Running of high patient volume radiation oncology department during COVID-19 crisis in India: our institutional strategy

Manoj Gupta,Rachit Ahuja,Sweety Gupta,Deepa Joseph,Rajesh Pasricha,Swati Verma,Laxman Pandey 대한방사선종양학회 2020 Radiation Oncology Journal Vol.38 No.2

Purpose: Due to COVID 19 pandemic, the treatment of cancer patients has become a dilemma for every oncologist. Cancer patients are at an increased risk of immunosuppression and have a higher risk to acquire any infection. There are individual experiences from some centers regarding the management of cancer patients during such a crisis. So we have developed our institutional strategy to balance between COVID and cancer management. Materials and Methods: Radiation Oncology departmental meeting was held to prepare a consensus document on Radiotherapy schedules and department functioning during this pandemic. Results: Strategies were taken in form of following areas were steps need to be taken to decrease risk of infection, categorise treatment on the basis of priority, radiotherapy schedules modification, academic meetings and management of COVID positive patient/personnel in Radiation Oncology department. Conclusion: We hope to strike the balance in overcoming both the battles and emerge as winners. Stringent long term follow up will be done for assessing the response or any unforeseen treatment related sequelae.

An Optimised Fuzzy Approach to Remove Mixed Noise from Images

Sweety Deswal,Surbhi Singhania,Shailender Gupta,Pranjal Garg 보안공학연구지원센터 2016 International Journal of Signal Processing, Image Vol.9 No.4

Mixed noises can be defined as a combination of different types of noises acting on a single carrier. There has been a mention of various mechanisms used to restore images corrupted with mixed noise in the past. This paper proposes a simple method based on fuzzy set theory and Bilateral Filter to remove mixed noises and compares it with previously mentioned techniques such as: Vector Median Filter(VMF), Vector Direction Filter (VDF), Fuzzy Peer Group Averaging (FPGA), Fuzzy Vector Median Filter (FVMF), Bilateral Filter (BF), Adaptive Bilateral Filter (ABF), Switching Bilateral Filter (SBF), Joint Bilateral Filter (JBF), and Trilateral Filter (TF) on the basis of performance metrics such as Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Square Error (MSE) and Normalised Colour Difference (NCD). For the purpose of a detailed analysis, the performance of each method is evaluated by varying the image size and the noise density by implementing them in MATLAB-09. The mixed noise used in this paper is a combination of three noise i.e. poisson, impulse and Gaussian noise. The simulation and result shows that the proposed method provides better PSNR and hence better image quality than almost all the methods mentioned above.

Facile Synthesis of Bio-Composite Films Obtained from Sugarcane Bagasse and Cardboard Waste

Sanjeev Makin,Satish Kumar Singh,Sweety Verma,Himanshu Gupta,Avneesh Kumar Gehlaut,Suantak Kamsonlian,Surya Narain Lal,Ankur Gaur 한국화학공학회 2023 Korean Chemical Engineering Research(HWAHAK KONGHA Vol.61 No.4

In this study, we focus on the recycling of cardboard waste and sugarcane bagasse (SCB) for the preparation of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and its conversion into a biodegradable film. Sodium alginate (SA) was added to form a biodegradable composite film. SA was used to increase film permeability. Glycerol, which is a plasticizer, was used to increase the tensile strength (TS) and film expansion. To characterize the CMC, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were used. The addition of olive oil to the CMC-SA matrix highlighted its antimicrobial property against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). A slight decrease in tensile strength was observed with the addition of olive oil (OO), which improved the functional properties of the control films as well as lowered moisture content and water solubility. But considering all other factors, the composite films obtained from sugarcane bagasse and cardboard waste incorporated with olive oil are suitable for applications in the field of food packaging.

