Effects of targeted remediation in anatomy for first year medical students.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a questionnaire to guide targeted remediation among undergraduate medical students in anatomy. Seventy-five students from a medical college in South India who failed in the first internal theory examination were administered a validated 35-item questionnaire. The total and domain specific questionnaire scores were calculated.

Study of surgical anatomy of portal vein of liver segments by cast method and its clinical implications.

Portal vein provides about three-fourths of liver's blood supply. Portal vein is formed behind the neck of pancreas, at the level of the second lumbar vertebra and formed from the convergence of superior mesenteric and splenic veins. The purpose of this study is to review the normal distribution and variation, morphometry of portal vein and its branches for their implication in liver surgery and preoperative portal vein embolization.

Anatomical Variations of the Temporomesial Structures in Normal Adult Brain - A Cadaveric Study.

Background: Despite significant evolutional, functional, and clinical interest, the anatomical variations of the temporomesial structures in cadaveric samples have received little attention. This study was undertaken to document the anatomical variations observed in the temporal lobe of human brain with emphasis on the structures present in temporomesial region.

Materials And Methods: Using 26 postmortem cadaveric cerebral hemispheres (13 right and 13 left hemispheres), several neurosurgically significant mesial structures were studied by blunt dissection under the operating microscope.

Can the position of the vertebral artery be predicted on a lateral view X-ray of the craniovertebral junction? A radiological anatomy study.

Background: The most feared complication while inserting C2 screws is vertebral artery injury. This article proposes predicting the position of the vertebral artery on a true lateral X-ray of the axis vertebra from the background information acquired from the computed tomography (CT) scan utilizing fluoroscopy.

Methods: Spiral CT scans of 33 C2 vertebrae were performed utilizing a 16-slice CT scanner lateral X-rays of C2 were then obtained before and after painting the vertebral artery grooves with barium.

Analysis of Fetal Palate to Assist Pre-natal Ultrasound.

Introduction: Cleft palate is one of the major facial congenital malformation in newborns. Pre-natal detection of this malformation is limited to detection of clefting of hard palate but isolated soft palate clefting still remains challenge for sonologists. As Indian literature is limited present study was attempted to provide dimensions and position of fetal palate by digitized images.

Morphometric and radiological assessments of dimensions of Axis in dry vertebrae: A study in Indian population.

Background: The technique of intralaminar screw placement for achieving axis (C2) fixation has been recently described. The purpose of the study was to provide the morphometric and radiological measurements in Indian population and to determine the feasibility of safe translaminar screw placement in this population. To the best of our knowledge there is no study (cadaveric or radiological) done in Indian population to detect suitability of axis bone for laminar screw fixation.

Images in electroconvulsive therapy: electroconvulsive shocks dose-dependently increase dendritic arborization in the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus.

Stress and depression are associated with impaired neuroplasticity in the hippocampus: there is decreased dendritic arborization and synaptogenesis, which is hypothesized to explain decreased adaptive competence of the organism. Representative light microscopy images are presented that show that 6 once-daily electroconvulsive shocks (ECSs) dose-dependently increased dendritic arborization in the CA1 region of the hippocampus in healthy, adult, male Wistar rats (n = 10 in each of sham, 10-mC, and 40-mC ECS groups). These neuroplasticity changes, identified 1 month after the last ECS, may explain a part of the mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy in conditions such as depression.

Images in electroconvulsive therapy: ECS dose-dependently increases cell proliferation in the subgranular region of the rat hippocampus.

Stress and depression are associated with impaired neuroplasticity in the hippocampus; there is a decrease in neurogenesis, which is hypothesized to decrease the adaptative competence of the organism. Representative light microscopy images are presented which show that 6 once-daily electroconvulsive shocks (ECS), dose-dependently increased new cell formation in the subgranular region of the hippocampus in healthy adult male Wistar rats (10 sections per rat, 3 rats in each of sham ECS, 10 mC, and 40 mC groups). These neuroplasticity changes, demonstrated 1 month after the last ECS, may explain a part of the mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy in conditions such as depression.

Computed tomography-based classification of axis vertebra: choice of screw placement.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to: (1) introduce a new CT-based parameter: free facet area and provide its normative data; (2) standardize the method of measuring isthmus width and height of the axis vertebra; (3) propose a new grading system to predict the difficulty in inserting transarticular and C2 pedicle screws.

Methods: Spiral CT scans of 47 adult dry axis vertebrae were studied. The methods of measuring isthmus width, isthmus height and free facet area are described.

Electroconvulsive therapy attenuates dendritic arborization in the basolateral amygdala.

Stress and depression are associated with aberrant neuroplasticity in the amygdala: there is increased dendritic arborization and synaptogenesis, perhaps explaining the increased anxiety and fear that are often apparent in depressed patients. Light microscopy images are presented, which show that 6 once-daily high (but not low)-dose electroconvulsive shocks attenuated dendritic arborization in the basolateral amygdala of Wistar rats, which changes were apparent even 1 month after the last electroconvulsive shock. These changes may explain a part of the mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy in conditions such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Images in electroconvulsive therapy: Pilot impressions suggesting that ECT reduces excitatory synapses in the basolateral amygdala.

Background: In animal models, stress and depression are associated with excitatory changes in the amygdala; this aberrant neuroplasticity may represent increased fear learning, explaining the anxiety, fear, and related symptoms that characterize clinical depression.

Materials And Methods: In a pilot investigation, we treated adult, male, Wistar rats with sham electroconvulsive shocks (ECS; n=3), low-dose ECS (10 mC; n=3), and high-dose ECS (60 mC; n=3). The rats were sacrificed 1 month after the last of 6 once-daily ECS and, after dissection, sections of the basolateral amygdala were examined using transmission electron microscopy under low (×11,000) and high (×30,000) magnification.

Occipital emissary foramina in South Indian modern human skulls.

An occipital emissary foramen has been traditionally described as a foramen present in the squamous part of the occipital bone at the occipital protuberance transmitting a vein that connects the confluence of sinuses with the occipital vein. The present study was done on 221 South Indian adult modern human skulls of unknown sex in the Department of Anatomy, St John's Medical College, Bangalore, India. The foramen was observed in 21/221 (9.

Variations in brachial plexus and the relationship of median nerve with the axillary artery: a case report.

Background: Brachial Plexus innervates the upper limb. As it is the point of formation of many nerves, variations are common. Knowledge of these is important to anatomists, radiologists, anesthesiologists and surgeons.

Dermatoglyphics in rheumatoid arthritis.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have been referred to Division of Human Genetics for counselling. Qualitative dermatoglyphics comprising of finger print pattern, interdigital pattern, hypothenar pattern and palmar crease were studied on 26 female and 11 male rheumatoid arthritis patients. Comparison between patient male and control male; and patient female and control female has been done.