Introduction: the “vectors” of Chinese history

This issue contains essays by the important Japanese sinologist and intellectual historian, Mizoguchi Yūzō (1932–2010). Born in Nagoya, he studied in the literature department in Tokyo University and then went to graduate school in Nagoya University. He was a student of Iriya Yoshitaka, the famous sinologist. Mizoguchi has taught at Saitama University, Hitotsubashi University and Tokyo University. He was also a Distinguished Professor at Tokyo University. Mizoguchi Yūzō left a number of important works throughout his life. The selection is unable to provide a complete picture of Mizoguchi’s ideas about the principle of Chinese history, but it provides an entry point for English readers to understand Mizoguchi’s work. In this introduction, we attempt to bring out certain key ideas of Mizoguchi’s writings and discuss his historical and theoretical significance.     

Antidiabetic Effect of GII Compound Purified from Fenugreek (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trigonella foenum graecum</Emphasis> Linn) Seeds in Diabetic Rabbits

Aim is to study the antidiabetic effect of a compound GII purified earlier from the water extract of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) seeds by Murthy and his colleagues (patented in India and USA) in diabetic rabbits. Diabetes was induced in rabbits by injecting 80 mg/kg bw of alloxan intravenously into rabiits. Rabbits were subdivided into subdiabetic [fasting blood sugar (FBG) up to 120 mg/dl with abnormal glucose tolerance in glucose tolerance test (GTT)], moderately diabetic (FBG below 250 mg/dl) and severely diabetic (FBG above 250 mg/dl). Blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) were estimated by procedures in the kits of Stangen Immunodiagnostics, Mumbai using, respectively, glucose oxidase method and absorbance at 415 nm. Serum insulin was estimated by the ELISA method as described in the kit of Boehringer Mannheim Immunodiagnostics, Mumbai, India. GII was found to improve blood glucose utilization in GTT and reduced FBG and HbA1C. In the present communication detailed studies were carried out with GII in the subdiabetic, moderately diabetic and severely diabetic rabbits. GII at a dose of 50 mg/kg bw per day brought down the elevated FBG levels in the untreated subdiabetic (FBG 96.6 ± 7 mg/dl), moderately diabetic (150.1 ± 14 mg/dl) and severely diabetic rabbits (427 ± 46 mg/dl) to normal in 12, 15 and 28 days of treatment. It improved serum HbA1C and insulin levels also in these rabbits. Intermittent therapy once a week for 6 weeks with GII at the same dose brought down the FBG values to normal in the subdiabetic (FBG 96.0 ± 2 mg/dl) and in the moderately diabetic rabbits to 133.0 ± 12 mg/dl. After stopping therapy of the subdiabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits whose FBG values came to normal after treatment with GII 50 mg/kg bw, the values remained normal for 1 week and showed a tendency to increase only after 15 days. If these animal studies are applicable to humans these results indicate that a diabetic person need not take GII daily when once the FBG value comes to normal or near to normal. Patients might be able to take GII only when the FBG value shows tendency to increase. So, intermittent therapy is possible with the potent product GII of the fenugreek seeds which is of a great advantage.     

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%.     

A standalone perfusion platform for drug testing and target validation in micro-vessel networks

Studying the effects of pharmacological agents on human endothelium includes the routine use of cell monolayers cultivated in multi-well plates. This configuration fails to recapitulate the complex architecture of vascular networks in vivo and does not capture the relationship between shear stress (i.e. flow) experienced by the cells and dose of the applied pharmacological agents. Microfluidic platforms have been applied extensively to create vascular systems in vitro; however, they rely on bulky external hardware to operate, which hinders the wide application of microfluidic chips by non-microfluidic experts. Here, we have developed a standalone perfusion platform where multiple devices were perfused at a time with a single miniaturized peristaltic pump. Using the platform, multiple micro-vessel networks, that contained three levels of branching structures, were created by culturing endothelial cells within circular micro-channel networks mimicking the geometrical configuration of natural blood vessels. To demonstrate the feasibility of our platform for drug testing and validation assays, a drug induced nitric oxide assay was performed on the engineered micro-vessel network using a panel of vaso-active drugs (acetylcholine, phenylephrine, atorvastatin, and sildenafil), showing both flow and drug dose dependent responses. The interactive effects between flow and drug dose for sildenafil could not be captured by a simple straight rectangular channel coated with endothelial cells, but it was captured in a more physiological branching circular network. A monocyte adhesion assay was also demonstrated with and without stimulation by an inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-α.     

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.