A comparative study of dermatoglyphic markers in schizophrenia patients and normal controls

Background: Schizophrenia is a complex mental illness with multiple etiological factors. Prenatal insult to the developing foetus has been implicated as a major risk factor for the genesis of schizophrenia, according to the neuro-developmental model. As the brain and skin are ectodermal derivatives, insult to developing brain is reflected in several dermatoglyphic markers.Methods: Total finger ridge count (TFRC), Total A-B ridge count (TABRC) and ATD Angle of 100 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were compared with 100 age and sex matched healthy controls.Results: Statistically significant differences were observed in the values recorded and compared between healthy controls and schizophrenia patients.Conclusions: This study shows the correlation between abnormalities in dermatoglyphic patterns and development of schizophrenia

Morphologic and morphometric analysis of glenoid cavity of human scapula

Background: To study the morphometry and morphology of glenoid cavity of dried scapula bone and in CT scan of glenoid cavity. The present study aimed at calculating three dimensions i.e. vertical diameter, horizontal diameter of the upper segment and horizontal diameter of the lower segment of the glenoid cavity and describing the incidence of its different shapes.Methods: This study was done on 100 dry, unpaired adult human scapulae of unknown sex. 50 scapulae belongs to right side and 50 scapulae belongs to left side obtained from Department of Anatomy, SRM Medical College and Research Institute. The above mentioned diameters are measured using Vernier caliper and the mean dimensions are calculated, morphological variations are studied. 3D CT images of scapulae, obtained from Department of Radiology, SRM Medical college and Hospital, Potheri, were also analysed.Results: In the current study, various dimensions and incidence of various shapes of glenoid cavity were measured. The incidence of both pear and inverted comma shape in right side is greater than in left whereas the incidence of oval shape in left side is greater than right side. The SI diameter of right glenoid is greater than the left, which is statistically significant. The Antero-posterior diameters (AP-1, AP-2, AP-3) of right glenoid is greater than the left, but not statistically significant.Conclusions: The knowledge of the above said variations of glenoid cavity is important in manufacturing the glenoid component of shoulder prosthesis, repair of Bankart’s lesion, procedures like posterior glenoid osteotomy

A simple multi-stable chaotic jerk system with two saddle-foci equilibrium points: analysis, synchronization via backstepping technique and MultiSim circuit design

This paper announces a new three-dimensional chaotic jerk system with two saddle-focus equilibrium points and gives a dynamic analysis of the properties of the jerk system such as Lyapunov exponents, phase portraits, Kaplan-Yorke dimension and equilibrium points. By modifying the Genesio-Tesi jerk dynamics (1992), a new jerk system is derived in this research study. The new jerk model is equipped with multistability and dissipative chaos with two saddle-foci equilibrium points. By invoking backstepping technique, new results for synchronizing chaos between the proposed jerk models are successfully yielded. MultiSim software is used to implement a circuit model for the new jerk dynamics. A good qualitative agreement has been shown between the MATLAB simulations of the theoretical chaotic jerk model and the MultiSIM result

Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study and Hybrid Pharmacophore Model Development in Human LTA4H Inhibitor Design

Human leukotriene A4 hydrolase (hLTA4H) is a bi-functional enzyme catalyzes the hydrolase and aminopeptidase functions upon the fatty acid and peptide substrates, respectively, utilizing the same but overlapping binding site. Particularly the hydrolase function of this enzyme catalyzes the rate-limiting step of the leukotriene (LT) cascade that converts the LTA4 to LTB4. This product is a potent pro-inflammatory activator of inflammatory responses and thus blocking this conversion provides a valuable means to design anti-inflammatory agents. Four structurally very similar chemical compounds with highly different inhibitory profile towards the hydrolase function of hLTA4H were selected from the literature. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the complexes of hLTA4H with these inhibitors were performed and the results have provided valuable information explaining the reasons for the differences in their biological activities. Binding mode analysis revealed that the additional thiophene moiety of most active inhibitor helps the pyrrolidine moiety to interact the most important R563 and K565 residues. The hLTA4H complexes with the most active compound and substrate were utilized in the development of hybrid pharmacophore models. These developed pharmacophore models were used in screening chemical databases in order to identify lead candidates to design potent hLTA4H inhibitors. Final evaluation based on molecular docking and electronic parameters has identified three compounds of diverse chemical scaffolds as potential leads to be used in novel and potent hLTA4H inhibitor design

Co-limitation towards lower latitudes shapes global forest diversity gradients

The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is one of the most recognized global patterns of species richness exhibited across a wide range of taxa. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed in the past two centuries to explain LDG, but rigorous tests of the drivers of LDGs have been limited by a lack of high-quality global species richness data. Here we produce a high-resolution (0.025° × 0.025°) map of local tree species richness using a global forest inventory database with individual tree information and local biophysical characteristics from ~1.3 million sample plots. We then quantify drivers of local tree species richness patterns across latitudes. Generally, annual mean temperature was a dominant predictor of tree species richness, which is most consistent with the metabolic theory of biodiversity (MTB). However, MTB underestimated LDG in the tropics, where high species richness was also moderated by topographic, soil and anthropogenic factors operating at local scales. Given that local landscape variables operate synergistically with bioclimatic factors in shaping the global LDG pattern, we suggest that MTB be extended to account for co-limitation by subordinate drivers

Co-limitation towards lower latitudes shapes global forest diversity gradients

The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is one of the most recognized global patterns of species richness exhibited across a wide range of taxa. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed in the past two centuries to explain LDG, but rigorous tests of the drivers of LDGs have been limited by a lack of high-quality global species richness data. Here we produce a high-resolution (0.025° × 0.025°) map of local tree species richness using a global forest inventory database with individual tree information and local biophysical characteristics from ~1.3 million sample plots. We then quantify drivers of local tree species richness patterns across latitudes. Generally, annual mean temperature was a dominant predictor of tree species richness, which is most consistent with the metabolic theory of biodiversity (MTB). However, MTB underestimated LDG in the tropics, where high species richness was also moderated by topographic, soil and anthropogenic factors operating at local scales. Given that local landscape variables operate synergistically with bioclimatic factors in shaping the global LDG pattern, we suggest that MTB be extended to account for co-limitation by subordinate drivers