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Remedial writing instruction is part of a larger basic skills academic re-education program focused on students who did not benefit from conventional strategies or procedures. The present study uses an exploratory-cum-one shot pre-test post-test non-experimental design comprising of non-equivalent groups for initial development and try-out of a need based remedial instruction program on 17 students from 5 government schools randomly identified as falling below a set cut-off score on a criterion referenced Tamil writing assessment device. The 12-week teaching program spread across 36 sessions of 45-minute duration each for 3 days a week, was carried out using an assortment of individual as well as small group based strategies, techniques and activities drawn from several sources, but based on a discernible 4-tier interventional model. It involved (i) direct skills based instruction on identified individual skill deficits; (ii) teaching the generic structure, semantics, grammar and organization of writing; (iii) promoting self management strategies for writing; and, (iv) use of technology-assisted procedures for writing. Results indicate the possibility of developing a comprehensive remedial teaching package program for improving Tamil writing in primary school children and demonstrates significant gains between their pre to post test writing scores (p: <0.001). Admittedly, the rather inferior research design used in this study precludes sufficient external validity and wide spread applications of the results in classroom settings across the country. Nonetheless, it paves the way for a need to undertake more intensive, highly focused and case-controlled studies on writing intervention strategies on several other Indian languages for benefit of such students in our country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a research on termination of pregnancy in bitches, which is inferred to be one of the most common requests from dog owners due to reasons including young age, old age, and accidental mating. It offers steps to be taken before going forward with termination of pregnancy as well as explores the drugs available for the procedure, with their pharmacological properties and availability. The stage of pregnancy for bitches is also discussed.

The article focuses on a study which examines the social, demographic and behavioural characteristics among migrant and non-migrant men having sex with men (MSM) in Mumbai, India. It discusses the factors affecting sexual behaviours of homosexual and bisexual men having sex with men. More than half of the respondents had sexual intercourse before completing 15 years of age.

This article examines the linkages between contexts and sexual behaviour among two high-risk groups: female sex workers and their clients. Using data gathered from 501 female sex workers and 215 clients, the study reveals a high level of sexual demand from clients, and severe economic pressure on the female sex workers. Contrary to the general belief, clients are from both lower and better off socioeconomic categories; the proportion of married clients is considerable; and one-third of the clients are youth aged 15–24 years. About 50 per cent of clients and sex workers have ever experienced symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases. The article discusses the immediate and long-term implications of the observed contexts and sexual behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including one by Surinder Jaswal about the findings of an exploratory study which examines the magnitude and patterns of child and adolescent sexual abuse and another the about reproductive health awareness among post-graduate and professional college girls in Kerala, India.

Presents an introduction to the October 2004 issue of the "Indian Journal of Social Work."

The article presents a research on how to improve the livestock sector in Kerala, India. It highlights the decline of the cattle population in Kerala, exploring the challenges and opportunities related to the livestock industry. It offers some suggestions to improve the sector, including development of local feeding standards, consideration of precision feeding and total mixed ration concept, and use of agricultural or industrial byproducts.

The article provides information on a study that characterized and evaluated Tellicherry breed of chicken in its native tract. The survey was conducted in Kozhikode, Kannur and Wayanad districts of Kerala in India in 2006, covering 18 villages, 38 flocks and 209 birds. Automated DNA sequencer and gene mapper software version 3.0 were used to perform the genotyping. It describes the body conformation of the Tellicherry birds. The study recorded flock composition, management practices, and morphological and performance parameters.

