Functional MRI Based Brain Mapping in Occipital Gyrus using Face Stimuli

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is one of the most powerful neuroimaging modalities due to its high spatio-temporal resolution characteristics. This known modality is applied on mapping the temporal, occipital, frontal cortices of the brain for localizing the neural activities generated due to any visual, physical or mental task or brain diseases or brain disorders. The occipital cortex is composed of middle, left, right, interior and exterior occipital gyrus and is responsible for visional function of human brain. The occipital gyrus reflects the neural image generated in the brain due to any visual activity. In this research paper, four different visual stimuli images of faces, scrambled, scenes and objects along with gap of blank space, forming a long sequence of stimuli observed by two female subjects, are experimented to examine and localize the most contrasting neural image generated in occipital gyrus of the brain. The visual fMRI brain data received from the two subjects is processed through fMRI-SPM12 toolbox based on Matlab software. In order to demonstrate the results statistically, two regressions such as T-contrast and F-contrast vectors are applied on fMRI images to highlight, and to localize the most active neural stimuli activities generated in the occipital gyrus of brain. In the results, it is demonstrated that maximum neural response can be mapped only for face stimulus in the bilateral occipital gyrus of the brain by applying T-contrast vectors regressions as when compared to other stimuli conditions and F-contrast vectors regressions. Further, it is also investigated that, the response of the face stimulus in F-contrast regressions achieved is somehow dispersed and unclear due to the large variances and interlinked communication of other stimuli or induced neural noises generated in entire volume of the brain.  Further from the given images, it is also investigated that the most reflecting and contrast area for any visual stimuli (such as face stimulus in this case) is either the middle or bilateral part of occipital gyrus of the human brain as identified through application of  T-contrast vectors regressions.

Socio Economic Status, School Climate and Study Habits: Determinants of Students, Academic Achievement at Secondary School Level

The objectives of the study were to investigate the study habits, socio-economic status of students'' parents, school climate and academic achievement of students studying at secondary schools.it was also aimed to explore the relationship among these variables. Study also assessed the difference in study habits by gender and by locale about Study habits. The objectives of the study were to: a) survey the study habits of secondary school students in public schools of Punjab, .b) survey the climate of public secondary schools in Punjab, c) find out how socio economic status and school climate influence students'' study habits at secondary school level, d) investigate how socio economic status, school climate, and study habits of students determine their academic achievement at secondary school level. The major research questions of the study were: a) What are the prevailing study habits of secondary school male and female students in rural and urban schools? b) What are the patterns of school climate in public secondary schools? c) How study habits are influenced by socio economic status and school climate? d) How parents‘ socio economic status, school climate, and study habits determine students'' academic achievement? The researcher used a mixed method research design (quantitative and qualitative) to examine the relationship of variables. Three instruments were used namely, "Study Skills Inventory", "School Climate Student Questionnaire", and questionnaire for socio-economic status of parents and demographic information. Information about students‘ academic achievement was taken from their Secondary School Certificate Examination. Interview method was used to interview critical cases. The population of the study was all students studying in class 10th at public sector schools of Punjab Province. The sample (1500 students from sixty schools) was drawn by using multistage sampling technique from five districts of Punjab province of Pakistan. The data were collected by administering the questionnaires to students in their classes. The students'' responses were measured and relationship between study habits school climate and socio economic status was also explored. Later on effect of study habits school climate and socio economic status on students` achievement was examined. Computations were made using SPSS-20 software package. Along with mean score and standard deviation (SD), t test, effect size, One-way ANOVA and Pearson r correlation and regression were used to analyze and interpret data. It was found that gender; locale, parents'' socio economic status and school climate have impact on students'' study habits. The study also explored parents'' socio economic status and school climate and students'' study habits have impact on students'' academic achievement at secondary school level. In the light of conclusions it was recommended that the enhancement of school climate and development of good study habits focus on better academic results.