Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met Polymorphism and Susceptibility to Alcohol Dependence

Catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) enzyme catalyzes the metabolism of dopamine and other catechols in the brain. Several articles investigated catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism as risk factor for alcohol dependence (AD) but the results were inconclusive. The aim of present meta-analysis was to evaluate the association of Val158Met (COMT) polymorphism with AD. Authors performed keyword search of the 4 electronic databases—Pubmed, Google Scholar, Springer Link and Science Direct databases up to December 31, 2019. Total eighteen studies that investigated the association of Val158Met polymorphism with AD were retrieved. The pooled results from the meta-analysis (2278 AD cases and 3717 healthy controls) did not show association with AD using all 5 genetic models (allele contrast model: OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.90–1.14, p = 0.03; homozygote model: OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.81–1.38, p = 0.69; dominant model: OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.85–1.14, p = 0.87; co-dominant model: OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.86–1.11, p = 0.71; recessive model: OR = 1.05;95% CI = 0.85–1.29, p = 0.61). Results of subgroup analysis showed that Val158Met is not risk for AD in Asian and Caucasian population. In conclusion, COMT Val158Met is not a risk factor for alcohol dependence.     

Knowledge and Skills Needed by Instructional Designers in Higher Education

In this paper, we sought to address the following research question: What knowledge and skills are needed by instructional designers in higher education to be successful in their roles? We interviewed eight instructional designers from across the United States, all working for institutions of higher education. Using the constant comparative method, we analyzed our data to identify relevant themes. Our results suggest that instructional designers in higher education must have a solid foundation in instructional design and learning theory, possess soft skills and technical skills, and have a willingness to learn on the job. Most instructional designers felt their academic backgrounds assisted them with their job roles, and, in particular, valued their professional experiences. Instructional designers in higher education must also keep abreast of multiple emerging information and communication technologies. We provide a discussion to synthesize our findings. The findings are relevant to professionals, professional academic programs, and professional associations.     

Evaluation of Interactive Media in Science Education

An evaluation of an interactive media-based science education project is reported. One of the unique features of the evaluation is the application of a general program evaluation which stresses the assessment of contextual/environmental factors. The rationale is that without adequate facilitation and support from the context, large scale projects would have limited impact on education reform. The model was applied to a major, National Science Foundation funded, science teacher education project at Vanderbilt University. The findings revealed that a number of factors must come together for project success. They are: an environment conducive to innovation and development; strong administrative interest and commitment to further the cause of the project; faculty interest and commitment to be actively involved in the project and to integrate project ideas into their own practices. In addition, strong technical support is vital for research and developments efforts in technology-based science education projects.     

Implications of a comparative assessment of exemplary and novice elementary teachers

Conclusion This study points to the fact that it would be practical to compare and assess the instructional strategies of exemplary and novice elementary science teachers using a set of criteria derived from published teacher effectiveness studies. According to this study there are differences ranging from significant to null between the instructional behaviors of exemplary and novice teachers, and it indicates that it may not be appropriate to rely entirely upon the findings of individual teacher effectiveness studies to prepare effective preservice teachers. Science teacher educators need to focus more directly on the differences in instructional strategies between the exemplary and novice teachers and inquire further into determining the causes for the differences. Hurd (1982) reported that about half of the elementary teachers studied believe that their preservice education failed to prepare them to teach science in real classrooms. If what separates exemplary teachers from novices can be clearly identified, then the science teacher educator’s task of preparing effective preservice teachers will be an easier one. Then it would be also possible to develop effective preservice science teacher education programs more congruent with exemplary science teaching practices and augment the existing science teacher education knowledge base through further research.     

Lack of Circadian Pattern of Serum TNF-α and IL-6 in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome

The present study was designed to test the hypothesis of a circadian variation in circulating levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were measured at 4 h intervals of the day in 50 women with FMS satisfying American College of Rheumatology criteria for FMS (age 36.68 ± 9.89) as well as 50 healthy control women (age 32.82 ± 10.53). Serum TNF-α levels were substantially increased in patients with FMS but showed no circadian variation. In contrast, no difference in the levels of IL-6 was found. Moreover, there was also no circadian variation in both the groups of patients and controls. We conclude that no circadian pattern exists in the circulating levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-α in patients with FMS, although TNF-α levels are found raised in patients with FMS.     

Cardioprotective response to chronic administration of vitamin E in isoproterenol induced myocardial necrosis: Hemodynamic,biochemical and ultrastructural studies

The present study evaluated the cardioprotective potential of vitamin-E by studying its effect on hemodynamic parameters, lipid peroxidation, myocyte injury marker and ultrastructural changes in model of isoproterenol-induced myocardial necrosis in rats. Wistar albino male rats (150–200 g) were randomly divided into saline, ISP control, and vit E groups. Vitamin E group was administered vitamin E at a dose of 100mg/kg/day while saline and ISP control groups received saline orally for one month. On 29^th and 30^th day, ISP (85 mg/kg, sc) was administered at an interval of 24 h to vit E and ISP control rats. On 31^st day, rats of all groups were anesthetized and hemodynamic parameters were recorded. At the end of experimentation, animals were sacrificed; hearts were excised and processed for biochemical and ultrastructural studies. ISP administration produced marked cardiac necrosis as evidenced by significant decrease in my ocardial creatine kinase-MB as well as increase in malonaldialdehyde levels. ISP-induced myocardial necrosis resulted in myocardial dysfunction as evidenced by significant depression in heart rate and mean arterial pressure in the ISP control group as compared to saline control. Salient ultrastructural changes including extensive loss of myofibrils, muscle necrosis, loss of mitochondria, and formation of several intracytoplasmic vacuoles and lipid droplets further confirmed the ISP-induced myocardial damage. However, subsequent to ISP challenge, vit E treatment significantly preserved the myocardium by restoring myocardial CK-MB activity, inhibiting the ISP-induced lipid peroxidation and ultrastructural changes. Additionally, pre-and co-treatment of vit E prevented the deleterious ultrastructural changes caused by ISP. These beneficial effects of chronic vit E treatment also translated into significant restoration of the altered hemodynamic parameters. The present study clearly demonstrated the cardioprotective potential of vit E at dose of 100 mg/kg in ISP-induced model of myocardial necrosis in rats. The significant restoration of altered hemodynamic parameters, myocardial CK-MB activity, prevention of ISP-induced rise in lipid peroxidation and ultrastructural changes may confirm its cardioprotective effect.     

Investigation of structures similarity of organic substances

According to similarity property principle, structurally similar molecules tend to have similar properties. Similar molecules exhibit similar biological activities. However, there is no hard and fast rule that the compounds with similar chemical structure will have similar functions. There are several compounds of similar chemical structure with significantly different biological actions and activities. Structure similarity of natural products can be investigated using Tanimoto coefficient and Euclidean distance measurements. To do this, the molecules are decomposed into smaller fragments, and a dictionary, of the fragments are prepared. Using the dictionary, 2D fingerprints are formed. With the fingerprints Tanimoto coefficient and Euclidean distance are quantitated.     

Stress,Oxidative Injury and Disease

The living system on earth is largely using oxygen for burning metabolic fuel for energy. The toxicity of oxygen is largely due to the formation of free radicals in living systems. Stress is also responsible for the generation of free radicals. The evidence for the involvement of free radicals and oxidative injury in producing metabolic disturbance, maladjustment and many diseases has been accumulating since long. It is largely believed that the root cause of many chronic diseases is stress induced free radicals and resultant oxidative injury.