Cytopathological evaluation of various thyroid lesions based on Bethesda system for reporting thyroid lesions

Background: An encouragement for the thyroid proposal was the Bethesda system for reporting cervical cytology interpretations, a uniform reporting system for thyroid FNA will facilitate effective communication among health care providers. The objective of the present study was to classify thyroid lesions in various categories under Bethesda system correlating the cytological findings in various thyroid lesions with clinical and radiological details.Methods: A retrospective study on FNAC thyroid was performed in a tertiary hospital and a Medical teaching institution in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India which included cases which were reported from 1st January 2010 to 31st July 2011. For cytomorphological analysis, all smears (Papanicolaou and MGG) were reviewed and cases were categorized into six Bethesda categories. The FNAC findings were correlated with clinical, radiological and laboratory findings. Discrepancies between original diagnosis and review diagnosis as well as difficulties encountered during application of Bethesda were studied in detail.Results: Total 413 FNACs were received during the study period. The original diagnoses included 10 different categories or labels some of which were descriptive. On application of Bethesda, maximum cases were found in category II (82.32%) followed by category I i.e. inadequate (7.7%). Category III (Atypia of Undetermined significance) included wide spectrum of cases which were previously diagnosed as goitre, suspicious or neoplastic.Conclusions: Bethesda system of reporting thyroid FNAC has brought uniformity in cytology reporting. It has facilitated better understanding between cytopathologist and clinicians as every category connotes specific risk of malignancy and recommends treatment

Distinct but overlapping roles of LRRTM1 and LRRTM2 in developing and mature hippocampal circuits

LRRTMs are postsynaptic cell adhesion proteins that have region-restricted expression in the brain. To determine their role in the molecular organization of synapses in vivo, we studied synapse development and plasticity in hippocampal neuronal circuits in mice lacking both Lrrtm1 and Lrrtm2. We found that LRRTM1 and LRRTM2 regulate the density and morphological integrity of excitatory synapses on CA1 pyramidal neurons in the developing brain but are not essential for these roles in the mature circuit. Further, they are required for long-term-potentiation in the CA3-CA1 pathway and the dentate gyrus, and for enduring fear memory in both the developing and mature brain. Our data show that LRRTM1 and LRRTM2 regulate synapse development and function in a cell-type and developmental-stage-specific manner, and thereby contribute to the fine-tuning of hippocampal circuit connectivity and plasticity

The Effectiveness of a Home Care Program for Supporting Caregivers of Persons with Dementia in Developing Countries: A Randomised Controlled Trial from Goa, India

OBJECTIVES: To develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a home based intervention in reducing caregiver burden, promoting caregiver mental health and reducing behavioural problems in elderly persons with dementia. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This was a randomised controlled trial in which the person with dementia-caregiver dyad was randomly allocated either to receive the intervention immediately or to a waiting list group which received the intervention after 6 months. It was carried out in communities based in two talukas (administrative blocks) in Goa, India. Mild to moderate cases with dementia (diagnosed using the DSM IV criteria and graded using the Clinical Dementia Rating scale) and their caregivers were included in the trial. Community based intervention provided by a team consisting of Home Care Advisors who were supervised by a counselor and a psychiatrist, focusing on supporting the caregiver through information on dementia, guidance on behaviour management, a single psychiatric assessment and psychotropic medication if needed. We measured caregiver mental health (General Health Questionnaire), caregiver burden (Zarit Burden Score), distress due to behavioural disturbances (NPI-D), behavioural problems in the subject (NPI-S) and activities of daily living in the elder with dementia (EASI). Outcome evaluations were masked to the allocation status. We analysed each outcome with a mixed effects model. 81 families enrolled in the trial; 41 were randomly allocated to the intervention. 59 completed the trial and 18 died during the trial. The intervention led to a significant reduction of GHQ (-1.12, 95% CI -2.07 to -0.17) and NPI-D scores (-1.96, 95%CI -3.51 to -0.41) and non-significant reductions in the ZBS, EASI and NPI-S scores. We also observed a non-significant reduction in the total number of deaths in people with dementia in the intervention arm (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.01 to 1.03). CONCLUSION: Home based support for caregivers of persons with dementia, which emphasizes the use of locally available, low-cost human resources, is feasible, acceptable and leads to significant improvements in caregiver mental health and burden of caring. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00479271

Rethinking non-traditional resistance at work : the case of the Indian Diaspora in Mauritius

Resistance at work can take many forms and this is reflected in the multiple ways it has been theorised in research. In this paper, I use postcolonial theory to analyse employee resistance in Mauritius. To do this, I deploy Homi Bhabha’s concepts of mimicry, ambivalence and hybridity to explore non-traditional forms of resistance among the Indian Diaspora working in the hotel industry. Using ethnographic research, I firstly look at its ‘home’-making practices as it is within the home that visions of community emerge (Bhabha, 1994) which could later influence behaviours at work. I argue that the Diaspora maintains connections with its ancestral roots via routine religious practices and language use while concomitantly resisting assimilation in the local context. The analysis is then extended to their workplace where further forms of non-traditional resistance are found to be enacted which are strongly influenced by the same values emerging at home

Apoptosis- and necrosis-induced changes in light attenuation measured by optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to determine optical properties of pelleted human fibroblasts in which necrosis or apoptosis had been induced. We analysed the OCT data, including both the scattering properties of the medium and the axial point spread function of the OCT system. The optical attenuation coefficient in necrotic cells decreased from 2.2 ± 0.3 mm−1 to 1.3 ± 0.6 mm−1, whereas, in the apoptotic cells, an increase to 6.4 ± 1.7 mm−1 was observed. The results from cultured cells, as presented in this study, indicate the ability of OCT to detect and differentiate between viable, apoptotic, and necrotic cells, based on their attenuation coefficient. This functional supplement to high-resolution OCT imaging can be of great clinical benefit, enabling on-line monitoring of tissues, e.g. for feedback in cancer treatment

COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF CAPTOPRIL AND ENALAPRIL ON OXYPHENBUTAZONE AND ETHANOL-INDUCED GASTRIC LESIONS IN RATS

Abstract: We have compared the effect of the converting enzyme inhibitors, captopril and enalapril, on two models of gastric ulcers, viz; ethanol and oxyphenbutazone-induced lesions in rats. Both captopril and enalapril did not affect ethanol-induced lesions. While captopril significantly protected against oxyphenbutazone-induced lesions, enalapril aggravated the lesions. This difference is probably due to the lack of the protective sulfhydryl group in the chemical structure of enalapril

Pharmacological activities of extracts of some marine animals and plants on isolated tissues of the guinea-pig

499-501Two hundred and sixty extracts from marine organisms collected from the western and eastern coasts of India, Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been screened for their effects on three isolated tissues of the guinea pig namely, the ileum, the uterus and the atrium with the aim of detecting any anti-spasmodic, oxytocic, uterine relaxant, inotropic and antiarrhythmic activity. Activity was observed in 236 samples (90.76U+0025) with antispasmodic activity being observed in 22 extracts (8.46U+0025), embolic activity in 59 samples (22.69); uterine relaxant activity in 16 samples (6.15), antihistaminic and anti-5HT activity in six samples