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Clinicopathological changes due to sodium bicarbonate induced gout in broiler chickens were investigated. Seven-day old broiler chickens were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=12). Group I served as vehicle-treated control, Group II and III were given sodium bicarbonate @ 2.5% and 5% respectively, in drinking water. Clinical signs developed progressively from 4th day of the exposure. 25% and 58.33% mortality was recorded in Group II and III, respectively. Deposits of chalky white urates were prominently seen in kidneys, liver, heart and proventriculus. Histopathological lesions included severe degeneration and necrosis of renal tubules and heterophil infiltrations; large focal areas of coagulative necrosis, congestion of central vein, fatty change and periportal and paraportal lymphoid infiltrations in liver; degeneration of cardiac muscles; and congestion and serous exudate in parabronchi of lungs. Thymus revealed severe congestion, degeneration and necrosis of lymphoid tissue with serofibrinous exudate. Masson's Trichrome stain revealed fibrosis in kidneys, liver, heart and lung tissues, whereas De Galantha's stain showed urate deposits as tophi or amorphous material.

This paper explores the incidence and causes of child labour in the carpet industry of Kashmir valley. An empirical study was conducted using structured questionnaire to determine the different reasons for child labour in carpet industry in Jammu and Kashmir (India). The survey data was collected in 2013 in District Baramulla of State of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). In the results, poverty, absence of adult wage earner, illiteracy and parent unemployment were found the main causes for the incidence of child labour in study area. About 68 percent of child labour in case study is caused by poverty, 27 percent and 10 percent by illiteracy and parent unemployment respectively. Results showed that families having larger in size may also be responsible for child labour. The study further enlightens about several laws and enactments about child rights and their working conditions. It further studies the extent to which labour laws in the state are in consonance with the core international labour standards. The study suggested that on one hand the main causes of child labour should be eradicated and on the other hand presents that the legislative framework for child welfare should be strictly implemented to overcome this social evil.

In this study, adoption rates of modern wheat varieties in India have been estimated using expert elicitation methodology. The study has found that the wheat varietal output has increased during the period 2010–2015. The most widely cultivated wheat varieties in the study states are HD 2967, PBW 343, PBW 550, Lok 1 and PBW 502. The temporal and spatial diversity indices have been calculated based on the perceived adoption rates. Wheat varietal turnover has been highest in Punjab (7.50 years) and lowest in Rajasthan (19.25 years). The Berger Parker index has shown that relative abundance of varieties was lowest in Punjab (1.76) and highest in Madhya Pradesh (7.10). The concentration of wheat area under dominant varieties was highest in Punjab and lowest in Rajasthan as indicated by the Marglef index. The cultivation of older varieties and dominance of a few varieties deprive the farmers of the advantages of productivity gains, genetic improvement, in addition to increasing crop vulnerability to pests and diseases. The study has concluded that besides varietal development, it is also important to focus on reducing the socioeconomic and institutional barriers to adoption of improved crop varieties. In this direction, it is important to create an enabling institutional environment for increasing the rate of varietal replacement, promote spatial heterogeneity in crop varieties cultivated, identify and effectively bring the potential varieties under the seed chain system and enhance the outreach of improved wheat varieties with an inclusive approach to reach even the resource-poor farmers.

This paper is an attempt to determine the causes and impact of child labour in the carpet industry in Kashmir Valley. A primary survey was conducted to investigate the relationship between socio-economic determinants of working child and their likelihood to be in school and at work. Various reasons given by working children, their parents and employers favouring child labours were analysed in this paper. Parents’ illiteracy and ignorance, poverty, absence of adult wage earners and unemployment opportunities were found the main causes of child labour in the case area. The study presents the negative correlation between percentage contribution of child labour and household's income, while as showed positive relationship to the parents illiteracy. The study also determined the various effects such as weak eye sightedness, backache, headache etc. of child labour in carpet industry. Results of the study suggested that child labour in carpet industry is hazardous for child health and thus needs protection.