The Association Between Small Dense Low Density Lipoprotein and Coronary Artery Disease in North Indian Patients

Pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD) is multi-factorial and several conventional risk factors have been ascribed; LDL-C being one of the important risk factor. However Indian population studies with established CAD often show LDL levels within normal range in patients with proven CAD. We hypothesized that Small dense low density lipoprotein (sdLDL) being more atherogenic might correlate more strongly to the occurrence and severity of CAD. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between serum small dense LDL level and angiographically documented coronary artery disease. This is a cross sectional case control study in which sdLDL were measured in 126 patients with CAD and in 64 patients without CAD. Total cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides were measured by standard methods along with other traditional risk factors. Direct quantitative measurement of sdLDL was done by enzymatic analysis. Mean sdLDL level was higher in patients with coronary stenosis than patients without coronary stenosis (16.3 ± 6.8 vs. 10.1 ± 5.7 mg/dL respectively, (p < 0.001). There was significant correlation between mean sdLDL and severity of CAD as assessed by syntax score with mean sdLDL level in low, intermediate and high syntax score being 15.0 ± 5.8, 20.1 ± 6.7 and 22.7 ± 7.3 mg/dL respectively (p value <0.001). A cut off value of 10.02 mg/dL was associated with presence of CAD (95 % CI 0.82–0.93, p < 0.001) using ROC curve. In conclusion Indian patients with established CAD have higher sdLDL levels compared to individuals without CAD despite having comparable LDL levels.     

School Teachers’ and Administrators’ Opinions about Disability Services,Quality of Schools,Total Quality Management and Quality Tools

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to determine primary school administrators’ and teachers’ opinions about the quality of their schools; the school administrators and teachers’ knowledge about Total Quality Management and quality tools and the quality tools used in primary schools. The research has been carried out with a qualitative approach and it is in the case study pattern. The participants consisted of 16 teachers and 4 school administrators working in primary schools in North Cyprus. The participants were chosen via maximum sampling method. The findings show that the current situation in schools contradicts with the basic principles of Total Quality Management. It was determined that school administrators were ignorant about Total Quality Management and none of the teachers and school administrators had previously heard the concept of quality tools. Teachers and school administrators mentioned disabled students as an issue. It seems like teachers have problems in behaving in the right way towards these students. They do not know how to improve these students’ talents because they are not educated on the subject. Via tools of quality teachers and school administrators may find reasons and solutions for issues like people with disabilities and plan events to promote disability awareness.     

A botanist,mycorrhiza and a knighthood

Most plants are attached via their roots to specialized fungi. The filamentous hyphae of these fungi extend beyond the nutrient-depleted zone in the soil, absorbing and supplying nutrients to the plants in exchange for photosynthetically-made carbon compounds manufactured by the plant. The hyphae also attach to litter and decompose the organic matter, releasing the mineral ions sequestered in the structural polymers. The mineral ions are absorbed and translocated to the roots. Most plants are so dependent on their fungal partners for supplying nutrients that they languish or die without them. Our understanding of this fascinating interaction, to a large extent, has come from the pioneering work of Sir David J Read, FRS, Emeritus Professor of Plant Sciences at the University of Sheffield, UK. Ramesh Maheshwari is a former Professor and Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Banglaore. This is his sixth article for Resonance.     

Wegener and his Theory of continental drift

Alfred Wegener, an astronomer by training and meteorologist by profession, visualised that there was once a single very large landmass on the surface of the earth. Gradually it broke up into smaller fragments which drifted away to form the present continents. In a few cases, the drifting fragments subsequently collided, coalesced and formed larger landmasses again. Wegener could thus explain in a simple way (i) similarities in shapes of continental coast lines separated by wide oceans, (ii) similarities in the rocks and fossils occurring on such coasts and in the fauna and flora inhabiting them, (iii) the formation of several major mountain ranges of the world, and (iv) the evidence in rocks on past climates of the earth.     

Developments in statistical education

This paper describes recent work carried out by the Schools Council Project on Statistical Education. The Project advocates a problem-solving approach towards the teaching of statistics in secondary schools (11–16 years age range). It sees statistics as an interdisciplinary subject primarily concerned with data. The article illustrates these important aspects with teaching materials which have been developed and tested extensively in a variety of schools. Finally an evaluation and assessment of the project's work is presented.The author worked with the project for three and a half years and has made extensive use of working documents produced by the project team in preparing this paper. He would particularly like to thank the director, Mr. Peter Holmes, for permitting the use of these documents. The author was formerly at the School Council Project on Statistical Education, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England and is now at the Mathematics Department, Polytechnic of the South Bank, London SE1 0AA, England.     

Jung,Insung & Latchem,Colin ed (2012) Quality assurance and accreditation in distance education and e‐learning Routledge (New York & London) isbn 978‐0‐415‐88735‐9 285 pp $44.95http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415887359/

Informative, useful, and with practical inputs on quality assurance and accreditation in open, distance and e‐learning education, this book is worthy to be consulted by teachers, researchers, quality technicians, practitioners, and policy makers. If the content of this book is likely to be relevant to you, you should arrange to borrow a copy for a while. Ramesh Sharma