Serum lipid profile and retinol in rats fed micronutrient rich edible vegetable oil blend

Khan HN, Farooqi H, Ali S, Khan JS. 2010. Serum lipid profile and retinol in rats fed micronutrient rich edible vegetable oil blend. Nusantara Bioscience 2: 109-116. The animal rats were given 10% oil mixed in fat free diet for one month or six months. In the experiment, the groups of rats were fed with the micronutrient (MN) rich blends mixed previously with 1% cholesterol, and their effects were tested on serum lipid profile. Most significant changes in the High Dencity Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were observed in one-month study where HDL increased from 24 mg/dl in group to 64 mg/dl in the Mustard palm olein oil blend (MP); in mustard oil (MO) alone fed rats, the HDL was 36 mg/dl. Serum retinol was analyzed as one of the important MN in rats receiving the diet mixed with the blend for various duration of time. The results assume great significance as MO or palm olein oil (PO) alone could not bring the maximum beneficial effects, and the blends appear to have more merit as health oils in alleviating adverse health condition such as coronary heart disease (CHD), diabetes, obesity and hypertension

FEMALE AS OWNER AND MANAGER, EXPORT ORIENTATION, AND VALUE RELEVANCE OF INNOVATION EVIDENCE FROM EMERGIN G COUNTRIES

The study investigates the impact of the females at the top, females with majority and minority ownership, and females as workers on the export orientation. Moreover, the study also examines the value relevance of the product, process, market, and organizational innovation in the relationship between the females at four different levels in hierarchy and export orientations in the case of emerging markets. The study use data of Enterprise survey conducted by the World Bank from 2002 to 2019 for 40 emerging countries. The sample included 20,019 export- oriented firms. We use hierarchical regression models for estimation. The results of various models show that females at the top position and females with majority ownership have a positive and significant effect on the export orientation. However, female minority ownership and female workers have no significant influence on export orientation. Moreover, product, market, and process innovations have a positive and significant incremental effect in the relationship between females at the top and females holding majority ownership and export orientation. The theory of internationalization is found valid as females in the two significant positions (majority shareholdings and manager at top) are found relevant to the export orientation of the firms. The findings of the study that females as controlling shareholder behave differently than men in emerging markets challenge the principal-principal agency conflicts. Organizations chasing the goal to improve their revenues and grow through exports shall try to attract female investors and hire or promote female to the rank of top-level managerial positions.Moreover, the results of the study encourage small firms to employ and utilize the potentials of females as managers and focus on innovations to exploit export opportunities.Whereas, to boost exports of the local industries, governments are required to provide structural and legal support

Association of hypoadiponectemia with smokeless/dipping tobacco use in young men

Background: Low levels of adiponectin, an adipocytokine with anti-diabetic, antiatherogenic and cardioprotective properties, is associated with increased risk of coronary disease in young men. Previous studies have demonstrated that smokeless tobacco is linked with a reduction of plasma adiponectin levels. However, the influence of smokeless tobacco (dipping tobacco) on plasma adiponectin levels still remains unknown. This study was conducted to assess the plasma adiponectin levels in young men who were using dipping tobacco. Methods: This was a community based study, which consisted of 186 young lean healthy males aged 20 to 35 years. Among these, 96 men were dipping tobacco users (BMI = 23.07 ± 2.68) and 90 were non-dipping tobacco users (BMI = 23.67 ± 1.46). Serum adiponectin levels were assessed by Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA). Results: A statistically significant difference in the mean adiponectin level between tobacco dipper and non-dipper groups was observed (p = 0.0001). A significant difference between the two groups was also observed in baseline parameters including triglyceride and random blood sugar levels (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in other clinical parameters. Conclusions: Findings of this study suggest that dipping tobacco use was significantly associated with low level of adiponetin in community dwelling young males. This emphasizes the importance of developing community intervention to reduce the use of dipping tobacco, which will reduce the tobacco associated disease burden in the community and will improve public health