In the title compound, C34H10N2O2, the dihedral angle between the two six-membered aromatic rings is 60.49 (9)°. The molecule adopts an E configuration with respect to the imine C═N bond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a chronic hyperglycemic manifestation of microvascular damage in the kidneys. Widespread research in this area suggests the involvement of perturbed redox homeostasis and autophagy in renal cells phrase- promote the progression of DN., Materials and Methods: Reframed sentences-The present study investigates the pharmacological effect of Syringic acid (SYA), in streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mg/kg, i.p) induced diabetic nephropathy model and in high glucose (30 mM) challenged rat renal epithelial cells (NRK 52E) cells with a focus on oxidative stress and autophagy mechanisms., Results: Both in vivo and in vitro experimental data revealed elevated oxidative stress markers along with compromised levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a pivotal cellular redox-regulated transcription factor in renal cells upon glycemic stress. Elevated blood glucose also reduced the autophagy process as indicated by low expression of light chain (LC) 3-IIB in diabetic kidney and in NRK 52E cells subjected to excess glucose. SYA (25 and 50 mg/kg, p.o.) administration for 4 weeks to diabetic rats, Reframed sentence-preserved the renal function as evidenced by reduced serum creatinine levels as well as improved urine creatinine and urea levles as compared to non treated diabetic animals. At the molecular level, SYA improved renal expression of Nrf2 and autophagy-related proteins (Atg5, Atg3, and Atg7) in diabetic rats. Similarly, SYA (10 and 20 μM) co-treatment in high glucose-treated NRK 52E cells displayed increased levels of Nrf2 and autophagy induction., Conclusion: Results from this study signify the renoprotective effect of SYA and highlight the modulation of oxidative stress and autophagy mechanisms to mitigate diabetic kidney disease., Competing Interests: None

Background: Workplace hygiene is vital in controlling infectious diseases in industries. The factors like unhealthy environment, unhygienic workplace, and contact between healthy and disease-affected employees cause industrial hazards in workplaces., Objectives: This study assessed various components of workplace hygiene among industrial workers., Materials and Methods: A quantitative survey has been conducted in a steel, and power industry limited in Odisha. The study surveyed 425 male contractual workers for primary data on workplace hygiene. Probability proportion to sample technique adopted for justification of the sample. The univariate and bivariate analysis models have been done according to the study's objective., Results: Nearly 92% of respondents reported proper use of washing facilities, and 97% used toilet and urinal appropriately. One-fourth of respondents use personal disinfected clothing, and 92.2% have access to safe drinking water. The factors such as education, technical education, and occupation are significantly associated with respondents' use of washing facilities, dining hall, personal protective clothing, safe drinking water, proper cleaning, and sanitation at the workplace., Conclusion: Workplace hygiene strengthens the safety measures at the workplace and reduces the incidences of occupational hazards., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

The aim of the study was to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes in Siewert type II and Siewert type III tumors. The clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes were analyzed in patients diagnosed with Siewert II/III tumors, who underwent transabdominal gastrectomy from Jan 2006 to Dec 2010. A total of 321 patients diagnosed with Siewert II/III tumors who underwent gastrectomy were enrolled in this study. Siewert III tumors are larger and have a higher proportion of Borrmann 3-4 types than Siewert II tumors (p < 0.05). For Siewert II and the Siewert III tumors, the 3-year overall survival rate was 59.1 versus 57.1 %, respectively, and the median survival time was 46.0 (31.5-60.5) months versus 46.0 (31.3-60.7) months, respectively. Positive proximal resection margin, large tumor size, Borrmann 3-4 types, poor or undifferentiated degree and advanced T stages and N stages were found to be poor prognostic risk factors for the overall survival outcomes by univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed that the differentiation degree (poor and undifferentiated) and advanced T and N stages were independent prognostic factors for poor overall survival. Siewert III tumors were larger and had a lower differentiation degree than Siewert II tumors, whereas there was no difference in the survival outcomes.

