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Phenolic compounds have a great impact over human health because of their antioxidant and antiproliferative properties. Vitamin C is also a valuable food component having antioxidant and therapeutic properties and iron is the essential element required to maintain the hemoglobin level in human beings. Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of these compounds. The purpose of this work was to study physiochemical properties like pH, conductivity and total dissolve solids and to find out the amounts of total iron (ferrous and ferric), vitamin C and total phenolic contents in fresh juices of apples cultivated in different areas of Pakistan. The values of pH, conductivity and total dissolved solids were recorded in the range of 3.858-4.100, 2.04-2.53 mS cm-1and 1201-1531 mg/100 mL respectively. Classical method of analysis was applied to investigate the iron and vitamin C content, it was found as 1.076± 0.02-1.688± 0.02 mg/1000 mL and 8.79± 0.55-45.56±1.05 mg/1000 mL respectively . The range of total phenolic content was observed from 40.8 ± 1.30-59.8± 1.05 mg/1000 mL of juice using Folin Ciocalteu reagent by spectrophotometer. It was found that obtained results exhibited higher concentration of iron, vitamin C and total phenolic contents in fresh samplejuices than reported data therefore, it is concluded that apples grown in Pakistan have remarkable aggregate of iron, vitamin C and total phenolic contents and play crucial role to serve the human daily requirement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Action research under the domain of practitioner research is gaining popularity in the arena of research for improvement. Koshy (2005) has claimed that learning through action leads to personal and professional development. Identifying the importance of action research as a tool for improvement, Aga khan University-Institute for Educational Development offered Action research course to two groups of teacher educators under Strengthening Teacher Education in Pakistan (STEP) project. These teacher educators belong to teacher education institutes of Sindh and Balochistan. The course was offered in two alternative groups. Cohort one, (i) face to face only, and cohort two (ii) face to face with support in the field. This paper reports the efficacy of the course in improving knowledge and understanding of the course participants about action research. The analysis also explored their experience and skills to implement action research in their institutes. Two assessment tools were administered as pre-post design to gauge participants' knowledge and understanding and experience of using action research. The result shows significant increase (p < 0.01) in mean knowledge test scores as well as confidence in implementing action research in both the cohorts. However, the magnitude of this difference was comparatively bigger for participants of cohort face to face (f2f) with field support as compared to the participants of cohort receiving only face to face without any field support. In other words, field support seemed to have contributed positively in participant knowledge and reported skills of implementing action research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]