pre-service teachers with the confidence to teach in increasingly diverse classrooms and contexts, while also identifying which aspects of this practicum model were most influential in this regard.

The new paradigm approaches to technology-enhanced feedback (TEF) have piqued the interest of educators seeking to shift away from feedback monologic processing and toward feedback dialogic exchange. The way teachers demonstrate constructive TEF behaviours for their students is essential to the development of students' feedback literacy. However, there is a general lack of multidimensional theoretical conceptualisation for understanding, and instrumentation for measuring teacher TEF literacy. To fill this gap in the literature, this study designed and empirically validated a teacher TEF literacy scale (TTLS) using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis on two distinct samples of teacher participants chosen at random. A total of 632 school teachers from throughout most of China, with a variety of subject backgrounds, participated in this study. The results show that the TTLS' three-factor structure is valid and reliable. To provide supplementary evidence of structural validity, the status quo of TEF literacy among primary and secondary school teachers in China was tested, and a discipline variation in teacher TEF literacy was identified, as hypothesised.

With a logistical advantage, new wire-free procedures have simplified implantation and retrieval of non-palpable breast cancers with enhanced clinical outcomes. The objective of current systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the clinical effectiveness between three new wireless non-radiation localisation techniques, such as Magseed, Radiofrequency identification TAG and Savi-scout reflector from published literature over a 3 year period. The study, following PRISMA guidelines, identified 26 studies from 2020 to 2022 involving 6275 innovative agents, analyzing three groups. Statistical analysis using Medcalc software showed a pooled positive margin rate of 12.28% (95% CI, 10–15%) and a re-excision rate of 11.29% (95%CI, 9–14%) for all three wireless group combined whereas studies that compare them with wire showed higher positive margin rate of 14.87% (95% CI, 12–18%) and re-excision rate of 16.23% (95% CI, 14–18%) for wire-guided localisation. Compared with odd's ratio, there was no statistical significance for margin involvement between WGL and novel agents OR 0.870 95% CI (0.707–1.071); z=-1.310 p=0.190; however, there was a statistical significance with fewer re-excision for wireless group OR 0.791; 95% CI (0.648–0.965); z=-2.309 p=0.021. In sub group analysis with kruskal-wallis test, there was no statistical significance between each group for both margin-positivity (p=0.797; Chi2 0.605) and re-excision rates (p=0.464; chi21.535). Consolidated insertion and retrieval success for wireless group were 98.13% and 99.13% respectively whereas WGL had a similar retrieval success rate of 99.63%. To establish the best localisation approach, future prospective randomised trials will be required to assess quantitative cost-effective analyses.

Abstract Aim To explore internationally qualified nurses' perceptions regarding the facilitators and barriers to specialty skill transfer in Australia. Design The study utilised a descriptive research design with a cross‐sectional survey. Data were collected from July to September 2022. Methods A self‐designed survey was distributed through social media, snowballing and nursing professional organisations. The survey included six open‐ended questions which were analysed using thematic content analysis. Results Sixty‐three participants completed the open‐ended questions in the survey. The findings identified a range of facilitators (support, previous experience, self‐agency) and barriers (systems barriers, bias/discrimination, being undervalued, lack of trust) to skill transition. Conclusion Recognising and addressing facilitators and barriers, coupled with creating customised pathways for specialty skill integration, are essential for optimising the utilisation of specialised skills in internationally qualified nurses. Impact This study aims to explore the barriers and facilitators involved in maximising skill utilisation among internationally qualified nurses in Australia. Identifying these barriers and facilitators is essential for improving patient care, as it will guide the development of strategies for safe nursing service delivery and the optimisation of skill usage. These findings hold significant implications for policymakers, healthcare organisations and nurses, providing valuable insights into how to address these obstacles and capitalise on the factors that make skill transfer smoother and more effective. Patient or Public Contribution Sixty‐three internationally qualified nurses shared their experiences and opinions.

The quality profile, extraction yield, and fermentation chemistry of palm sap depend on various factors such as extraction technique, weather conditions, and preservation methods. This review aims to provide a detailed overview of palm sap extraction techniques and the methods for its preservation. The compositional analysis of palm sap, including physical and chemical parameters such as sugar content, acidity, and mineral composition, is discussed thoroughly. The role of microorganisms in fermentation and the effects of various influencing factors are also critically examined. Additionally, this review evaluates different preservation methods, including thermal processes, refrigeration, and electrical techniques, highlighting their effectiveness in extending the shelf life of palm sap. The review further explores the emerging impact of nanotechnology on palm sap preservation, offering insights into the latest industry challenges, developments, and future prospects. By presenting these findings, this review aims to enhance the scientific understanding of palm sap and stimulate additional research and innovation in the field, paving the way for improved production practices and product quality.

