THE ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY EFFECTS OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING COMPOUNDS ON SEXUALLY SELECTED TRAITS IN MALE GUPPIES

Male mating signals convey important mate-quality information to females and are regulated by androgens. Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are chemicals that interfere with proper hormonal functioning in exposed animals, causing altered hormone levels and resulting in changed reproductive characteristics, including mating signals. Altered signals can have ecological implications by influencing population and community dynamics and evolutionary implications via trans-generational reduction in signal reliability leading to reduced preference and eventual loss of the signal trait. I examined the effects of exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of atrazine, a widely used herbicide and EDC, on mating signals and behaviors in male guppies, a sexually dimorphic freshwater fish. Guppies were exposed either during adulthood or embryonic development. Prolonged atrazine exposure during adulthood reduced the size of the carotenoid-based ornament, the number of courtship displays performed, and aggression towards competing males. Embryonic exposure did not affect survival to adulthood and the time to develop male-specific morphologies. But there was a trend for smaller genitalia, and the ornament size was significantly increased. Possible increases in immunocompetence as a result of slight estrogenecity may have allowed for greater carotenoid allocation to the ornament. Embryonic exposure also resulted in reduced courtship behavior, forced copulatory attempts and aggression towards competitors; female guppies found these males less attractive. The low dose had the strongest effects with embryonic exposure, indicating the importance of low-dose exposures. These studies highlight the effects of low and environmentally relevant doses of atrazine on mating signals and behaviors in exposed wildlife. A mathematical model was used to understand the evolutionary effects of EDCs on the optimal allocation of carotenoids between ornament and immunocompetence. Animals obtain carotenoids through their diet, and allocate some of this to enhance immune function and the rest to ornaments for mate attraction. The model replicates the disruption of carotenoid-based ornaments as a result of EDC-exposure, and predicts that signal reliability will be reduced. The model simulates an evolutionary shift in the optimal allocation if exposure spanned multiple generations, but signal reliability is not restored. Including additional selective forces like predation further suppresses signal reliability

Perkaitan Antara Penggunaan Sumber Keluarga Dengan Keupayaan Mental Dikalangan Kanak-Kanak India di Bandar dan di Estet

Tujuan utama kajian ini ialah untuk mengenalpasti sumber-sumber yang terdapat pada keluarga India di bandar dan di estet di Daerah Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. Objektif khusus pula ialah a) untuk mengkaji prestasi tahap kecerdasan mental, b) untuk mengenal pasti sumber-sumber yang ada pada keluarga, c) untuk menganalisis perkaitan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi keupayaan mental dan d) untuk meninjau pola interaksi ibu-anak sebagai input dalam keupayaan mental anak. Data di kumpul dengan menggunakan kaedah kuantitatif dan kualitatif keatas 60 keluarga manakala pemerhatian dijalankan keatas 10 buah keluarga. Sumber-sumber keluarga dilihat dari segi sumber manusia dan sumber bukan manusia yang terdapat dalam persekitaran keluarga yang mempunyai perkaitan dengan keupayaan mental anak. Dapatan kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa lokasi (r= -.5203, P <0.05) menjadi penyumbang yang kuat terhadap keupayaan mental. Melalui pemerhatian pula, didapati bahawa ibu yang mengamalkan pola interaksi bercorak positif mempunyai anak yang mencapai skor ujian WISC yang tinggi. Kesimpulannya, di dapati profail anak responden yang berjaya mempunyai keupayaan mental yang tinggi terdiri daripada mereka yang mendapat penglibatan daripada ibubapa. Penglibatan secara langsung adalah dari segi masa yang diluangkan bersama anak dalam aktiviti pendidikan anak manakala penglibatan secara tidak langsung ialah kesanggupan ibubapa membelanjakan wang untuk menyediakan bahan-bahan rangsangan untuk meningkatkan tahap keupayaan mental ke tahap optimum