Paradigmatic Choices for Educational Research

ABSTRAC

Inhabiting the peripheries: a Bourdieusian exploration of international students’ encounters in Kyrgyzstan

This research employs a qualitative lens to explore the multifarious hurdles international students face in underrepresented educational destinations, taking Kyrgyzstan as an exemplar. Leveraging Bourdieu’s theoretical insights, the study unearths nuanced personal, social, and academic adversities. Central to the study’s findings are the prevailing power imbalances, positioning international students at a disadvantage due to varying habitus and insufficient cultural capital. Notwithstanding these issues, these students exhibit determination and agency. The research underscores the urgency for more inclusive practices, curbing discrimination, rebalancing power structures, and fortifying student support mechanisms, providing policy directions for enhanced international student experiences in analogous settings

The Promotion of Democratic Behavior and the Role of Media

This study is conducted to measure the influence of social media over the democratic behavior of the students. Social media is the main component of political participation in democratic societies and the study of democratic behavior is a highly specialized sub-field in political and social science. The study was concerned with the reasons that to what extent the social media play a significant role in promoting the democratic behavior of the students. The main objectives of the present study were to find out the factors like the social media which affect the democratic behavior of the students in Gomal University. A sample of 70 respondents (students) was selected by simple random technique from Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Specifically, this study explored the relationship of democratic behavior with social media and the other factors that had strong effect on democratic behavior. The results of the present study showed a diverse response of the student regarding the impact of social media on the democratic behavior.

Us vs Them: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Nadeem Aslam’ Novel ‘The Golden Legend’

The paper explores the unequal power relationships between the two religious groups (Muslim majority and Christian minority) in Pakistan. The discourse in Nadeem Aslam’s novel “The Golden Legend’ is critically analyzed to discover the unequal relationships and power imbalance between the majority and the minority. The discursive patterns in literary discourse are analyzed using Van Dijk’s socio-cognitive approach and ideological squaring. The purpose is to reveal how opposing concepts are linked to the participants through discourse structures using multiple strategies. The text shows the positive representation of Muslims and the negative representation of Christians which ultimately results in ‘the powerful’ and ‘the powerless’. Keywords: Critcal Discourse Analysis, Ideological Squaring, Novels DOI: 10.7176/JLLL/98-06 Publication date:September 30th 202

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) associated peritonitis in a child: a rare case of peritonitis caused by sphingomonous paucimobilis

First identified in 1977, Sphingomonous Paucimobilis has emerged as an opportunistic human pathogen. It is primarily known to cause a range of mostly nosocomial, non-life-threatening infections that typically are easily treated by antibiotic therapy. Sources of its isolation linked to clinical disease include blood, spinal fluid and leg ulcers. It has also been reported as a rare cause of peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. We present a case of a child with peritonitis due to this organism. Clinical features, bacteriology and treatment option and response have been discussed

New furocarbazole alkaloids from Lonicera quinquelocularis

Two new furocarbazole alkaloids, 3-formyl-6,7-dimethoxy-furo[1,2]carbazole (1) and methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-furo[1,2]carbazole-3-carboxylate (2), along with two known carbazole alkaloids, 3-formyl-2-hydroxy-7-methoxycarbazole (3) and methyl 2,7-dimethoxycarbazole-3-carboxylate (4) were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of Lonicera quinquelocularis. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic analysis

Role of Financial Markets on the Financial Development and the National Exchequer: A Review of Literature

The present work is an attempt to examine the financial markets upon the financial development and growth of a country. On one hand, well-functioning financial markets, by lowering costs of conducting transactions, may help direct transmittals to projects that yield the highest returns and therefore enhance growth rates. On the other hand, transmittals can compensate for a bad financial system, by loosening liquidity constraints, potential entrepreneurs could use remittances whenever the financial system does not help them start productive activities due to lack of collateral or because of high lending costs. Entrepreneurs in developing countries confront much less efficient credit markets and available evidence indicates that access to credit is among their biggest concerns. Additionally, the alternatives for financial development can be classified into two broad categories, those relating to the banking sector and those relating to the stock market