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This paper presents a report on students who decided to drop out of the BSc programme offered by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). This study was designed to determine the reasons leading to students' decisions to withdraw from the programme. Identified and reported in this study are nine major reasons leading to drop out. Results of this study lead to several suggestions for improving current instructional and delivery strategies of IGNOU's BSc Programme. Following such suggestions could help to reduce students' dropout rate for this particular programme through implementation of timely interventions at different critical stages of their learning journey.

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A new hederagenin based triterpenoid saponin, clematograveolenoside A (1), along with three known saponins, tomentoside A (2), huzhangoside D (3) and clematoside S (4), were isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Clematis graveolens. The structure of new compound was elucidated on the basis of detailed analysis of chemical and spectroscopic data including 1D-and 2D NMR spectra. Compound 2 was found the most effective against aphid (Aphis craccivora) with an LC 50 of 1.2 and 0.5 mg/mL after treatment for 72 and 96 h, respectively and was followed by compound 4 (LC 50 = 2.3 and 1.9 mg/mL) and 1 (LC 50 = 3.2 and 2.6 mg/mL). In case of termite (Coptotermis homii), compound 1 was found more toxic with an LC 50 of 0.1 mg/L after 24 h of treatment followed by compound 2, 3 and 4 (LC 50 = 0.1, 0.2 and 0.2 mg/mL, respectively).

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