Summary: Background: Mucositis is a common and highly impactful side effect of conventional and emerging cancer therapy and thus the subject of intense investigation. Although common practice, mucositis assessment is heterogeneously adopted and poorly guided, impacting evidence synthesis and translation. The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) Mucositis Study Group (MSG) therefore aimed to establish expert recommendations for how existing mucositis assessment tools should be used, in clinical care and trials contexts, to improve the consistency of mucositis assessment. Methods: This study was conducted over two stages (January 2022–July 2023). The first phase involved a survey to MASCC-MSG members (January 2022–May 2022), capturing current practices, challenges and preferences. These then informed the second phase, in which a set of initial recommendations were prepared and refined using the Delphi method (February 2023–May 2023). Consensus was defined as agreement on a parameter by >80% of respondents. Findings: Seventy-two MASCC-MSG members completed the first phase of the study (37 females, 34 males, mainly oral care specialists). High variability was noted in the use of mucositis assessment tools, with a high reliance on clinician assessment compared to patient reported outcome measures (PROMs, 47% vs 3%, 37% used a combination). The World Health Organization (WHO) and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) scales were most commonly used to assess mucositis across multiple settings. Initial recommendations were reviewed by experienced MSG members and following two rounds of Delphi survey consensus was achieved in 91 of 100 recommendations. For example, in patients receiving chemotherapy, the recommended tool for clinician assessment in clinical practice is WHO for oral mucositis (89.5% consensus), and WHO or CTCAE for gastrointestinal mucositis (85.7% consensus). The recommended PROM in clinical trials is OMD/WQ for oral mucositis (93.3% consensus), and PRO-CTCAE for gastrointestinal mucositis (83.3% consensus). Interpretation: These new recommendations provide much needed guidance on mucositis assessment and may be applied in both clinical practice and research to streamline comparison and synthesis of global data sets, thus accelerating translation of new knowledge into clinical practice. Funding: No funding was received.

The coexistence of neuronal degeneration, psychiatric manifestation, immune activation and malignant transformation has been documented in literature, suggesting a central dysfunction in the pathophysiology of these disorders. The isoprenoid pathway may be candidate in this respect, in view of the changes in the concentration of some products of this pathway in many of these disorders, however, no detailed study has been carried out in this respect. In view of this, a study was undertaken on the isoprenoid pathway in some of these disorders - primary generalized epilepsy, Parkinsonâ€s disease (PD), schizophrenia, manic depressive psychosis (MDP), CNS glioma, multiple sclerosis, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)and a familial group with familial coexistence of schizophrenia, PD, primary generalized epilepsy, malignant neoplasia, rheumatoid arthritis and syndrome-X over three generations. The following parameters were studied in the patients of these disorders as compared to age and sex matched control subjects - ubiquinone dolichol, digoxin, activity of HMG CoA reductase in the plasma and erthyorcyte membrane Na -K--ATpase. Increase in the activity of HMG CoA reductase and in the concentration of plasma digoxin and dolichol was observed in most of these cases. On the other hand, there was decrease in the concentration of plasma ubiquinone. Decrease in the activity of erythrocyte membrane Na-K- ATpase activity for which digoxin is an inhibitor was also observed in all the cases studied. These results indicate an upregulation of the isoprenoid pathway in the neurological and psychiatric disorders studied. The implications of this change is discussed in details.

West syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy with onset in infancy and early childhood. The characteristic triad described includes infantile spasms (IS), an abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) pattern referred to as hypsarrhythmia, and developmental regression. It comprises 2% of childhood epilepsies. Etiologically, West syndrome can be classified into symptomatic with known etiology and cryptogenic with unknown etiology. Hypsarrhythmia is defined as chaotic, asynchronous, disorganized slow background activity with high-voltage spike activity. Burst-suppression pattern is a rarely described pattern of modified hypsarrhythmia, which denotes severe disease. Hereby, we describe the case of a female infant who presented with IS; EEG showed a modified hypsarrhythmia pattern in the form of burst suppression, and magnetic resonance imaging brain showed complete corpus callosal agenesis. She was initiated on injection of adrenocorticotropic hormone and showed marked improvement in epileptic spasms.

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer, representing those between 15 and 39 years of age, face distinctive challenges balancing their life stage with the physical, emotional, and social impacts of a cancer diagnosis. These challenges include fertility concerns, disruptions to educational and occupational pursuits, issues related to body image and sexual health, and the need for age-appropriate psychosocial support within their communities. The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM), a quaternary care center, established a specialized AYA program in 2014, offering holistic and developmentally tailored psychosocial support and currently, efforts are underway to expand this to other regions in the province to address the need for equitable access. The establishment process involves securing funding, conducting an environmental scan, identifying service gaps, developing clinical pathways, and implementing AYA supportive care. An accessible AYA program should also consider social determinants of health, social location, intersectionality, and an interdisciplinary health approach in understanding health inequities in AYA oncology care. This paper describes the processes implemented and challenges faced in creating a community-based AYA program beyond major resource-rich cities and efforts to address intersectionality.

The paper presents a non-invasive wireless power transfer technique that facilitates horizontal propagation of electromagnetic (EM) waves within the tissue layer of the human body. The horizontal propagation is achieved by using a modified aperture open-ended circular waveguide as the radio front-end and a wave launcher for impinging the EM wave at a desired angle. The EM wave, then with a dominant horizontal component, takes advantage of the sub-dermal fat channel, a parallel plate-like channel formed by the sandwiched low dielectric fat layer between the high dielectric skin and muscle layer. This horizontally propagating wave can be utilized to power multiple implants from a single external source for overcoming the challenges associated with transmitter-receiver alignment in medical implants. The wave launcher is designed for an operating frequency of 2.4 GHz, which is in compliance with the ISM band, and attributed to the optimal frequency for through-body power transfer. This paper further contains an elaborate discussion on the design of the wave launcher including the SMA to wave launcher transition and the results of its numerical study. The design is then validated based on the return loss and electric field intensity in the multilayer heterogeneous medium replicating the human tissues.