Optimization of beam dump shielding for K-130 cyclotron at VECC.

A compact and efficient beam dump shield has been designed using Monte Carlo simulation code FLUKA to facilitate low background measurement of neutron and gamma rays using K130 cyclotron at Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Kolkata (VECC). Iron, lead and high density Polyethylene (HDPE) were considered in the design of the beam dump shield. Representative FLUKA simulation results have been validated using in-beam experiment performed on the same beam dump constituents. Experimental neutron and gamma-rays energy spectra have been found to be in fair agreement with the simulation results. Activation of various beam dump shield components were also carried out.

Experimental Determination of η/s for Finite Nuclear Matter.

We present, for the first time, simultaneous determination of shear viscosity (η) and entropy density (s) and thus, η/s for equilibrated nuclear systems from A∼30 to A∼208 at different temperatures. At finite temperature, η is estimated by utilizing the γ decay of the isovector giant dipole resonance populated via fusion evaporation reaction, while s is evaluated from the nuclear level density parameter (a) and nuclear temperature (T), determined precisely by the simultaneous measurements of the evaporated neutron energy spectra and the compound nuclear angular momenta. The transport parameter η and the thermodynamic parameter s both increase with temperature, resulting in a mild decrease of η/s with temperature. The extracted η/s is also found to be independent of the neutron-proton asymmetry at a given temperature. Interestingly, the measured η/s values are comparable to that of the high-temperature quark-gluon plasma, pointing towards the fact that strong fluidity may be the universal feature of the strong interaction of many-body quantum systems.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen as a target for cancer imaging and therapy.

The prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a molecular target whose use has resulted in some of the most productive work toward imaging and treating prostate cancer over the past two decades. A wide variety of imaging agents extending from intact antibodies to low-molecular-weight compounds permeate the literature. In parallel there is a rapidly expanding pool of antibody-drug conjugates, radiopharmaceutical therapeutics, small-molecule drug conjugates, theranostics and nanomedicines targeting PSMA. Such productivity is motivated by the abundant expression of PSMA on the surface of prostate cancer cells and within the neovasculature of other solid tumors, with limited expression in most normal tissues. Animating the field is a variety of small-molecule scaffolds upon which the radionuclides, drugs, MR-detectable species and nanoparticles can be placed with relative ease. Among those, the urea-based agents have been most extensively leveraged, with expanding clinical use for detection and more recently for radiopharmaceutical therapy of prostate cancer, with surprisingly little toxicity. PSMA imaging of other cancers is also appearing in the clinical literature, and may overtake FDG for certain indications. Targeting PSMA may provide a viable alternative or first-line approach to managing prostate and other cancers.

Growth and nutritional status of Bengali adolescent girls.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the growth and nutritional status among healthy Bengali adolescent schoolgirls at peri-urban area. METHODS: In this cross sectional study, sample consists of 527 school going adolescent girls, aged 10 to 18 years. The sample of the present study was collected from a peri-urban area (Duttapukur) of north 24 parganas district of West Bengal, India. Standard anthropometric measurements including linear, curvilinear and skinfold thickness were collected from each subject. Percentile curves and nutritional indices were used to determine the growth and nutritional status respectively. RESULTS: The nature of distance curves and percentile curves of the body measurements showed a high rate of increase in 10-11 years of age group corresponding to an earlier adolescent growth spurt than average Indian girls. The adolescent girls in the current study were found to be significantly (p<0.0001) taller than Indian girls and heavier than both Indian and urban Bengali girls but slightly shorter than urban Bengali girls. They are significantly (p<0.0001) shorter and lighter than American girls, which also corresponded to 50(th) percentile curves. Age specific nutritional assessment shows different grades of malnutrition among them. Gomez's classification indicates about 60 % to 70 % adolescent girls show either moderate to mild malnutrition during their growth period. Both the indices of Waterlow's classification show least percentage of least malnutrition among the girls. CONCLUSION: The growth pattern and nutritional status observed among adolescent girls in peri-urban situation show heterogeneity with respect to some anthropometric traits and in conformity with the growth pattern and nutritional status of urban girls.

Whole time domestic child labor in metropolitan city of Kolkata.