Performance of nested multiplex PCR assay targeting MTP40 and IS6110 gene sequences for the diagnosis of tubercular lymphadenitis

Pallavi Sinha,Pradyot Prakash,Shashikant C.U. Patne,Shampa Anupurba,Sweety Gupta,G. N. Srivastava 한국미생물학회 2017 The journal of microbiology Vol.55 No.1

The conventional methods for diagnosis of tubercular lymphadenitis (TBLN) such as - fine needle aspiration cytology, Ziehl-Neelsen staining and culture have limitations of low sensitivity and/or specificity. So, it becomes essential to develop a rapid, sensitive, and specific method for an early diagnosis of TBLN. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (nMPCR) targeting MTP40 and IS6110 gene sequences of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, respectively in 48 successive patients of TBLN and 20 random patients with non-tubercular lymph node lesions. Out of the 48 cases of TBLN, 14 (29.2%) were found to be positive by Ziehl-Neelsen staining, 15 (31.2%) were positive by culture and 43 (89.6%) cases were positive after first round of PCR while 48 (100%) cases were positive by nMPCR assay. The sensitivity and specificity of nMPCR was found to be 100% for the diagnosis of TBLN. The results thus obtained indicate that nMPCR assay is a highly sensitive and specific tool for the diagnosis of TBLN.

Weekly cisplatin or gemcitabine concomitant with radiation in the management of locally advanced carcinoma cervix: results from an observational study

Arun K Verma,Ashok Kumar Arya,Milind Kumar,Anuj Kumar,Sweety Gupta,DN Sharma,GK Rath 대한부인종양학회 2009 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.20 No.4

Objective: The use of non-platinum drugs in concurrent chemoradiation in carcinoma cervix has not been well explored and hence a two arm study was planned to compare the outcome of concomitant cisplatin or gemcitabine in locally advanced carcinoma cervix. Methods: Thirty six patients were evaluated in this study for response rates and complications. These patients were divided into two arms, sixteen patients in the cisplatin arm and twenty patients in the gemcitabine arm. Cisplatin and gemcitabine were given as i.v. infusion at doses of 40 mg/㎡ and 150 mg/㎡ respectively for five weeks concomitant with radiotherapy. All patients had received pelvic radiotherapy to a dose of 50 Gy/25 fraction/5 weeks by four field box technique followed by high-dose-rate brachytherapy (3 sessions, each of 7.5 Gy to point A). Results: Median follow up was of 10.4 months (range, 3 to 36 months) and 10.9 months (range, 2 to 49 months) in the cisplatin and gemcitabine arms, respectively. At first follow up, 68.8% in the cisplatin arm and 70% in the gemcitabine arm had achieved complete response (p=0.93). Similar response rates were noted in different stages in both arms. None of the patients except one developed grade 4 toxicity. Similar toxicity profiles were observed in both arms. Local disease control, distant disease free survival and overall survival was 68.8% vs. 70%, 93.8% vs. 85%, 68.8% vs. 60% in the cisplatin and gemcitabine arms, respectively. Conclusion: Weekly gemcitabine had similar disease control and tolerable toxicity profile with cisplatin. Gemcitabine may be used as an alternative to cisplatin in patients with compromised renal function. Objective: The use of non-platinum drugs in concurrent chemoradiation in carcinoma cervix has not been well explored and hence a two arm study was planned to compare the outcome of concomitant cisplatin or gemcitabine in locally advanced carcinoma cervix. Methods: Thirty six patients were evaluated in this study for response rates and complications. These patients were divided into two arms, sixteen patients in the cisplatin arm and twenty patients in the gemcitabine arm. Cisplatin and gemcitabine were given as i.v. infusion at doses of 40 mg/㎡ and 150 mg/㎡ respectively for five weeks concomitant with radiotherapy. All patients had received pelvic radiotherapy to a dose of 50 Gy/25 fraction/5 weeks by four field box technique followed by high-dose-rate brachytherapy (3 sessions, each of 7.5 Gy to point A). Results: Median follow up was of 10.4 months (range, 3 to 36 months) and 10.9 months (range, 2 to 49 months) in the cisplatin and gemcitabine arms, respectively. At first follow up, 68.8% in the cisplatin arm and 70% in the gemcitabine arm had achieved complete response (p=0.93). Similar response rates were noted in different stages in both arms. None of the patients except one developed grade 4 toxicity. Similar toxicity profiles were observed in both arms. Local disease control, distant disease free survival and overall survival was 68.8% vs. 70%, 93.8% vs. 85%, 68.8% vs. 60% in the cisplatin and gemcitabine arms, respectively. Conclusion: Weekly gemcitabine had similar disease control and tolerable toxicity profile with cisplatin. Gemcitabine may be used as an alternative to cisplatin in patients with compromised renal function.