Differences in interhemispheric interaction during visual information processing in mathematically gifted youth, average ability adolescents, and college students

The purpose of the current research was to study the interhemispheric interaction in the brains of mathematically gifted youth, average ability adolescents, and college students. This study investigated the efficiency of interhemispheric interaction via the corpus callosum for brief displays of hierarchical stimuli under these conditions: (1) when both hemispheres have direct access to the visual information for performing global/local matches (i.e., bilateral redundant trials), (2) when the information necessary to perform such matches is divided between the visual-fields/hemispheres, thus forcing the hemispheres to exchange information to successfully perform the task (i.e., bilateral cooperative trials), and (3) when only one hemisphere has initial access to the information to perform global/local matches (i.e., unilateral trials). The college students produced the prototypical results with the right hemisphere (RH) superior for global processing and the left hemisphere (LH) for local processing. In addition, for college students, the LH showed aspects of metacontrol when information necessary to perform global/local matches was redundantly available to both hemispheres, whereas the RH showed metacontrol when the information necessary to perform global/local matches was split between the hemispheres. The average ability adolescents showed the prototypical results for local processing (i.e., LH faster for local processing), but showed no difference between the hemispheres for global processing. The mathematically gifted participants did not produce any reliable differences between hemispheres when processing hierarchical stimuli, which is consistent with previously obtained results showing bilateral involvement of the hemispheres in the gifted during basic information processing. Interestingly, average ability adolescents and college students exhibited considerable slowing and a greater number of errors in the cooperative viewing condition, while mathematically gifted adolescents were significantly faster and more accurate when the stimuli were divided between the visual-field/hemispheres suggesting enhanced interhemispheric cooperation as a unique functional characteristic of the mathematically gifted brain. Possible explanations for the pattern of performance by gifted individuals during the cooperative condition are examined (e.g., greater callosal connectivity in the gifted brain) and potential goals for future research with gifted participants are discussed

Optimization and prediction of sintering process parameters for magnetic abrasives preparation using response surface methodology

Magnetic abrasives are important parts of Magnetic Assisted Abrasive Finishing (MAF). Magnetic abrasives are prepared by many processes, but sintering is the one of the best processes to prepare magnetic abrasives. The objective of this paper is to optimize the sintering process parameters. To do that, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is used for the optimization of process parameters, Abrasive concentration in ferromagnetic particles (AC)%, Compacting Pressure (CP) N/mm2 and Sintering Time(ST)min. To check the performance of magnetic abrasives Percentage Improvement in Surface finish (PISF) is considered as a response variable. Optimization and prediction are executed through RSM and Central Composite Design (CCD) is used to conduct the experiments. The optimized values of process parameters obtained are AC (19.29%), ST (15min) and CP (6.9 N/mm2) and also predicted values for the response variable are obtained

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF CYTOLOGICAL AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL GRADING IN INVASIVE DUCTAL CARCINOMA BREAST: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Objectives: Carcinoma breast is most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and histopathology play very important role in diagnosing breast cancer. Main objective of this study is to compare the cytological and histopathological grading in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast. Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Patiala. Fifty patients with palpable breast lump were selected. The age of whom varied from 30 to 86 years. FNAC was done, smears were prepared and stained with Romanowsky and Papanicolaou stains. Cytological grading was done according to Robinson’s method. After surgery, the results were compared with histological grading according to Nottingham’s Modification of Bloom–Richardson method. Results: On cytological grading of 50 cases, 25 (50%) cases were graded as Grade II, 21 (42%) as Grade I, and 4 (8%) as Grade III. Whereas on histological grading, Grades I, II and III tumors were 17 (34%), 22 (44%), and 11 (22%), respectively. Overall concordance of cytological grading with histological grading was 76% with a kappa value of 0.605 and p<0.001. Conclusion: The study showed that the cytological grade correlates well with the histological grade. Cytological grade can be of great value in evaluating the aggressiveness of tumor, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and can be used as a prognostic factor for better management of patients

Drainage in primary cemented total knee arthroplasty required or not? A comparative study among northern Indian subjects

Background: Although there is no established evidence to support the use of drains in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), they are thought to reduce the formation of a haematoma and the incidence of deep infection. The aim of the study was planned to assess the need for drainage after total knee arthroplasty.Methods: For this comparative evaluation, a total of 100 patients were recruited into two groups. Group A consisted of 50 knees, in which drain was not used after TKA and a control group, group B with 50 knees, in which drain was inserted after TKA. Thus group A was study/ no drain group whereas group B was control/drain group. Pain intensity and analgesic intake were assessed as primary outcome factors. Visual analog scale (VAS) assessed pain intensity. Intake of analgesics was determined. Requirement for dressing reinforcement and the length of hospital stay were also evaluated.Results: Patients in the study group required approximately three times less opioids than patients in the control group (mean analgesia request amounted 0.16 and 0.45/patient, respectively). Overall mean pain score was higher in group B than in group A. In the study group every patient needed the dressing to be changed at an average 4.6±1.2 times during hospitalization compared with 5.3±1.2 times in the control group. Regarding differences in the pattern in the range of motion and length of hospital stay between the groups, there was no much difference. All the study subjects achieved full extension of the operated knee at discharge.Conclusions: On the basis of empirical evidences of this study it can be concluded that there is no rationale for the use of drain after primary cemented total knee arthroplasty. Use of drains in after primary cemented total knee arthroplasty has not much to offer

A report on freshwater tailless flea, Simocephalus vetulus from Haridwar, located in foothills of Shivalik Himalaya in Uttarakhand, India