We conducted this study to explore the socioeconomic conditions, and health and nutritional status of whole time child domestic labor. 330 children engaged in domestic child labor ranging between 8 to 14 years of age from the metropolitan city of Kolkata were studied. Majority of the domestic child laborers were girls and migrants coming from illiterate families. These children were physically, mentally or sexually abused. Further, they suffered from anemia, gastrointestinal tract infections, vitamin deficiencies, respiratory tract infections and skin diseases along with a high prevalence of malnutrition. The study highlights the poor state of domestic child labor in Kolkata, India.

Agricultural child labor in West Bengal.

Five hundred agricultural child workers of the age group 7-14 years from nine villages of three districts of West Bengal were studied to investigate the socio-economic problems, health hazards and health status. Majority (65%) were Muslims and the rest were Hindus; 79% were boys and most were the eldest children in the families. Nearly 65% children were part-time workers of whom 54% were unpaid helpers and the rest mostly received meagre wages of Rs. 5 to 6 per day. Seventy per cent fathers and 96% mothers were illiterate. A total of 33.6% children did not attend schools and 37.6% had discontinued their studies due to poor economic conditions. Reasons for taking up jobs were mostly due to low family income. Almost 85% children lived in kaccha houses and 98.5% used open fields for sanitation. Different grades of malnutrition were observed in 77.4% boys and 88.5% girls. None had undergone any systemic health check-ups. The associated ailments recorded were anemia (68.5%), gastrointestinal tract infections (65.8%), upper respiratory tract infections (15.5%), vitamin deficiencies (81.2%), eye diseases (30.2%) and skin diseases (22.8%). Health hazards, to which the children were exposed, included heat-induced disorders (4%), mechanical injuries (16%), toxic effects of chemicals (3%), bites of poisonous insects (34%) and death of two children due to poisonous snake bite. No legal protection was available to child.

Child labor in suburban areas of Calcutta, West Bengal.

Seven hundred and fifty nine children in different sectors were covered in this study, which was undertaken by observational techniques, questionnaires and physical examination. All children belonged to the age group of 6-14 years. Nearly 30% children had migrated from neighbouring districts and states. Almost 88% were Hindus and 12.2% were Muslims. Seventy one per cent children came from large families. In 40% families one child, and in 59.6% families more than one sibling had joined the labor force. About 83% fathers and 93.9% mothers were illiterate. A total of 55.8% did not attend schools; 45.3% had discontinued school due to poverty (69.9%), father's apathy (8.4%), children's own attitude (10.4%) and frequent absence and physical assaults by school teachers (5.0%). The main reason for taking up jobs was low per capita income (70.3%). Wages were exploitatively low: as little as Rs. 50/- per month in 20.8%, for work of an average 10-12 hours per day. Only 4% had systemic health check-ups. Different grades of malnutrition were observed in 55.7% male and 29.5% female working children. The ailments observed included anemia (60.4%), respiratory tract infection (31.8%), and gastrointestinal tract infection (33.6%). Nearly half (52.6%) children were addicted to bidi smoking, 3% to ganja and 39.3% to betel-nut. The evils of exploitation are increasing inspite of existing child laws.

STUDIES ON 15(S)15 METHYL PGF2α BY INTRAMUSCULAR ROUTE FOR SECOND TRIMESTER ABORTION (TWO HOURLY SCHEDULE).

A multicentre study was undertaken to study intramuscular 15(S)15 methyl PGF2α (Prostin 15M, Upjohn) for induction of second trimester abortion. The patients were premedicated with Imodium and Perinorm to control the gastrointestinal side effects. The dose of Prostin 15M was 250 µg every two hours and the progress of the abortion was assessed before each injection. If there was no progress at the end of 10 injections the case was classified as a failure. Ninety-seven patients were recruited for the study, 39 were primigravidae and 58 multigravidae. Twenty-four out of 39 primigravidae and 52 out of 58 multigravidae aborted with the treatment. The mean induction abortion interval was 17.8 hours in the primigravidae and 14.5 hours in the multigravidae patients. The mean number of episodes of vomiting was 2.9 and diarrhoea 4.2 per patient per trial. The primigravidae had slightly higher incidence of gastrointestinal side effects. The overall incidence of incomplete abortion was 17.1%.