Randomized placebo controlled trials of n-acetyl cysteine as adjunct therapy for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Glutathione is the principal antioxidant of the brain. There is evidence of oxidative stress, lowered brain glutathione and genetic linkage involve glutathione metabolic genes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a safe, orally bioavailable, precursor of glutathione. NAC has been shown to reverse animal models of oxidative stress, and raises brain glutathione levels.

Post-adjunct reading comprehension questions and meaning construction : a case of gender study

This article explicates on how the post-adjunct reading comprehension questions existing in the Iranian high school and pre-university English textbooks affect the comprehension of the related students. It further purports to see if there is a significant gender difference in the comprehension of reading texts by these student groups. To this end, 240 third-grade high school and pre-university students (equal number of male and female) participated in this investigation. The results demonstrated a significant superiority in the subjects’ reading comprehension when they answered the texts with the post-adjunct reading comprehension questions, designed by the researchers for this purpose. The results also showed non-significant gender disparities in the comprehension of given texts.

Effect of sorghum flour addition on resistant starch content, phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity of durum wheat pasta

Foods containing elevated levels of health functional components such as resistant starch and polyphenolic antioxidants may have beneficial effects on human health. Pasta incorporating either red sorghum flour (RSF) or white sorghum flour (WSF) each at 20%, 30% and 40% substitution of durum wheat semolina (DWS) was prepared and compared to pasta made from 100% DWS (control) for content of starch fractions, phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity, before and after cooking. Total, digestible and resistant starch contents were determined by the AOAC method; individual phenolic acids and anthocyanins by reverse phase-HPLC analysis; total phenolic content by the Folin–Ciocalteu method and antioxidant capacity by the ABTS assay. The addition of both RSF and WSF increased the resistant starch content, bound phenolic acids, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity at all incorporation levels compared to the control pasta; while free phenolic acids and anthocyanins were higher in the RSF-containing pasta only. Cooking did not change the resistant starch content of any of the pasta formulations. Cooking did however decrease the free phenolic acids, anthocyanins, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity and increased the bound phenolic acids of the sorghum-containing pastas. The study suggests that these sorghum flours may be very useful for the preparation of pasta with increased levels of resistant starch and polyphenolic antioxidants.

Effect of sorghum flour addition on in vitro starch digestibility, cooking quality and consumer acceptability of durum wheat pasta

Whole grain sorghum is a valuable source of resistant starch and polyphenolic antioxidants and its addition into staple food like pasta may reduce the starch digestibility. However, incorporating nondurum wheat materials into pasta provides a challenge in terms of maintaining cooking quality and consumer acceptability. Pasta was prepared from 100% durum wheat semolina (DWS) as control or by replacing DWS with either wholegrain red sorghum flour (RSF) or white sorghum flour (WSF) each at 20%, 30%, and 40% incorporation levels, following a laboratory-scale procedure. Pasta samples were evaluated for proximate composition, in vitro starch digestibility, cooking quality, and consumer acceptability. The addition of both RSF and WSF lowered the extent of in vitro starch digestion at all substitution levels compared to the control pasta. The rapidly digestible starch was lowered in all the sorghum-containing pastas compared to the control pasta. Neither RSF or WSF addition affected the pasta quality attributes (water absorption, swelling index, dry matter, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, and springiness), except color and hardness which were negatively affected. Consumer sensory results indicated that pasta samples containing 20% and 30% RSF or WSF had acceptable palatability based on meeting one or both of the preset acceptability criteria. It is concluded that the addition of wholegrain sorghum flour to pasta at 30% incorporation level is possible to reduce starch digestibility, while maintaining adequate cooking quality and consumer acceptability.

Acute effect of sorghum flour-containing pasta on plasma total polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress markers in healthy subjects: a randomised controlled trial

SUMMARY
Background & aims
It has been previously reported that pasta containing wholegrain sorghum flour exhibits high content of polyphenols and antioxidant capacity and hence might enhance antioxidant status and reduce markers of oxidative stress in vivo; however no clinical studies have yet been reported. Therefore, the present study assessed the effect of pasta containing red or white wholegrain sorghum flour on plasma total polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress markers in humans. The study was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN: 12612000324819).

Methods
In a randomised crossover design, healthy subjects (n = 20) consumed three test meals of control pasta (CP), 30% red sorghum pasta (RSP) or 30% white sorghum pasta (WSP), 1–2 wk apart. The test meals were consumed as breakfast after an overnight fast. Blood samples were obtained at fasting and 2 h after consumption and analysed for total polyphenols, antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, protein carbonyl and 8-isoprostanes.

Results
Compared to baseline, the 2 h post-prandial levels following the RSP meal of plasma polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and SOD activity were significantly (P < 0.001) higher while the protein carbonyl level was significantly lower (P = 0.035). Furthermore, net changes in polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and SOD activity were significantly (P < 0.001) higher while protein carbonyl were significantly (P = 0.035) lower following consumption of the RSP meal than the CP meal.

Conclusion
The results demonstrated that pasta containing red wholegrain sorghum flour enhanced antioxidant status and diminished marker of oxidative stress in healthy subjects.