The Cladocerans, commonly known as “Water fleas” form a primitive freshwater group of micro crustacean zooplankton of the freshwater ecosystem. They play an important role in the aquatic food chain and also contribute significantly to zooplankton dynamics and secondary productivity in freshwater ecosystems. The animals used in the present study were identified as Simocephalus vetulus with the help of identification keys described by various authors in the previous studies from other parts of India. In the present study, the occurrence of “freshwater tailless flea”, S. vetulus (Crustacea- cladocera) is reported for the first time from freshwater bodies in Haridwar, located in foothills of Shivalik Himalayan region in Uttarakhand. The presence of S. vetulus “tailless water flea” will be helpful as a lab model for the health status of aquatic bodies as well as environmental monitoring

Copper sulphate induced changes in scaphognathite oscillations and oxygen consumption of fresh water prawn, Macrobrachium lamarrei (Crustacea- Decapoda)

Fresh water prawns, Macrobrachium lamarrei were subjected to acute concentration, 0.304 mg/l (96h LC50) of Copper sulphate to evaluate its effects on scaphognathite oscillations and oxygen consumption rate. Scaphognathite oscillations showed initial increase after 24h, thereafter significantly (t = 9.24; P<0.001) decreased up to 72h and finally tend to increase after 96h but remained below the controls where as oxygen consumption showed continuous decreasing trend through out the experiment up to 96h (t = 16.53; P<0.001) than control ones. Possible interaction of copper in relation to respiration of these economically important crustaceans has been discussed

Glycosylated Hemoglobin among Non-diabetic Patients Diagnosed as Benign Thyroid Lesions on Cytology: A Cross Sectional Study from a Tertiary Care Centre in India

Background: Hypothyroidism and diabetes usually coexist and are the most common endocrine disorders seen in India (1). Glycosylated Hb (HbA1c) is used for assessment of glycemia and American Diabetic Association (ADA) has recommended its use in diabetes and prediabetes (2). A value between 5.7% and 6.5% represents prediabetes while a value ≥6.5% is considered as diabetes mellitus (3). Glycosylated hemoglobin is a fraction of hemoglobin that undergoes non-enzymatic glycation over the circulatory life span of erythrocytes (4). Several studies have shown glycosylated Hb varies in different conditions like hemoglobinopathies, pregnancy and chronic kidney disease (5).Thyroid hormone plays an important role in glucose homeostasis (6). TSH regulates hematopoiesis in bone marrow (7). Hypothyroidism depresses the marrow which causes decreased erythrocyte production which alters the life span of erythrocytes. Altered life span causes spurious elevation of HbA1C (8, 9, 10). Hence, glycosylated Hb not only depends on glycemia but also on life span of RBC (11). Conditions which effect erythrocyte turnover or survival lead to falsely high or low Hb A1C levels (12). RBC turnover is increased in thyrotoxic states whereas hypothyroidism has the opposite effect (3).In the present study, we hypothesise that glycosylated hemoglobin shows variation in individuals with altered thyroid status. It also aim to establish if a correlation exits between fasting plasma glucose level and hemoglobin with glycosylated hemoglobin in patients with altered thyroid status.Aims and Objectives: To find a correlation between thyroid profile and glycosylated Hb in non-diabetic patients who have been diagnosed on cytology as benign thyroid lesions and Compare the fasting blood glucose and hemoglobin with glycosylated Hb in these patients.Material and Methods: A cross sectional study on 50 cases cytologically diagnosed as benign thyroid lesions in the Department of Pathology in ESIC Medical College and Hospital Faridabad were included in the study with consent of ethical committee.Data Analysis: Pearson’s coefficient was applied to test the association between variables. The significance level was set at 5%.Results: Out of 50 patients (n=25) 50% were hypothyroid, (n=13) 26% were hyperthyroid and (n=12) 24% were euthyroid and (n=22) 88% hypothyroid patients presented with HbA1C >6.5% and were labeled as Diabetic, (n=3) 12% hypothyroid patients were labelled as prediabetic and none was nondiabetic. Most of the euthyroid (n=11) 92% and all of the hyperthyroid patients (n=13) 100% had HbA1C in the nondiabetic range of 6.5%). The correlation of HbA1C with TSH, Hb and MCH of these patients showed statistical significance (p 6.5%) or prediabetic (HbAIc between 5.7 to 6.5%)

Histopathological alterations in gills of freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium dayanum (Crustacea - Decapoda) after acute and sub-acute exposure of lead nitrate

Lead is a nonessential “grey listed” heavy metal, used in fuels, ceramics, paints and glass wares in industries and vehicles. After taking entry in aquatic ecosystem it becomes toxic and cause serious problem to plants and animals. Haematological, neurological, nephrological and histopathological effects of lead are well known. Fresh water prawn, Macrobrachium dayanum, a potential animal for freshwater aquaculture, subjected to acute and sub-acute concentration of lead nitrate (116.46 mg/l; 96h LC50 and 29.12 mg/l; 25% of 96h LC50) showed severe histopathological alterations in gills after 24, 48, 72 and 96h and 10, 20 and 30 day exposure. Chief alterations during acute exposure were thickening of gill plates, reduction in inter lameller spaces, cuticular irruption, inflammation and necrosis where as clumping of gill plates, hyperplasia, hypertrophied haemocytes with nuclear pycnosis and leakage of haemocytes in inter-lameller spaces as well as deposition of broken tissue debris near gill base were observed during sub-acute exposure. The severity of histopathological alterations was found duration dependant. Present study reveals that histological bio- markers provides complete information regarding heavy metal toxicity particularly lead to these economically important fresh water prawns, which can themselves serve as bio-indicator of worsening status of surface aquatic bodies.&nbsp