A Protective Effect of Commercial Green Tea on Ibuprofen Induced Changes in Renal Function Tests of Adult Rats

Background: Nephrotoxicity of ibuprofen is a growing international public health problem in the wake of excessive use of the drug for the treatment of a broad spectrum of diseases in both adults and pediatric patients. Objectives: To present an overview of the protective effect of the green tea on ibuprofen-induced changes in the biochemical markers of the adult rat kidneys. Methods: It is an experimental study conducted in the department of Anatomy, Army Medical College Rawalpindi. The investigation was led on 30 male and non-pregnant female Sprague Dawley rodents of 9-11 weeks old enough and going in weight from 200-330 gm. The animals were divided into three groups consisting of 10 animals each; group A served as control, each animal in group B was given ibuprofen at a dose of 120 mg/kg/day and each animal in group C was given both green tea at a dose of 1ml/100g/day and Ibuprofen 120mg/kg body weight for a period of 9 weeks. Ibuprofen manufactured by Abbot Laboratories (Pvt.) Limited was utilized. Green tea was obtained from local market. Data was collected at the end of experimental period and was analyzed using SPSS version 22. One Way ANOVA was exerted, afterwards by post-hoc Tukey test to find out intergroup differences for quantitative variables. The results were depicted as mean ± standard deviation (mean ± SD). A p value < 0.05 was believed significant. Results: Green tea administration had a significantly favorable effect on serum urea (mg/dl) (Group A=21.9 ± 2.8, Group B=93.2 ± 3.9, Group C=36.4± 3.0; p<0.001) and serum creatinine (mg/dl) (Group A=0.9 ± 0.22, Group B=2.4± 0.52, Group C=0.97 ± 0.3; p<0.001). Conclusions: Green tea had ameliorative effects on the ibuprofen-induced changes in the biochemical markers of the adult rat kidneys.

Exploring Possibilities of Creating Gender Equitable Learning Environment in an Early Childhood Classroom

This study explored the possibilities of creating a gender equitable learning environment in one of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) classrooms in Karachi, Pakistan through a Collaborative Action Research (CAR). The actions, reflections and retrospections were guided by the Feminist poststructuralist theoretical lens throughout the study. Two ECE teachers and 43 five year old (23 girls and 20 boys) children participated in this collaborative action research which was conducted in a non-for-profit private school. Various data collection strategies were used throughout the study. This included in-depth interviews, dialogues, observations, pre and post observation discussions with the teachers and reflective dialogues during and after drawings, stories, play, games with children. The participating teachers and I maintained reflective journals as part of our commitment to reflexivity during the study. An analysis of the discourses and discursive practices of participating ECE teachers and children revealed that initially both the groups positioned themselves within the essentialist discourse of gender and viewed gender as part of biological sex determinism. However, feminist poststructuralist methods such as deconstruction through reading and discussing literature, dialogues, critical actions and reflections helped the participating ECE teachers to expand their theoretical and practical repertoire regarding gender equity in early childhood. This enabled the teachers to disrupt the processes of promoting stereotypical masculine and feminine traits and oppressive gender relationships among children in the classroom. Cross case analysis of the five focused children revealed that collaborative efforts, critical actions and reflections enabled us (teachers and myself) to destabilize the hegemonic ways of being boys; deconstruct femininity and celebrate gender risk taking among both girls and boys. Hence, the study indicated possibilities for transforming the classroom learning environment in the context of ECE in Pakistan. The cyclical process of critical actions and reflections in the study revealed that a combination of child initiated and teacher/researcher led activities worked as appropriate pedagogical strategies to create a gender equitable learning environment. The strategies such as storytelling, dramatization of stories, opportunities of cross gender play, group discussions, dialogues and conversations about gender were particularly illuminating for effectively engaging young children inside and outside the classroom. The research process further revealed that teachers' and children's gender discourses were highly influenced by the complex intersection of their multiple identities. Therefore, the study emphasized the importance of closer bonds with children's families to strive for transformational changes in children's feeling, thinking and practicing of gender differently in the patriarchal