Purification of three orally active hypoglycemic compounds Kakara Ib,IIIa1 and IIIb1 from the unripe fruits ofMomordica charantia Linn (Bitter gourd)

Three orally active hypoglycemic compounds Kakara Ib, IIIa₁ and IIIb₁ were purified from the unripe fruits ofMomordica charantia Linn (bitter gourd). Powder of the dried fruits was extracted with benzene and the extract was purified further by sillicic acid column chromatography. They were homogeneous by HPLC. Kakara Ib (400 mg/kg), IIIa₁ (100 mg/kg) and IIIb₁ (300 mg/kg) improved glucose tolerance in subdiabetic (alloxan recovered) rabbits in acute (single dose) and subacute (10 days) studies. When compared with tolbutamide, Kakara Ib was less active, IIIa₁ was more potent and IIIb₁ was equal in activity. Two hyperglycemic compounds were also present.     

Learning,Training, and Performance Timeline: A Walk Through History

Does your professional tool bag include the well‐known ideas, models, and practices that training and performance improvement professionals use? This article organizes the advent of essential tools using the Learning, Training, and Performance Timeline, describes the major patterns that developed during historical periods, and explores relevant practical and scholarly uses for the Timeline. Resources are provided for those who have further inquiries about the historical background of training and performance improvement.     

A rabbit model for studying hypocholesterolemic effect of drugs and hypocholesterolemic effect of extracts of garlic (Allium sativum)

An experimental model of hypercholesterolemic rabbits suitable for studying the hypocholesterolemic effect of compounds was developed. Rabbits were made hypercholesterolemic by oral administration of cholesterol (100mg/kg body weight/day) suspended in groud nut oil by gastric intubation (Ryle's tube). Cholesterol can be given to rabbits from 10 days to 6 months depending on the degree of hypercholesterolemia required and duration of study of hypocholesterolemic effect. In one month cholesterol feeding experiment, the serum cholesterol level in normal controls (not given cholesterol) was 67±11.3 mg/dl and in cholesterol fed animals 191.3±70.6 mg/dl. In 2 months experiment, besides hypercholesterolemia, abnormal serum lipid profile and increase in lipid content in liver, heart and aorta were also seen. To such animals when water and methanol extracts of garlic were given along with cholesterol, there was significant decrease in serum cholesterol level. The advantage of this method over the method in which cholesterol is mixed with diet to induce hypercholesterolemia is that exactly same and calculated amount of cholesterol can be given for each animal. This minimises the variations in serum cholesterol levels in different animals.     

Leucine125Valine (Leu125Val) Gene Polymorphism of Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (PECAM-1) and Myocardial Infarction in Indian Population

Platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) has role in atherosclerotic plaque development as well as in thrombosis leading to myocardial infarction (MI). Present study was aimed to analyse the association of PECAM-1 Leu125Val gene polymorphism with MI in Indian population. Subjects included healthy individuals as control (N = 116) and MI patients (N = 100) divided into two groups; MI patients at presentation of the acute event (MI-Group-1, N = 46) and patients with recent event of MI stabilized with treatment 4.5 days from their symptoms (MI-Group-2, N = 54). The difference in the distribution of Leu125Val genotype frequencies of controls and patients did not reach statistical significance. However Leu allele frequency (0.57) was more associated with MI patients as compared to control (0.504). sPECAM-1 levels were significantly elevated in patients at acute event of MI (MI-Group-1) by 44.1% (P = 0.009) as compared to controls and by 95.2% (P = 0.001) as compared to stabilized MI patients (MI-Group-2).     

Effects of Simulated Interventions to Improve School Entry Academic Skills on Socioeconomic Inequalities in Educational Achievement

Randomized controlled trial evidence shows that interventions before age 5 can improve skills necessary for educational success; the effect of these interventions on socioeconomic inequalities is unknown. Using trial effect estimates, and marginal structural models with data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n = 11,764, imputed), simulated effects of plausible interventions to improve school entry academic skills on socioeconomic inequality in educational achievement at age 16 were examined. Progressive universal interventions (i.e., more intense intervention for those with greater need) to improve school entry academic skills could raise population levels of educational achievement by 5% and reduce absolute socioeconomic inequality in poor educational achievement by 15%.     

Couselling Migrant Families in Southern India

The aim of the paper is to highlight the effectiveness of counselling services in the area of families affected by economic handicaps by migrants. Many of the people migrated from Srikakulam and its vicinities to the el dorado, Bhimavarm of West Godavari District in search of livelihood. Having come here they are trying to get adjusted. Many of them took to rickshaw driving. Some of them are doing well and others are just managing. They have to be provided counselling on how to enhance their earnings, while doing so they have to support their meagre earnings and to see that the family runs with enough resource. In this paper certain counselling services, like existential counselling and co-counselling are suggested to enable the migrated to overcome their difficulties and come to grips with the difficulties that they face.     

The real effects of pseudo forces

A clear comprehension of the Newtonian notion of force remains elusive to many students due to lack of experience with observations in a noninertial frame of reference. In this article is described a software that can be easily run on a desktop computer and which acquaints the student user with the Newtonian notion of force. Fundamental principles of causality and determinism in Newtonian mechanics are elucidated.     

Promoting Early Literacy for Diverse Learners Using Audio and Video Technology

Practical applications of multimedia technologies that support early literacy are described and evaluated, including several variations of recorded books and stories, utilizing mainstream audio and video recording appropriate for libraries and schools. Special emphasis is given to the needs of children with disabilities and children who are acquiring a second language.