SILENT REBELLION OF WOMEN CHARACTERS IN CHETAN BHAGAT'S ONE NIGHT @ THE CALL CENTER

Bhagat has brought out a balanced view of the youth as well as their parents in his novels. Increased intelligence and exposure, several sophistications, mad chase for money and so on have brought out a major change in the outlook of the Indian society, resulting in the strained parent – adult relationship. Without understanding their children’s interest and competence, parents try to reinforce their expectations on their children with parental authority. On the other hand, children, without proper guidance, take extreme decisions either react to it in a rebellious way or will end up in self destruction. The present day scenario of the Indian women is paradoxical as they have accepted modernity as their way of life, but they are still standing at the threshold of transformation. Their outward appearance is in contrast to their inner consciousness. Rao says: “The inner consciousness of the Indian psyche and the social relations are based on the traditional image of the ideal womanhood even in the changed context” (159). Today’s cosmopolitan mother-daughter is in a way a contrast to the conventional relationships. Mother has an obsessive anxiety to find a suitable life partner for her daughter or son. According to them, matrimony is a purely mercenary connection, and they always feel that they are the victims of the marriage. These qualities are repulsive to her daughters and they show resistance. They react at times, when her mother admonishes them. Like men, they also experience the same kind of pressure and restrictions from their parents, resulting in a turbulent relationship with their mothers. Bhagat points out how women in India are being incarcerated within families in the name of care, safety, morality, etc. Undoubtedly, ‘Every girl in India deserves a journey of self-discovery’. His article, ‘Wake up and respect your inner Queen’ - (April 6, 2014, The Times of India) is a true picture on status of women in India

Development of Image Based Model for Basic Standing Yoga Poses that Control Type-2 Diabetes

Yoga is one of the ancient practices originated in India that helps in balancing mind and body of human. For the past few decades it has got wide spread throughout the world. Many are practicing it in the presence of yoga tutor or following some online modes. But improper practice may cause major harm to muscles and ligaments of the human body. There are different asanas proposed in the Patanjali Yoga Sutra that can cure different diseases. This paper, proposes a mathematical model for a set of yoga asanas that can help cure Type -2 Diabetes. A noninvasive analysis has been implemented using Kinect Sensor and LabVIEW software to analyze the performance of the practitioner. The joints are subjected to the flexibility of the practitioner without any overstress

Making Invisible Entities Visible: Negotiating Disclosure of Invisible Chronic Conditions in the Workplace

Invisible chronic conditions affect the work life of people in ways that are not obvious to others due to the lack of prominent symptoms. This thesis examines the negotiation of disclosure at work for people with invisible chronic conditions. In the first phase of this study, I analyzed posts on two Reddit forums, migraine and fibromyalgia. I found different factors in the workplace that can mitigate or exacerbate chronic pain in people with invisible conditions, and how people negotiate the disclosure of their invisible condition at work. In the second phase, I created five technological design concepts that were then shown to six people with one or both of these conditions in semi-structured interviews. Based on these phases, I contribute understandings of disclosure to take into account in future design efforts, such as how disclosure is not a simple, one-time conversation, nor is concealment an easy route without adequate access to manage chronic pain privately. Additionally, I identify design implications and future areas for research

Optimization of Ibuprofen Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carrier (NLC) Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM): Preparation and Invitro Evaluation

The present work describes a study on “optimization of ibuprofen loaded nano structured lipid carrier (NLC) using response surface methodology (RSM): preparation and in vitro evaluation” Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body. This drug was selected for the study because it has good percutaneous absorption and appears to be more active as anti inflammatory activity and is well tolerated. Nano structured lipid carrier was formulated by high speed homogenization method which was found to be simple and economic. Excipients (lipids) used in the study was economic and safe. Effect of various factors on the formulation can be studied by the Box-Behnken design. With the use of desirability plots minor change in the formulation is possible for the required response. It is evidence from the FTIR spectrum shows that the lipids ( solid lipid ) used in the NLC formulations were compatible with the drug Ibuprofen. In vitro release studies of the formulations were carried out across the dialysis membrane using a diffusion cell. Among all the formulations, the release was highest for the formulation NLC F1 as 98.63% in 12 hours diffusion study. It also shows lowest particle size , better entrapment efficiency and high zeta potential value, hence NLC-IBU F1 was concluded as optimized formulation. The optimized nano structured lipid carrier IBU-NLC formulations was dispersed into gel. The polymers namely Carbopol-940 were used as gelling agent for formulation of gels and studied for their drug permeation from the NLC- gel formulations. Carbopol gels were transparent, non-greasy and smooth on application. The pH of the formulations ranged from 6.5 to 7.1. The spreadability data ranges from 4.3-5.5 gm-cm/sec. The drug content was found to be 90-94%. The pH, spreadability and drug content were good and up to the acceptable range. The in vitro diffusion study of NLC gel formulation were carried out across the skin membrane using Franz diffusion cell. It shows good permeation into skin for prolonged release of 12 hours than the marketed gel formulation . From this investigation, it was concluded that formulation F1 was concluded as best formulation . It could be concluded that NLCs may play an important role in controlling the release of Ibuprofen from NLCs as well as targeting of drug to the skin. The amount of drug retained in the skin for NLC based gel was found to be significantly higher as compared to marketed formulation. The dermal retention of Ibuprofen was attributed to the increased contact with corneocytes, skin occlusion and sustained release owing to the properties of NLCs. Due to their small particle size, NLC make closer contact with the superficial junctions of corneocytes clusters and furrows present between corneocyte islands and favour accumulation for several hours , allowing sustained drug release. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Ibuprofen NLCs gel formulation can be used to extend the duration of drug release and as an efficient topical drug delivery carrier for chronic treatment of inflammation

