Association of Serum Ferritin with Risk of Anemia in Non-Diabetic Adolescents with Family History of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Controversy occurs in the relationship between serum ferritin levels, insulin resistance and risk of developing anemia in adolescents with family history of diabetes. Aims & Objectives: This study was designed to find out the association between serum ferritin levels with risk of developing anemia in non-diabetic adolescents with family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials & Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional was conducted in a local medical institute of Lahore. Study included 50 non-diabetic, non-obese male / female adolescent with family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus and 50 healthy male/female non-obese adolescents without family history of T2DM considered as controls. Level of serum ferritin and serum insulin was estimated by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Blood glucose was estimated by auto-analyzer. Insulin resistance was calculated by HOMA-IR index and beta cell function was assessed by HOMA- beta index. Results: Levels of fasting blood sugar, insulin resistance were found to be increased with decreased level of serum ferritin and decrease beta cell function in both male as well as female cases as compared to controls. Negative correlation was found between serum ferritin and insulin resistance while a positive correlation was found between serum ferritin and beta cell function. Conclusions: Low level of serum ferritin is associated with reduced beta cell function and increased insulin resistance. This may increase the risk of developing iron deficiency anemia that can affect both immune system as well as increase susceptibility to infections.

Teachers Perceptions of Quality and Quality Management Systems at Higher Education Level in Pakistan.

The basic purpose of conducting this study was to explore teachers‟ “perception” of quality and quality management systems at higher education level in Pakistan, by giving a deep focus upon a case of a public sector university of Pakistan „The Karakoram International University Gilgit-Baltistan‟. The basic objectives of the study were to investigate teachers‟ perceived understanding of academic quality a concept, theory and practice in their existing teaching practice at university level and to know, how their perception of quality are being articulated in the university practices by managing quality management systems and formulating the appropriate measures to improve the academic quality in the university. And further to designing a proposed roadmap of quality management system for the university of focus in particular and to all public university of Pakistan in general. The research conducted by using Qualitative Research Method and case study approach of qualitative research design. The purposive sampling techniques were used to identify a sample, and a representative sample was identified relating to the purpose and criteria for the sample of this study from the overall population of the case. Semi-structured interview guide and focused group discussion tools were used mainly to collect the data from the sample of the study. Researchers‟ field notes of observation and written reflections about the everyday experience of field visits were also used as data. The data was transcribed and categorized by creating relevant codes from the repeated expressions of the data. The selected codes were merged into relevant themes to formulate main findings of the study that addressed the objectives. Each theme was then analyzed separately and got the meaning from their expressions and elaborated their perceptions into a discussion and extracted the finding of this study. The study identifies a clear lack of quality meaning and understanding of the concept among the staff. Even though a quality enhancement cell was functioning as matter of obligation from the HEC, but majority of teachers are not even aware of its‟ basic function and significance. The study finds out a huge confusion of quality management with other aspects of teachers‟ professional competencies i.e. Knowing of content information and delivering it to students in the classroom. Majority of the participants of this research were not aware about the basic purpose and the concept of „academic quality management systems‟ in a university to make sure the quality of university teachers‟ performance, as accordance with the certain acceptable standards. Based on the literature review and findings of this study a structure of quality management system is proposed to improve the quality management functions at the public universities in Pakistan.