Background: The extended care model of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) identifies knowledge/beliefs, nutritional status, mental health, control of resources/autonomy, workload/time constraints and social support as important caregiver resources for childcare. The aim of this paper is to examine the role of mothers' caregiving resources in child-care practices in slums., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 slums of Hyderabad, to appraise the caregiving practices and health status of children under 5 years. Data were collected from 506 households, selected through multistage stratified random sampling, and data relating to 451 children aged 6-59 months were analysed. Four caregiving practices were studied: psychosocial stimulation, as assessed by the Home Observation Measurement of the Environment inventory; hygienic care rated by spot-check observation; and meal frequency and dietary diversity based on maternal recall. The role of the mother's caregiving resources was examined using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses., Results: More than 50% of the children received good psychosocial stimulation and close to 60% had good hygienic care. About 75% of the children aged 6-23 months had the recommended minimum meal frequency and 13% had the recommended dietary diversity. Mother's media exposure (odds ratio [OR] 2.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35-3.77), participation in household budgeting (OR 2.19, CI 1.25-3.83) and husband's support (OR 2.04, CI 1.28-3.24) were predictors of psychosocial stimulation. Mother's younger age (OR 1.11, CI 1.04-1.18), poor media exposure (OR 1.95, CI 1.15-3.29), dissatisfaction with life (OR 1.84, CI 1.05-3.24), workload (OR 1.79, CI 1-3.18) and having no money for their own use (OR 1.52, CI 0.95-2.45) placed children at higher odds for receiving poor hygienic care. Leisure time (OR 2.75, CI 1.25-6.06) and participation in budgeting (OR 1.97, CI 1-3.86) were predictors of meal frequency., Conclusion: Mother's workload, poor media exposure, dissatisfaction with life, lack of husband's support and absence of economic autonomy are constraints to good child care in slums.

High-throughput screening (HTS) involves testing of compound libraries against validated drug targets using quantitative bioassays to identify 'hit' molecules that modulate the activity of target, which forms the starting point of a drug discovery effort. Eicosanoids formed via cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways are major players in various inflammatory disorders. As the conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that inhibit both the constitutive (COX-1) and the inducible (COX-2) isoforms have gastric and renal side effects and the recently developed COX-2 selective anti-inflammatory drugs (COXIBs) have cardiac side effects, efforts are being made to develop more potent and safer antiinflammatory drugs. Current assay methods for these enzymes, such as oxygraphic, radioisotopic, spectrophotometric etc. are not compatible for screening of large number of compounds as in drug discovery programs. In the present study, HTS-compatible assays for COX-1, COX-2 and 5-LOX were developed for screening of compound libraries with the view to identify potential anti-inflammatory drug candidates. A spectrophotometric assay involving co-oxidation of tetramethyl-p-phenylene diamine (TMPD) during the reduction of prostaglandin G2 (PGG2) to PGH2 was adopted and standardized for screening of compounds against COX-1 and COX-2. Similarly, the HTS-compatible FOX (ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange) based spectrophotometric assay involving the formation of Fe3+/xylenol orange complex showing absorption in the visible range was developed for screening of compounds against 5-LOX.

Stress can be viewed as a cause of adverse circumstance that induces a wide range of biochemical and behavioral changes. Oxidative stress is a major contributor to the genesis of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric problems. In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of alprazolam in acute immobilization-induced various behavioral and biochemical alteration in mice. Mice were immobilized for a period of 6 h. Alprazolam (0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered 30 min before subjecting the animals to acute stress and several behavioral (mirror chamber, actophotometer, tail flick test) and biochemical tests (malondialdehyde level, glutathione, catalase, nitrite and protein) were performed. Acute immobilization stress for a period of 6 h caused severe anxiety, analgesia and decreased locomotor activity in mice. Biochemical analyses revealed an increase in malondialdehyde, nitrite level and depleted glutathione and catalase activity in stressed brain. Pretreatment with alprazolam (0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly reversed immobilization stress-induced anxiety, analgesia and impaired locomotor activity. Biochemically, alprazolam pretreatment decreased malondialdehyde, nitrite activity and restored reduced glutathione level and catalase activity. These results suggest that alprazolam has a neuroprotective effect and can be used in the treatment and management of stress and related disorders.