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Background: Chabro is a strain of poultry birds especially designed for backyard farming and is more adoptive to climatic variations in the tropics. The thyroid gland plays an important role in controlling basal metabolic rate. Histochemical changes of the gland in association with seasonal changes have not been studied so far in Chabro chicken. The present study describes the season related variations in the histochemistry of thyroid gland. Methods: The histochemical study was conducted on thyroid gland of eight to ten weeks old 24 apparently healthy Chabro chickens procured from Poultry Farm, DUVASU, Mathura. The birds were divided into two groups consisting of 12 chickens in each group reared in summer and winter seasons.Result: The capsule showed mild reaction for PAS, protein and glycogen. Follicular cells showed intense reaction for bound lipids, protein and alkaline phosphatase. The colloid in summer season showed strong reaction for PAS at periphery and very strong reaction at center while in winter colloid showed strong PAS positive activity. The Chabro chicken thyroid was functionally more active in winter as compared to summer season because of increased diameter of all follicles and concentration of thyroid hormones level in winter season.

Background: Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit, mainly affecting face and frequently followed by scarring. It is the most common skin disease in an urban dermatology clinic in India. Adult acne is more common in women and may be a marker of hyperandrogenism.The present study was carried out to study the clinical profile of acne vulgaris in semiurban patients.Methods: The study was conducted for 1 year on all eligible patients of acne vulgaris attending dermatology OPD of a hospital catering to semiurban patients. Data including grade of acne, markers of androgenicity and post-acne scarring was collected. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 15 software.Results: Frequency of acne vulgaris patients in the dermatology OPD was 2.8% with 429 acne patients out of 15,322 new patients. Female to male ratio was 1.44:1. The mean age of onset in males was 16.24 and in females, 14.84 years. Grade 2 acne (66%) was commonest followed by grade 3 (5.1%) and grade 4 (3.7%). Associated conditions seen were seborrhea (60.8%), alopecia (18.9%), acanthosis (4.9%) and PCOD (2.3%). Markers of androgenicity were more frequently seen in grade 2 acne which was statistically significant. Atrophic scars were commonest including icepick scars (80.2%), rolling scars (67.4%) and box scars (57.8%). Conclusions: In our study females had an earlier onset and closed comedones were the most common acne lesion. Grade 2 acne vulgaris formed majority of patients. Grade 4 acne vulgaris was more common in males.

Exploitation of genetic variability of Populus deltoides Bartr. through control crossing involving Line x Tester mating design was attempted with the objective of selection of suitable clones as well as parents for hybridization in future and identification of best families and best individuals with in family for releasing first stage clones. Lines ST-72, D-121, G-48, exhibited the highest positive GCA effects for plant height, collar diameter, plant height at first branch and root length. In general G-48 also proved to be the best combiner for survival percentage, inter nodal length and leaf area. Among the testers ST-63 and ST-70 expressed highest GCA effects and excelled for a number of desirable characters. Full sib families (F1s) of D-121 x ST-70 and G-48 x ST-63 showed desirable SCA for plant height and collar diameter and therefore F1 hybrids of these crosses are recommended at first stage of selections. The percent contribution of line x tester interactions was higher than that of lines and testers except number of leaves per plant. 13 traits expressed higher SCA variance than GCA variance and dominant gene effect (σ2D) were found higher than additive gene effect (σ2A) except in root length. For recurrent selection based on GCA effects, parents G-48, ST-70, D-121 and ST-63 appeared more appropriate in crossing programme directed towards clonal improvement of Poplar in India.