Starches separated from 18 Indian wheat varieties were evaluated to see relationship of granule size distribution and amylopectin structure with pasting, thermal, and retrogradation properties. Average diameter of A-, B-, and C-granules among different starches varied between 23.0 and 28.5, 10.0 and 12.0, and 2.3 and 2.7 mum, respectively. Amylopectin chain length distribution varied significantly, short length chains (DP 6-12) and long length chains (DP > 24) ranged between 44.5 and 52.4% and 3.7 and 6.5%, respectively, whereas amylose content ranged between 18.2 and 28.8%. Short length chains of amylopectin had inverse relationship with starch gelatinization temperatures T(o), T(p), and T(c). Starches with higher crystallinity had higher enthalpy of gelatinization and lower swelling power. Paste characteristics were mainly dependent upon granule type and all pasting parameters except pasting temperature, showed significant positive correlations with A-granules and negative with the proportion of B- and C-granule.

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Diabetes education programs can have long term benefits on knowledge, psychosocial functioning, and glycemic control for older diabetic patients. The addition of support groups enhances diabetes knowledge and psychosocial functioning.

Improvements in diabetes knowledge, psychosocial functioning, and metabolic control were assessed following a six-week diabetes education program for older male patients (aged 65 to 82 years) and their spouses. Before and after the program, scored questionnaires were administered to patients and their wives regarding knowledge, quality of life, stress, family involvement in diabetes care, and patient involvement in social activities. The patients were again assessed six months later. Results were compared to those of younger adult male patients (aged 28 to 64 years). The older patients significantly increased their knowledge of diabetes (P less than .05), and to an extent equal to that of younger individuals. Reduction in stress correlated with their increase in knowledge (r = 0.9; P less than .05) and their improved diet-related quality of life (r = 0.7; P less than .02). A decrease in stress was still evident six months after the program P less than .01). Perceived quality of life for areas requiring greater life-style modification (diet and exercise) increased (P less than .01), and was maintained at six months. In contrast, younger patients reported decreases in perceived quality of life (P less than .05). Older patients with participating spouses, compared to those without, showed greater improvement in knowledge (P less than .02), increase in family involvement (P less than .05), less stress (P less than .02), and improvement in metabolic control of diabetes (P less than .001). The program increased spouses' knowledge and perceived involvement in the care of their diabetic partners (P less than .01). This study suggests that diabetes education is an effective intervention for elderly patients and their spouses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Intracellular changes in calcium ions (Ca2+) in response to different biotic and abiotic stimuli are detected by various sensor proteins in the plant cell. Calmodulin (CaM) is one of the most extensively studied Ca2+-sensing proteins and has been shown to be involved in transduction of Ca2+ signals. After interacting with Ca2+, CaM undergoes conformational change and influences the activities of a diverse range of CaM-binding proteins. A number of CaM-binding proteins have also been implicated in stress responses in plants, highlighting the central role played by CaM in adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. Stress adaptation in plants is a highly complex and multigenic response. Identification and characterization of CaM-modulated proteins in relation to different abiotic stresses could, therefore, prove to be essential for a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Various studies have revealed involvement of CaM in regulation of metal ions uptake, generation of reactive oxygen species and modulation of transcription factors such as CAMTA3, GTL1, and WRKY39. Activities of several kinases and phosphatases have also been shown to be modulated by CaM, thus providing further versatility to stress-associated signal transduction pathways. The results obtained from contemporary studies are consistent with the proposed role of CaM as an integrator of different stress signaling pathways, which allows plants to maintain homeostasis between different cellular processes. In this review, we have attempted to present the current state of understanding of the role of CaM in modulating different stress-regulated proteins and its implications in augmenting abiotic stress tolerance in plants.

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