Effects of iron administration on the diameter of cells of growth cartilage of rat pups during pregnancy

Objective: To determine the effect of oral iron administration on pregnant rats on the diameter of cells of growth plate of rat pups

Study Design: Experimental study

Place and Duration of Study: Anatomy Department, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi in collaboration with National Institute of Health [NIH], Islamabad from March to November 2016

Methodology: Group A containing 8 pregnant rats was control group, and group B containing same number of pregnant rats was the study group. Control group A was on standard diet throughout pregnancy. Iron was given to the experimental group B for 21 days [throughout pregnancy] in the form of syrup 0.5ml daily [2.75 mg of elemental iron] given in water. Rat infants were born via spontaneous vaginal delivery. Inclusion criteria for infants was pups born at term which were active and taking feed. Femur from each rat infant of right side was removed for the growth plate investigation. Processing, embedding and staining with Hematoxylin and Eosin, Perl's stain for histological study was done. The cell diameter in hypertrophy and proliferative zone was evaluated. Mean values of the diameter of chondrocytes in both the zones of growth cartilage of femur were measured

Results: Diameter of the cells in hypertrophy and proliferative zones was considerably decreased in group B as compared to group A

Conclusion: Administration of iron during pregnancy with normal iron status can disturb growth of the rat infant through its accumulation in the epiphyseal plate of femur. The cell diameter of the hypertrophy and proliferative zones was markedly reduced in iron administered group as compared to the control group

Soyabean oil supplementation effects on perivascular inflammation in lungs induced by bisphenol A: a histological study

Objective: To determine the effect of soyabean oil supplementation on perivascular inflammation in lungs of adult mice induced by Bisphenol A [BPA]

Study Design: An experimental study

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Anatomy, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, in collaboration with the Animal House, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, from June to November 2016

Methodology: Thirty male and female BALB/c mice were divided into three groups, of 10 animals each. Group A animals served as control. Group B animals were given BPA at a dose of 50 mg/Kg body weight/day. Group C animals were given BPA and soyabean oil at doses of 50 mg/Kg body weight/day and 500 mg/day, respectively. All treatments were given once daily for a period of eight weeks. Animals were dissected 24 hours after receiving the last dose. Lung tissue specimen processing and H and E staining was carried out for routine histological study. Perivascular inflammation was morphometrically graded and statistically analysed using Chi-square test with p<0.05

Results: Grade 2 inflammation was recorded in two [20%] animals and grade 3 perivascular inflammation in 80% specimens in Group B; whereas 20% specimens of Group C had grade 2 inflammation and eight [80%] showed grade 1 inflammation. None of the control animals showed any inflammation. All groups were significantly different at p<0.001

Conclusion: BPA produced perivascular inflammation and con-commitant administration of soyabean oil diet protected against it in rodent

Pakistan in-service teachers' teaching efficacy beliefs in relation to job variables at school level

Teacher self-efficacy relates to teacher's beliefs about his/her ability to bring about change in teaching situation. This study was conducted to measure the teachers' self-efficacy belief- in relation to job variables: gender, job status, professional education, nature of job at school level. For this purpose 179 male and female school teachers were selected as a sample of the study. To measure the teachers' self-efficacy beliefs, a descriptive questionnaire Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs [Shaukat, 2011] consisting of 24 statements was used. Data was collected from teachers during their working hours in school by the researcher. Data was analyzed by using independent sample t- test, which shows there is no significant mean score difference between male and female teachers' self-efficacy beliefs. Although significant mean score difference was found on job status, professional qualification and nature of job

Prospective teachers' beliefs regarding information seeking and responsible behaviour towards environment at post graduate level

The study was carried out to identify the prospective teachers' beliefs regarding information seeking and responsible behaviour towards environment at postgraduate level. The main emphasis was in this study to measure the male and female prospective teachers' beliefs about information seeking and responsible behaviour towards environment among different disciplines. A sample consisting of 128 prospective teachers enrolled in science teacher education programs responded to this study. Data was collected from prospective teachers, through a self-administered questionnaire based on two subscales: beliefs about information seeking and responsible behavior towards environment. Results indicated a significant mean difference in male and female prospective teachers' beliefs regarding information seeking and responsible behaviour towards environment. Male prospective teachers held more significant, mean scores on both subscales compared to female prospective teachers. Moreover significant mean scores difference was found among prospective teachers of different discipline on information seeking behavior towards environment subscale

Student's causal attribution towards their success and failure in examination at post graduate level

This study explored the post graduate students' causal internal and external attribution regarding their success and failure in examination. It is based on Heider's attribution theory concerned with how the people attribute their own or others behaviors to certain set of behaving patterns. The purpose of the study was to measure the students' internal and external attribution, how they attributed their success [high marks] and failure [low marks] in examination. A sample of 300 students enrolled in second year at post graduate level was selected randomly from the six disciplines. Two instruments were used to gather the data of high and low achiever students' internal and external causal attribution towards their success and failure in examination. High and low achiever students were identified from each discipline on the basis of their GPA 's attained in first year. Results indicated that high and low achiever female students significantly attributed internally and externally towards their success and failure in examination rather than low and high achiever male students