The role of educational information systems for survival in information society and the case of Pakistan

The study reviews the important role of information systems and their impact on educational planning and development. It also attempts to identify gaps in the provision of information needed by educational administrators who are key planners of education enterprise in Pakistan. It intended to determine their views about the development, objectives and needed services of a user centered information system for educational administrators. To achieve these objectives, a literature review, questionnaire survey and interviews were conducted. Thus, the educational administrators (i.e., registrars/deans/chairpersons in universities and principals of schools and colleges) were identified as the target population for the survey and were selected through cluster sampling. The respondents were from the Punjab province and Islamabad Capital Territory. In total, 297 (99%) responses were received and analyzed quantitatively. Interviews of purposively selected educational administrators were also conducted for a more in-depth understanding of respondents’ points of view. This triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methods helped in understanding the phenomena under study. Recommendations and conclusions are also drawn in the light of findings of the study. The study is the first one of its type that tried to probe the gaps in the process of accurate/valid information supply to educational administrators and planners. This gap is causing serious challenges for education in Pakistan.     

Interrupting the Pathway From Discrimination to Black Adolescents’ Psychosocial Outcomes: The Contribution of Parental Racial Worries and Racial Socialization Competency

Racial discrimination can lead to psychosocial problems for Black adolescents, including internalization (e.g., depression) and externalization (e.g., conduct problems). Black parents (N = 186; M_age = 42.9) of adolescents (ages 10–18) were assessed to investigate how parental worries and racial socialization competency (i.e., confidence, skills, and stress) contribute to the association between parental discrimination experiences and their adolescents’ psychosocial problems. Mediation analyses indicated that the total direct models with discrimination, worries, and problems had good fit, and that the addition of worry mediated the discrimination-problems association. Furthermore, racial socialization competency moderated the association between worry and problems, wherein greater competency was associated with less impact of worry on problems. Findings illuminate potential intervention targets for buffering discrimination’s influence on adolescents’ psychosocial functioning.     

Experimental Validation of Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Potential of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cassia tora</Emphasis> (L.): An Indigenous Medicinal Plant

The present study was undertaken to evaluate antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of Cassia tora (C. tora) seeds extract against streptozotocin induced diabetes in experimental rats to scientifically validate its use against diabetes. Ethanolic extract of C. tora seeds extract and standard drug (glibenclamide) prepared in aqueous gum acacia (2 %, w/v) suspension and fed orally to streptozotocin induced male adult diabetic rats of Charles Foster strain for 15 days. Biochemical parameters in normal, diabetic control, standard (600 μg/kg bw p.o.) and treated (500 mg/kg bw p.o.) animal groups were quantified and compared. Treatment of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats with ethanolic seeds extract caused significant (p < 0.001) reduction in blood glucose (270–220 mg/dl), total cholesterol (140–104 mg/dl), triglyceride (149–99 mg/dl), phospholipids (100–74 mg/dl), free fatty acid (2.39–2.00 μmol/l), lipid peroxide (9–5.63 nmol MDA/dl) and significantly increased post heparin lipolytic activity (11–14 nmol FFA released/h/l plasma) (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the seeds extract (100–400 μg) when tested for its antioxidant activity in vitro, showed significant (p < 0.001) inhibition in the generation of super oxide anions in enzymic system a (46–37, 33, 23, 21 nmol uric acid formed/min), in enzymic system b (113–91, 77, 60, 51 nmol formazon formed/min), non-enzymic system (324–230, 211, 161, 141 nmol uric acid formed/min) and hydroxyl radicals in enzymic system (544–501, 411, 319, 291 nmol 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate formed/h) and non-enzymic system (28–21, 17, 14, 12). The results of the present study demonstrated antidiabetic, antidyslipidemic and antioxidant activities of C. tora seeds which could help in prevention of diabeticdyslipidemia and related complications.     

