Serum and tissue levels of zinc,copper, magnesium and retinol in prostatic neoplasms

Zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg) and retinol levels were studied in serum and tissue of the patients with prostatic carcinoma (Ca), benign hyperplasia (BHP) and control subjects. Zinc and retinol levels were low in both serum and tissues of patients with carcinoma, while in BHP, both zinc and retinol level were decreased. Copper levels were high in serum and tissues of both BHP as well as carcinoma patients. Magnesium levels were elevated in both serum and tissues of cancerous patients. The results indicate that Zn, Cu, and Mg metabolism is disturbed in malignancy.     

Chemoprotective Role of Triphala Against 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine Dihydrochloride Induced Carcinogenic Damage to Mouse Liver

The present study was carried out to investigate the protective role of Triphala (a combination in equal proportions by weight of fruit powder of Terminalia belerica, Terminalia chebula and Emblica officinalis) against 1,2-dimethylhydrazinedihydrochloride (DMH) induced Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) in mouse liver. An oral dose of 3 mg/kg body wt in drinking water for 5 weeks significantly (P < 0.001) increased the levels of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), serum Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin thus suggesting damage to mouse liver and biliary dysfunction. The DMH administration invariably led to increase in the liver microsomal proteins of molecular weight of about 29 (ERp29) and 53 kDa (ERp53) and decrease in the protein of molecular weight of 36 kDa (ERp36) thereby suggesting the interference of DMH and its metabolites with normal protein biosynthesis and folding, in the reticular membranes of the liver cells thus developing ER stress. Histological studies show necrosis, large sized hepatocytes with increased N:C ratio, aberrant mitotic figures and prominent nucleoli in the liver of DMH treated mice. In animals fed 5% Triphala in diet (w/w) during DMH administration, there was significant decrease in the above changes in the liver suggesting the suppression of DMH induced ER stress in liver. Triphala significantly (P < 0.05) decreased lipid peroxidation and also the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in mouse liver. It simultaneously increased the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and the activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) thereby suggesting that it prevents peroxidative damage and also diverts the active metabolites (electrophiles) of DMH from their interactions with critical cellular bio-molecules which could be responsible for its protective action against DMH.     

Study of serum lactate dehydrogenase in strangulated and non-strangulated intestinal obstruction

The present study has been conducted in 80 cases, out of which 28 were of strangulated and 52 of non-strangulated intestinal obstruction. It has been observed that serum lactate dehydrogenase of more than 300 I. U./litre in first 24 hours to 72 hours is highly suggestive of strangulated intestinal obstruction.     

Involvement in sedentary activities and academic performance in adolescents: differences according to sociodemographic variables / Implicación en actividades sedentarias y rendimiento académico en adolescentes: diferencias según variables sociodemográficas

This study provides a first-time analysis of the differences in the time dedicated each day to different sedentary activities (SA) (productive, technology-based recreation and social activities) and their relation with the academic performance of Spanish adolescents according to sex, school year and socioeconomic status (SES). The sample was made up of 681 participants (50.2% girls), between 12 and 18 years old, who completed self-reported questionnaires. The likelihood of obtaining lower levels of academic success increase in adolescents who spend two or more hours on social SAs and have a lower SES. With boys, this increases further if they spend four or more hours on SAs involving technology-based recreation and two or less hours on productive SAs. In conclusion, adolescents spend a high number of hours carrying out sedentary activities after school. This is something that needs controlling since it may have a detrimental effect on their academic success, especially among adolescent boys.     

Influence of alcoholic extract of whole fruit of trichosanthes dioica on blood sugar,serum lipids,lipoproteins and faecal sterols in normal albino rabbits

Effect of oral administration of 2 ml per day of suspension (in water) of alcoholic extract of whole fruit of Trichosanthes dioica (2%) (=100 g fresh wt.=7 g dry wt.=1/15 g of alcoholic extract) with the help of catheter alongwith basal diet for four weeks have been studied in the normal albino rabbits. It was observed that this extract lowered the blood sugar, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and increased the high density lipoprotein cholesterol, phospholipid and faecal sterol levels. Such effects are manifested from the very first week of feeding and are statistically significant.     

开展机构协作发展远程教育

[译者按]本文原文发表于"学习联邦"(Com-monwea]th of Learning)网站<知识系列>(Know]-edge Series)栏目(2003年).学习联邦是英联邦各成员国的政府首脑倡议成立的政府间组织,其宗旨是鼓励开发和共享开放学习和远程教育的知识、资源和技术.目前我国远程教育机构也正在开展各种形式的协作,既有电大之间的协作,也有电大与其他教育机构的协作,还有国际间的协作,但毕竟一切刚刚起步,许多地方有待于进一步完善.因此,我们认为这篇经验之谈的文章所提出的一些原则、建议、指南等对我们有一定指导意义和借鉴价值.现将其译成中文,以飨读者,并向印度甘地国立开放大学Sharma高级讲师和Chaudhary教授以及学习联邦组织致谢!