Metabolic consequences of knocking out UGT85B1, the gene encoding the glucosyltransferase required for synthesis of dhurrin in Sorghum bicolor (L. Moench)

Many important food crops produce cyanogenic glucosides as natural defense compounds to protect against herbivory or pathogen attack. It has also been suggested that these nitrogen-based secondary metabolites act as storage reserves of nitrogen. In sorghum, three key genes, CYP79A1, CYP71E1 and UGT85B1, encode two Cytochrome P450s and a glycosyltransferase, respectively, the enzymes essential for synthesis of the cyanogenic glucoside dhurrin. Here, we report the use of targeted induced local lesions in genomes (TILLING) to identify a line with a mutation resulting in a premature stop codon in the N-terminal region of UGT85B1. Plants homozygous for this mutation do not produce dhurrin and are designated tcd2 (totally cyanide deficient 2) mutants. They have reduced vigor, being dwarfed, with poor root development and low fertility. Analysis using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) shows that tcd2 mutants accumulate numerous dhurrin pathway-derived metabolites, some of which are similar to those observed in transgenic Arabidopsis expressing the CYP79A1 and CYP71E1 genes. Our results demonstrate that UGT85B1 is essential for formation of dhurrin in sorghum with no co-expressed endogenous UDP-glucosyltransferases able to replace it. The tcd2 mutant suffers from self-intoxication because sorghum does not have a feedback mechanism to inhibit the initial steps of dhurrin biosynthesis when the glucosyltransferase activity required to complete the synthesis of dhurrin is lacking. The LC-MS analyses also revealed the presence of metabolites in the tcd2 mutant which have been suggested to be derived from dhurrin via endogenous pathways for nitrogen recovery, thus indicating which enzymes may be involved in such pathways.

Students` perceptions of workshop based introductory macro-economics tutorials: a survey

The declining popularity of Economics courses, evident in the last decade, has fuelled a debate on the nature of Economics units and the way in which they are taught in tertiary institutions. The effectiveness of traditional teaching methods has been questioned as lecturers search for alternative ways of presenting material and engaging students. In recent times, workshop-based/cooperative tutorials have become more popular in promoting deeper learning. This paper assesses the application of such an approach at a large tertiary institution. It evaluates student perceptions of this tutorial method in an Introductory Macroeconomics first-year unit. An anonymous questionnaire was used. Whilst the sample size is small (n = 56), the results are important in that this is the first such study in Macroeconomics. Students found workshop-based tutorials useful, preferred them over lecture style tutorials, and found that they fostered inclusivity. The importance of tutorials per se, is reiterated. Students state that tutorials are an important adjunct to lectures. This study also looks at students' study habits: finding that on average they spend less than one hour per week studying Economics and most prepare only occasionally for tutorials. The sample studied indicates that there are notable differences in the perceptions of tutorials and teaching methods between the genders and between local and international students. This may impact on the way in which tutorials are conducted effectively.

Habit retraining for the management of urinary incontinence in adults (review)

Background
Habit retraining is toileting assistance given by a caregiver to adults with urinary incontinence. It involves the identification of an incontinent person's natural voiding pattern and the development of an individualised toileting schedule which pre-empts involuntary bladder emptying.

Objectives
To assess the effects of habit retraining for the management of urinary incontinence in adults.

Search strategy
We searched the Cochrane Incontinence Group specialised register (9 May 2002), MEDLINE (January 1966 to February 2004), EMBASE (January 1980 to Week 18-2002), CINAHL (January 1982 to February 2001), PsychINFO (January 1972 to August 2002), Biological Abstracts (January 1980 to December 2000), Current Contents (January 1993 to December 2001) and the reference lists of relevant articles. We also contacted experts in the field, searched relevant websites and hand searched journals and conference
proceedings.

Selection criteria
All randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials comparing habit retraining delivered either alone or in conjunction with another intervention for urinary incontinence in adults.

Data collection and analysis
Data extraction and quality assessment were undertaken by at least two people working independendy of each other. Any differences were resolved by discussion. The relative risks for dichotomous data were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. Where data were insufficient for a quantitative analysis, a narrative overview was undertaken.

Main results
Three trials with a total of 337 participants met the inclusion criteria, describing habit retraining combined with other approaches compared with usual care. Participants were primarily care-dependent elderly women with concurrent cognitive and/or physical impairment, residing in either a residential aged-care facility or in their own home. Outcomes included incidence and/or severity of urinary incontinence, the prevalences of urinary tract infection, skin rash and skin breakdown, cost and caregiver preparedness, role strain and burden. Caregivers found it difficult to maintain voiding records and to implement the toileting program. A 61% compliance rate was reported in one trial .

There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence and in the volume of incontinence between groups. Within group analyses did however show improvements on these measures. Reductions were also reported for the intervention group in one study for skin rash, skin breakdown and in caregivers' perceptions of their level of stress. Descriptive data on the. intervention suggests that habit retraining is a labour-intense activity. Electronic loggers, used as an adjunct to caregiver-delivered wet/dry checks, were reported as providing more accurate data than that from caregiver conducted wet/dry checks. To date, no analysis of the time and resources associated with these comparisons is available.

Reviewers' conclusions
Data on habit retraining are few and of insufficient quality to provide a firm basis for practice.

Exploration of a first year university multimedia module on field geology

As part of the teaching programme within a first year university unit on the earth’s physical systems, a ‘virtual reality’ field trip has been developed to support field studies relating to geological materials and landscape history. This module aims to increase student understanding of the use of geological features in the evaluation of geological / landscape history. The module has various applications in the curriculum. For students attending a weekend excursion, the module is available as an adjunct to actual field studies and can be used by students as either a digital pre-lab or as an excursion review tutorial. For students not attending a weekend excursion (i.e. off campus students), it is used as a digital ‘virtual reality’ substitute for field site inspection. The module has simple linked interactive and dynamic image base digital media that provide a framework in which the geology and landscape history of excursion sites can be explored. This module is delivered as a website via CD, but can also be integrated with the 'online interface' for this unit via a QuickTime reference movie loaded inside a relevant 'Deakin (University) Studies Online’ web page. The latter strategy enables assimilation of large multimedia files into online teaching formats