Insect- Host Plant-Parasitoid Interactions : SORGHUM MIDGE Contarlnla sorghicola (Coqulllett)

Three resistant (ICSV 745, ICSV 89058 and IS 10712) and three susceptible (Swarna, CSH 9 and ICSV 112) sorghum genotypes were sown on three dates each during the rainy (6, 15 and 30 Jul in rainy season 1992 and 2, 19 Jul and 6 Aug in rainy season 1993) and post-rainy (29 Oct, 13 Nov and 1 Dec 1992) seasons of 1992193. A modified headcage was developed for easy and precise collection of emerging insects. The species composition of natural enemies included three larval parasitoids (Aprostocetus sp., Eupelmus sp. and Apanfeles sp.) and one predator (Orius sp.). Parasitoid emergence commenced 1 - 3 weeks after initiation of midge emergence. The population dynamics of Aprostocetus sp, was similar in susceptible and resistant genotypes. Aprostocetus sp, activity was higher in the first and third sowing dates than in the second and greater numbers were recovered from susceptible than from resistant genotypes. The extent of parasitization of midge larvae did not follow a definite pattern with resistance or susceptibility of the host plant to midge. The lowest levels of parasitization were recorded from midge resistant ICSV 745. Studies on the tritrophic interactions indicated variations in preference for host stage for parasitization and development in rainy and post-rainy season

Identification and characterization of proteins that interact with zonula occludens proteins

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Acute fatty liver disease of pregnancy-report of two cases from tertiary care centre, Hyderabad

A referral case from Kollampally, Narayanpet, primi past EDD by 2 days, thrombocytopenia and elevated bilirubin levels. EDC-18.09.22, scan EDC- 26.09.22 She had a vaginal septum and a poor Bishop score. During caesarean section, there was atonic post-partum haemorrhage, (PPH). When PPH could not be controlled with medical management, Haymans stitches were applied to control the bleeding. Total she received seventeen units of blood products, (4 FFPS, 1 SDP, 2 PRBC, 10 CRYO). She succumbed on the fourth POD. Fulminant hepatic failure, hepatic encephalopathy, grade 111, oliguric, AKI, thrombocytopenia, coagulopathy, with sepsis. The second case, a 24 years primi, 38 weeks 4 days, jaundice of three days duration, with HELLP? AFLP, thrombocytopenia with poor Bishop score. This case was a referral from SVS medical college, Mahaboob Nagar (MBNR) on 25.10.22, 7.23pm. An emergency LSCS was performed on 26.10. 22, 2.15 am. Blood products 25 units, (1 PRBC, 8 FFP, 6 RDP, 10 Cryo) units transfused. Intra operative blood loss was 1250 ml. Atonic PPH was managed adopting both medical and surgical, methods. An alive male 3200 gm was delivered. Measures taken to control PPH were, misoprostol 800 mcg PR, inj.oxytocin 20 units i.v drip, uterine massage, Inj. Carboprost was given. Modified B Lynch uterine compression sutures were applied. Bilateral uterine artery ligation was done. Abdominal drain kept. AKI, sepsis and increasing bilirubin levels were noted. At OGH two sessions of haemodialysis were done. Patient expired on 28.10.22. Persistent hypoglycemia, elevated bilirubin, low fibrinogen, prolonged PT and INR pointed to a diagnosis of AFLP.