Brain lateralization and self-reported symptoms of ADHD in a population sample of adults:A dimensional approach

Many clinical studies reported a compromised brain lateralization in patients with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) without being conclusive about whether the deficit existed in the left or right hemisphere. It is well-recognized that studying ADHD dimensionally is more controlled for comorbid problems and medication effects, and provides more accurate assessment of the symptoms. Therefore, the present study applied the dimensional approach to test the relationship between brain lateralization and self-reported ADHD symptoms in a population sample. Eighty-five right-handed university students filled in the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales and performed a lateralization reaction time task. The task consists of two matching conditions: one condition requires nominal identification for letters tapping left hemisphere specialization (Letter Name-Identity condition) and the other one requires physical and visuospatial identification for shapes tapping right hemisphere specialization (Shape Physical-Identity condition). The letters or shapes to be matched are presented in left or right visual field of a fixation cross. For both task conditions, brain lateralization was indexed as the difference in mean reaction time between left and right visual field. Linear regression analyses, controlled for mood symptoms reported by a depression, anxiety and stress scale, showed no relationship between the variables. These findings from a population sample of adults do not support the dimensionality of lateralized information processing deficit in ADHD symptomatology. However, group comparison analyses showed that subjects with high level of inattention symptoms close to or above the clinical cut-off had a reduced right hemisphere processing in the Shape Physical-Identity condition

Evaluating the mechanical properties of Epoxy resin with Fly ash and Silica fume as fillers

Composite material consists of merging two composite materials or more are different in mechanical and physical properties, in this study a composite polymeric material has been prepared, it's mainly used in treatment of cracks that happened in concrete slabs, by using Epoxy resin as a major substance in work while the filler were the Fly ash and Silica fume. Samples were prepared by hand-made molds has special dimensions according to the American Standards for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and  adding each filler separately with different ratios as ( 10%, 20%, 30 %, 40% and 50%), then  studying the mechanical properties of these material like tensile, hardness, compression, impact and bending properties. Key Words : Epoxy resin, Fly ash, Silica fume, fillers

Enhancement of alpha amylase production by Aspergillus flavus AUMC 11685 on mandarin (Citrus reticulata) peel using submerged fermentation

Mandarin peel as submerged fermentation (SmF) source was tested for the production of alpha amylase enzyme by strain of Aspergillus flavus AUMC 11685. Incubation period, concentration of substrate, temperature, pH and size of inoculum were optimized to achieve the maximum production of alpha amylase enzyme by Aspergillus flavus using mandarin peel. The maximum production of alpha amylase enzyme by Aspergillus flavus was recorded at 4-5 days of incubation, 3% substrate concentration, inoculum concentration 10%, temperature 28-40°C and pH 4-5.5. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.81827

Executive and Daily Life Functioning Influence the Relationship Between ADHD and Mood Symptoms in University Students

Objectives: Many studies have indicated a close relationship between ADHD and mood symptoms in university students. In the present study, we explore the role of daily functional impairments and executive functioning in the ADHD–mood relationship. Method: A total of 343 adults (126 males) filled out (a) the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale, (b) the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale, (c) the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale, and (d) the Executive Function Index Scale. Results: The correlation between mood symptoms and ADHD was .48 (moderate correlation) and dropped to .15 (weak correlation) when controlling for functional problems and executive functioning. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that both functional impairments and executive functioning significantly explained 42% to 53% of the variance of mood symptoms. The addition of ADHD symptoms to the model slightly increased the explained mood variance by only 1%. Conclusion: These findings underline the role of experienced difficulties in triggering mood symptoms in ADHD symptomatology

Crocin mitigates carbon tetrachloride-induced liver toxicity in rats

AbstractObjectivesCarbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is one of the most dangerous hepatotoxic environmental pollutants thus this study aimed at investigating the potential preventive effect and mechanism of crocin against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity.MethodsForty Male rats were allocated for two weeks treatment with; corn oil, CCl4 in corn oil, crocin (100mg/kg), or crocin plus CCl4. At time of euthanasia liver was removed, weighted and processed for histopathological evaluation and estimation of liver contents of active caspase3, lipid peroxidation (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH). We also evaluated antioxidant enzymes activities [superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT)], phase I metabolizing enzyme [cytochrome P450 sub family 2E1 (CYP2E1)] an Phase II metabolizing enzyme, [glutathione-S-transferase (GST)] in liver tissue. Blood samples were used for evaluation of liver function tests and inflammatory cytokines [interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)].ResultsCCl4 induced significant (p < 0.001), increase in: relative liver weight to body weight, liver MDA content, liver active caspase-3 and plasma levels of IL-6 and TNF-α. In addition, CCl4 disturbed liver histology, liver metabolizing enzymes (CYP2E1 and GST), and liver function tests (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase). CCl4 induced significant decrease in activities of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and GSH content. Administration of crocin with CCl4 mitigated all CCl4-disturbed parameters and preserved liver histology close to normal.ConclusionCrocin ameliorated CCl4-induced liver injury via inhibition of inflammatory cytokines, caspase3 and oxidative stress along with modulation of liver metabolizing enzymes favoring elimination of CCl4 toxic metabolite

The Effects of Disinfectants on Dimensional Accuracy and Surface Quality of Impression Materials and Gypsum Casts

Abstract Background: The study aimed to evaluating the effect of disinfecting impression materials on the dimensional accuracy and surface quality of the resulting casts

Linking state regulation, brain laterality, and self-reported attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in adults

Introduction: Many clinical studies have shown that performance of subjects with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is impaired when stimuli are presented at a slow rate compared to a medium or fast rate. According to the cognitive–energetic model, this finding may reflect difficulty in allocating sufficient effort to regulate the motor activation state. Other studies have shown that the left hemisphere is relatively responsible for keeping humans motivated, allocating sufficient effort to complete their tasks. This leads to a prediction that poor effort allocation might be associated with an affected left-hemisphere functioning in ADHD. So far, this prediction has not been directly tested, which is the aim of the present study. Method: Seventy-seven adults with various scores on the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale performed a lateralized lexical decision task in three conditions with stimuli presented in a fast, a medium, and a slow rate. The left-hemisphere functioning was measured in terms of visual field advantage (better performance for the right than for the left visual field). Results: All subjects showed an increased right visual field advantage for word processing in the slow presentation rate of stimuli compared to the fast and the medium rate. Higher ADHD scores were related to a reduced right visual field advantage in the slow rate only. Conclusions: The present findings suggest that ADHD symptomatology is associated with less involvement of the left hemisphere when extra effort allocation is needed to optimize the low motor activation state

Error monitoring and daily life executive functioning

Error monitoring during task execution is reflected in post-error slowing (PES), which refers to the tendency to slow down performance after making an error in order to prevent future mistakes. The key question of the present study is whether poor error monitoring (reduced magnitude of PES) has negative consequences for daily life executive function skills, as well as functioning in different life settings such as work, family, social, and academic settings. Eighty-five university students performed a lexical decision task and completed The Executive Function Index Scale (EFI), and the Weiss Functional Impairments Rating Scale (WFIRS). Individual academic achievement was measured using the Grade Point Average. Statistical analysis revealed that a decreased magnitude of PES was weakly associated with less efficient planning (one of the executive functions). Results suggest that error monitoring, as measured by PES, was not associated with functioning in a naturalistic environment, but could be interpreted to some extent as an experimental marker of planning in daily life executive functioning