Levonorgestrel intrauterine system: A first line medical therapy for idiopathic heavy menstrual bleeding

Heavy menstrual bleeding or menorrhagia is a common menstrual disorder. Currently, both medical and surgical treatment options are available for the management of heavy menstrual bleeding. Hysterectomy, one of the surgical treatment options is associated with risks and is a costly procedure. Medical treatment may be preferred for the management of heavy menstrual bleeding. Oral medical treatments have various limitations for their use. For instance, cost is a limiting factor for tranexamic acid. Limited data is available to support the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. Poor patient compliance and intolerable adverse events are some other limitations especially in long term use. Levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) is one of the common medical modalities in the management of heavy menstrual bleeding. LNG-IUS has been compared with other medical options like tranexamic acid, mefenamic acid, combined estrogen-progestogen, or progesterone alone, cyclic oral medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) oral norethisterone and low-dose combined oral contraceptive. LNG-IUS is more effective than usual medical treatment and also reduces the effect of heavy menstrual bleeding on quality of life. Similarly, it has shown similar therapeutic effects compared to endometrial ablation. Based on its efficacy, convenience and cost of therapy, it can be considered as the first line medical therapy for the management of heavy menstrual bleeding

"The fruits of independence": Satyajit Ray, Indian nationhood and the spectre of empire

Challenging the longstanding consensus that Satyajit Ray's work is largely free of ideological concerns and notable only for its humanistic richness, this article shows with reference to representations of British colonialism and Indian nationhood that Ray's films and stories are marked deeply and consistently by a distinctively Bengali variety of liberalism. Drawn from an ongoing biographical project, it commences with an overview of the nationalist milieu in which Ray grew up and emphasizes the preoccupation with colonialism and nationalism that marked his earliest unfilmed scripts. It then shows with case studies of Kanchanjangha (1962), Charulata (1964), First Class Kamra (First-Class Compartment, 1981), Pratidwandi (The Adversary, 1970), Shatranj ke Khilari (The Chess Players, 1977), Agantuk (The Stranger, 1991) and Robertsoner Ruby (Robertson's Ruby, 1992) how Ray's mature work continued to combine a strongly anti-colonial viewpoint with a shifting perspective on Indian nationhood and an unequivocal commitment to cultural cosmopolitanism. Analysing how Ray articulated his ideological positions through the quintessentially liberal device of complexly staged debates that were apparently free, but in fact closed by the scenarist/director on ideologically specific notes, this article concludes that Ray's reputation as an all-forgiving, ‘everybody-has-his-reasons’ humanist is based on simplistic or even tendentious readings of his work

Where Three Dreams Cross: 150 Years of Photography from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh

Exhibition catalogue produced to accompany the landmark exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery: Where Three Dreams Cross. Co-published with Fotomuseum Winterthur and Steild, this publication gives an inside view of how modern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have been shaped through the lens of their photographers. Like the exhibition, the catalogue is arranged over five themes with works selected from the last 150 years. 'The Portrait' shows the evolution of self-representation; 'The Family' explores close bonds and relationships through early hand-painted and contemporary portraits; 'The Body Politic' charts political moments, movements and campaigns; 'The Performance' focuses on the golden age of Bollywood, circus performers and artistic practices that engage with masquerade; while 'The Street' looks at the built environment, social documentary and street photography. Over 70 photographers including Pushpamala N., Rashid Rana, Dayanita Singh, Raghubir Singh, Umrao Singh Sher-Gil, Rashid Talukder, Ayesha Vellani and Munem Wasif are represented in the catalogue, with works drawn from important collections of historic photography, including the influential Alkazi Collection, Delhi and the Drik Archive, Dhaka. They join many previously unseen images from private family archives, galleries, individuals and works by leading contemporary artists. ISBN: 978-0-85488-179-6, softback, 288 pages, colour illustrations. Co-published by the Whitechapel Gallery, Fotomuseum Winterthur, and Steidl, 2010

Making Art Global (Part 1) : The Third Havana Biennial 1989

"The second book in Afterall’s Exhibition Histories series focuses on the third edition of the Bienal de La Habana, which took place in 1989.In the core essay, Rachel Weiss examines the ways in which this exhibition extended the global territory of contemporary art and redefined the biennial model. A key member of the curatorial team, Gerardo Mosquera, contributes a reflection on the project, and its constituent exhibitions and events are documented photographically. The book also includes papers delivered by Geeta Kapur and Mirko Lauer at the Bienal conference and republishes reviews of the Bienal by Coco Fusco and Luis Camnitzer. It opens with an introduction by Charles Esche and brings together recent interviews with participating artists Alex Ángeles, José Bedia, Alfredo Márquez and Lázaro Saavedra. Crucial texts from the time are complemented by vital new material, including 105 colour images and 18 black and white images" -- p. [4] of cover

Antinomies of Art and Culture : Modernity, Postmodernity, Contemporaneity

"In this landmark collection, world-renowned theorists, artists, critics, and curators explore new ways of conceiving the present and understanding art and culture in relation to it. They revisit from fresh perspectives key issues regarding modernity and postmodernity, including the relationship between art and broader social and political currents, as well as important questions about temporality and change. They also reflect on whether or not broad categories and terms such as modernity, postmodernity, globalization, and decolonization are still relevant or useful. Including twenty essays and seventy-seven images, Antinomies of Art and Culture is a wide-ranging yet incisive inquiry into how to understand, describe, and represent what it is to live in the contemporary moment." -- p. [4] of cover