A preliminary report on the role of yoga asanas on oxidative stress in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

Nineteen subjects of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) between the age group of 30–60 yrs were studied to see the effect of specific yoga asanas on fasting and postprandial blood glucose (FBG, PPG), serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA₁) in addition to drug treatment and diet control. The duration of diabetes ranged from 1–10 years. Patients with renal, cardiac and proliferative retinal diseases were excluded from the study. The same patients served as their own control. Subjects were called in the morning to the cardio-respiratory laboratory and were given training by a yoga expert. Yoga asanas included Suryanamskar, Tadasan, TriKonasan, Padmasan, Pranayam, Paschimottanasan, Ardhmatsyendrasan, Pavanmukthasan, Sarpasan and Shavasan. The asanas were done every day for 40 days for 30–40 min. FBG, PPG, serum MDA and HbA₁ were estimated before and after 40 days of yoga asanas regimen. Significant reduction was seen in FBG from 220 mg/dl to 162 mg/dl, PPG from 311 mg/dl to 255 mg/dl, MDA from 6 nmol/l to 3 nmol/l and HbA₁, from 8.8% to 6.4%. Subjects felt better and were relieved of their stresses and had an improvement in their day to day performance. The decrease was statistically significant (p<0.0001 for FBG and PPG, p<0.001 for MDA and for HbA₁).     

Rethinking the Boundaries of Cognitive Load Theory in Complex Learning

Educational Psychology Review - In the traditional framework of cognitive load theory, it is assumed that the acquisition of domain-specific knowledge structures (or schemas) is the only...     

Artifacts,Identity and Youth: A Cultural Intervention with Pacific Islander Young People Who Offend in Western Sydney,Australia

This article provides information on the evaluation of a project between the Australian Museum and the Juvenile Justice department in New South Wales, Australia, where young people who offend of Pacific Islander heritage were introduced to an extensive range of Pacific Islander cultural materials. The key assumption of the project was that young Pacific Islander people who offend struggled with cultural identity issues, and that a meaningful connection with their heritage would improve cultural knowledge and pride—thereby reducing their involvement in crime. However, this assumption was not borne out by the study's results. Firstly, the twenty‐two Pacific Islander young offender study participants were already proud of their heritage, and comfortable in their cultural identities. Secondly, though they enjoyed their visit to the museum, most did not want to visit again, so there was no sustained engagement. Thirdly, the Museum program was not designed as part of a holistic approach with multiple strategies which addressed the complex reasons for youth offending. Despite eight out of the twenty‐two participants reoffending after the Museum visit, there was enough potential for the rehabilitative intervention that the Museum was granted funding to take its program to the community and make it more user‐centered. This, it is hoped, will set it on a path towards more sustained engagement, and the potential for a greater influence on Pacific Islander youth.     

Association of Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) Gene -629C/A Polymorphism with Angiographically Proven Atherosclerosis

Association of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) Gene -629C/A Polymorphism with angiographically proven atherosclerosis CETP gene has been linked to CAD risk via its role in HDL and LDL metabolism. There is no agreement of whether CETP is atherogenic or not. Furthermore, various genotypes of CETP gene have been associated with CETP levels and thus with atherosclerosis risk. Our aim was to study the association of CETP -629C/A gene polymorphism with CETP and HDL levels and their association if any with atherosclerosis. Study population consisted of angiographically documented 50 cases with coronary artery atherosclerosis and 50 controls negative for atherosclerosis of coronary artery. Serum lipid profile was measured on SYNCHRON CX-9 using standard kits. Serum CETP levels were measured by ELISA method. CETP -629C/A gene polymorphism was studied using PCR–RFLP method. There was no significant difference in lipid profile of the two groups. However, serum CETP level was significantly higher (46.44 ± 21.75 ng/ml) in cases than controls (37.10 ± 21.92 ng/ml) with p value =0.035. The frequency of -629A allele was higher (0.85) in cases than that of controls (0.81). Homozygosity of A allele was more in subjects with atherosclerosis of coronary artery. We conclude that CETP is atherogenic and could be used as atherogenic risk predictor in angiographically proven atherosclerosis. Also A allele of -629C/A polymorphism is more prevalent in cases; indicating its effect on expression of CETP gene.     

Congruent numbers, elliptic curves, and the passage from the local to the global

The ancient unsolved problem of congruent numbers has been reduced to one of the major questions of contemporary arithmetic: the finiteness of the number of curves over Q which become isomorphic at every place to a given curve. We give an elementary introduction to congruent numbers and their conjectural characterisation, discuss local-to-global issues leading to the finiteness problem, and list a few results and conjectures in the arithmetic theory of elliptic curves.     

Neurochemical and Behavioral Dysfunctions in Pesticide Exposed Farm Workers: A Clinical Outcome

The problem of pesticides is not new and its exposure to human due to indiscriminate use is largely associated with the health related problems including neurotoxicological alterations. High levels of pesticide residues and their metabolites in the dietary constituents, food materials, maternal blood, cord blood, placenta breast milk have been reported and linked to alterations in birth weight, crown heel length, head circumference, mid-arm circumference and ponderal index of the neonates. Epidemiological studies have suggested that exposure of pesticide to human could be a significant risk factor for neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Cholinergic and non-cholinergic dysfunctions in pesticide exposed population, especially in children have also been frequently reported in recent years. Developmental neurotoxicity is another concern in the area where pregnant are more prone towards its exposure and which results in the abnormalities in the fetus. In view of the increasing risk of human health through pesticide exposure, the present review has been focused on the studies pertaining to pesticide induced neurochemical alterations and associated behavioral abnormalities in farm workers which could establish a possible link between the its exposure and associated health hazards.     

Hypocalcemia Presenting as Life Threatening Torsades de Pointes with Prolongation of QTc Interval

Torsades de pointes with prolonged QTc interval is a form of ventricular tachycardia. Many predisposing factors have been identified and hypocalcemia is among the rare ones. Our case illustrates that though rare, hypocalcemia might manifest as torsades de pointes with prolongation of QTc interval. Early diagnosis and management of dyselectrolytemia can prevent these patients from catastrophic torsades de pointes.     

Effect of Arsenic Contaminated Drinking Water on Human Chromosome: A Case Study

Arsenic contamination of ground water has become a serious problem all over the world. Large number of people from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal of India are suffering due to consumption of arsenic contaminated drinking water. Study was carried out on 30 individuals residing in Ballia District, UP where the maximum concentration of arsenic was observed around 0.37 ppm in drinking water. Blood samples were collected from them to find out the problem related with arsenic. Cytogenetic study of the blood samples indicates that out of 30, two persons developed Klinefelter syndrome.