Association of Vitamin D Receptor (FokI and BsmI) Gene Polymorphism with Bone Mineral Density and Their Effect on 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Level in North Indian Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a systemic disease with a strong genetic component. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) has been suggested as a candidate gene for osteoporosis. Therefore the present study was aimed to investigate the pattern of allelic variants of VDR gene polymorphism (FokI and BsmI), its influence on vitamin D levels and bone mineral density (BMD) in North Indian postmenopausal women with osteoporosis for possible genetic association. 254 postmenopausal osteoporotic women and 254 postmenopausal non osteoporotic women were included in the study. VDR FokI and BsmI gene polymorphism gene were assessed by the PCR-RFLP method. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was measured by the ELISA. BMD at the L₁–L₄ lumbar spine, hip, forearm and femoral neck was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The average BMD at spine and hip in postmenopausal women with bb and spine, hip, femoral neck and forearm with ff genotype had significantly low BMD. The frequency of ff genotype and f allele was significantly higher in postmenopausal osteoporotic women when compared with postmenopausal non osteoporotic women. However, no significant association was found between the genotypes and vitamin D levels. Our study reveals that VDR gene FokI and BsmI polymorphism is significantly associated with low bone mineral density. Therefore the ff genotype and f allele of VDR FokI gene may be used as an important risk factor for osteoporosis.     

Hypolipidemic Activity of Cassia tora Seeds in Hyperlipidemic Rats

The hypolipidemic activity of Cassia tora (Chakvat, Chakunda) (Family: Caesalpiniaceae) seeds extract have been studied in two models of hyperlipidemia in rats. In an acute model, hyperlipidemia was induced by injecting a single dose of Triton WR-1339 (400 mg/kg, b.w.) intraperitonially in rats. Feeding with C. tora seed extract at the dose of 500 mg/kg, b.w. exerted significant lipid lowering effect as assessed by the reversal of plasma levels of total cholesterol, phospholipids, triglyceride and reactivation of post heparin lipolytic activity. In the chronic model, hyperlipidemia was induced by feeding with cholesterol rich-HFD in rats. The treatment with seeds extract of C. tora (500 mg/kg, b.w.) simultaneously for 15 days also caused lowering of lipid levels in plasma and liver following reactivation of plasma post heparin lipolytic activity and hepatic lipoprotein lipase activity in animals. The hypolipidemic activity of C. tora seeds was compared with a standard drug guggulipid (200 mg/kg, b.w.) in both models.     

Antidyslipidemic and Antioxidant Activities of Hibiscus rosa sinensis Root Extract in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats

The antidyslipidemic activity of Hibiscus rosa sinensis (Malvaceae) root extract has been studied in alloxan induced diabetic rats. In this model, oral administration of root extract (500 mg/kg bw. p.o.) for 15 days resulted in significant decreased in the levels of blood glucose, plasma lipids and reactivated post heparin lipoprotein lipase activity in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Furthermore, the root extract (50–500 μg) when tested for its antioxidant activity, inhibited the generation of super oxide anions and hydroxyl radicals, in both enzymic and non enzymic systems in vitro. The results of the present study demonstrated antidyslipidemic and antioxidant activities in root extract of H. rosa sinensis which could be used in prevention of diabetic-dyslipidemia and related complications.     

Hypoglycemic, lipid lowering and antioxidant activities in root extract of Anthocephalus indicus in alloxan induced diabetic rats

The present study was carried out to evaluate the hypoglycemic, lipid lowering and antioxidant activities in root extract of Anthocephalus indicus (A indicus) in alloxan inducd diabetic rats. Oral administration of ethanol extract of root (500mg/ kg body weight) for 21 days resulted in significant decrease in the levels of blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, phospholipid and free fatty acids. Furthermore, the root extract (100–400μg) inhibited the generation of superoxide anions and hydroxyl radicals, in both enzymic and non-enzymic systems, in vitro. The result of the present study demonstrated hypoglycemic, lipid lowering and antioxidant activities in root extract of A indicus, which could help in prevention of diabetic dyslipidemia and related diseases.     

Administration of Education Enterprise and Gaps in the Provision of Needed Information: The Case of Pakistan

This study is qualitative in nature and aims at assessing the information needs and seeking behavior of educational administrators and finding related problems. Interviews of a purposive sample and review of related literature are among the major research methods. The study is based on interviews of 13 educational administrators and 32 information professionals from Punjab province and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) of Pakistan. The results correspond with the previous studies conducted in other countries. The educational administrators' information needs and seeking behavior reflect a kinship with their work settings and information environment that highlights a need to understand problem situations as an ancestor to understanding how they seek and use information. The study has identified a gap in the provision of needed information which hinders the realistic planning and decision making process. It has also highlighted the need of a National Information System for educational administrators in Pakistan. As this is the first study on this topic in Pakistan, the results can be useful to design information services and facilities for educational administrators in Pakistan and other developing regions of the globe with similar conditions.