Effect of L-carnitine Supplementation on Nutritional Status and Physical Performance Under Calorie Restriction

L-carnitine is popular as a potential ergogenic aid because of its role in the conversion of fat into energy. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of short term supplementation of L-carnitine on metabolic markers and physical efficiency tests under short term calorie restriction. Male albino rats were divided into four groups (n = 12 in each)—control, calorie restricted (CR for 5 days, 25 % of basal food intake), L-carnitine supplemented (CAR, given orally for 5 days at a dose of 100 mg/kg), CR with L-carnitine supplementation (CR + CAR). Food intake and body weight of the rats were measured along with biochemical variables like blood glucose, tissue glycogen, plasma and muscle protein and enzymatic activities of CPT-1 (carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1) and AMP kinase. Results demonstrated that L-carnitine caused marked increase in muscle glycogen, plasma protein, CPT-1 activity and swim time of rats (P < 0.05) on short term supplementation. In addition to the substantive effects caused by CR alone, L-carnitine under CR significantly affected muscle glycogen, plasma protein, CPT-1 activity and AMP kinase (P < 0.05). Short term CR along with L-carnitine also resulted in increased swim time of rats than control, CR and L-carnitine treated rats (P < 0.05). The present study was an attempt towards developing an approach for better adherence to dietary restriction regimen, with the use of L-carnitine.     

Assay of tubercular antibody, circulating free and immune complexed antigen in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

Analysis of tubercular antibody, circulating free and immune complexed antigen (CIC-Ag) was done in confimed pulmonary tuberculosis sera by ELISA, using ES-31 antigen and affinity purified anti ES-31 antibody. Twenty three of 25 (92%) tuberculosis sera were positive for IgG antibody to ES-31 antigen. Using anti ES-31 antibody, free tubercular antigen could be detected in 20 of 25 (80%) cases whereas circulating immune complexed antigen (CIC-Ag) in 18 of 25 (72%) cases by sandwich ELISA. Of the two sera showing absence of antibody, one showed presence of free and CIC-Ag whereas the other showed the presence of free antigen. Thus antigen assay may be used as an adjunct tool for confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis.     

COVID-19 and Gut Microbiota: A Potential Connection

Currently, world is facing a global outbreak causing a pandemic threat known as COVID-19. This infectious disease is triggered by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Gut microbiota harbours multi species community with a strong impact on host immune homeostasis. However, our knowledge about this gut microbiota and its symbiotic relationship with immune activation in association with SARS-CoV-2 is limited. Unbalanced bacterial flora with too many opportunistic infections can shift immune system towards a cascade of inflammatory responses leading to multi organ damage. This review will highlight immune-regulation via various mechanisms in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Diet has an unbelievable influence on gut microbiome that allows a new state of homeostasis to be reached through timing, frequency and duration of intake. This review article focuses on gut, lung microbiota and immunomodulation with specific attention on immune activation by gut microbiota.     

Authentic game-based learning and teachers’ dilemmas in reconstructing professional practice

Teachers who attempt pedagogical innovation with authentic digital games face significant challenges because such games instantiate open systems of learner activity, inviting enquiry learning rather than knowledge acquisition. However, school environments are normatively sanctioned cultural spaces where direct instruction and high-stakes tests are de riguer. In this paper, we draw on the conceptual frame of dilemmatic spaces to illuminate the dilemmas teachers encounter when attempting to reconstruct professional practice in the classroom. We worked with nine teachers who enacted the Statecraft X social studies curriculum. Drawing on coded interview data, our findings suggest that teachers are forced to wrestle with tensions engendered by misalignments that emerge from the innovation's tacit requirement for change and the system's inherent gravitation towards maintaining the status quo. A school culture that cultivates innovative practice based on greater teacher agency is needed for authentic game-based learning to find traction in the classroom.     

Meeting the growing demand for sustainability-focused management education: a case study of a PRME academic institution

The current business landscape has created the impetus to develop management graduates with capabilities that foster responsible leadership and sustainability. Through the lens of Gitsham's 3C Model (Complexity, Context and Connection) of graduate capabilities, this paper discusses the experience of implementing the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (UNPRME) at the Graduate School of Management, La Trobe University Australia. The case highlights that universities should use both a top-down and bottom-up approach, engaging students in the implementation process. The analysis also shows that educational institutions face similar challenges to business organizations in terms of resource limitations, inertia and resistance to change. While significant inroads have been made at the course and discipline level, more work needs to be done. The use of the UNPRME as a guide for delivering sustainability-focused management education has provided an opportunity to structure the change process and to provide support through partnerships.     

Developing cultural humility through experiential learning: How home visits transform early childhood preservice educators’ attitudes for engaging families

Research calls for teacher education to prepare early childhood educators for the needs of diverse and marginalized young children and their families in the U.S. With an increasing cultural divide between teachers and students, some early childhood educators may demonstrate limited understanding for how diverse cultural, linguistic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds inform the daily functions of families of young children. In this article, we examine how the use of experiential learning vis-à-vis conducting a home visit with a family from a diverse and marginalized background can shape early childhood preservice teachers’ (PST) development of cultural humility, an important component of cultural competence. During this experiential learning, PSTs engaged in critically reflective practices to uncover and challenge their implicit biases. While discovering the strengths and challenges among their home visit families, PSTs also learned what they had in common with the families. PSTs noted how the home visit process informed their work as future early childhood educators.     

Serodiagnosis of tuberculosis using two ELISA systems

Serodiagnosis by ELISA has been widely explored over the years, in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Two ELISA systems were evaluated for detection of mycobacterial antibodies in pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis. The two test assays explored were ERBA LISA (TB IgG) test (Anda Biologicals) which uses A60 antigen complex found in the cytosol of typical and atypical mycobacteria, and SEVA TB (IgG) ELISA, which uses a 31 kDa, glycoprotein antigen purified fromM. tb H₃₇Ra culture filtrate. Sera from 98 proven tuberculosis [pulmonary TB (48), tuberculous lymphadenopathy (30), tuberculous meningitis (15) & genitourinary TB (5)] were studied along with 32 healthy controls. The overall positivity obtained using ERBA LISA (TB IgG) test and SEVA TB (IgG) ELISA test was 72.9% and 91.6% in pulmonary tuberculosis, 43.3% and 76.6% in tuberculous lymphadenopathy respectively. The sensitivity of ERBA LISA test in tuberculous meningitis and genito-urinary TB was significantly low (26.6% & 40% respectively) compared to sensitivity obtained using SEVA TB ELISA (86.6% & 60% respectively) with overall specificity of 60% and 87.5%. Thus SEVA TB IgG ELISA test was found to be more sensitive than ERBA LISA in detecting IgG antibodies in tuberculous sera, in particular in extra pulmonary tuberculosis cases.