“Little Glass Slippers” on the American Silver Screen: An Inquiry into Hollywood Adaptations of Charles Perrault’s “Cinderella”

Considered as a form of translation, adaptations involve intersemiotic transfers of stories, novels and poems into the symbolic system of the cinema. This process could be construed as an attempt on the part of the “translators” to “consume and erase the memory of the adapted text or to call it into question” as also “pay tribute by copying” (Hutcheon, p. 7). Adaptations of folktales present a particularly challenging and at the same time, interesting task in that unlike novels or short stories, which are mostly in the written form and hence possess a fixed plot, folktales are mostly in the oral tradition and thus present regional and chronological variations. This accounts for the multiple adaptations of “Cinderella” or “The Little Glass Slipper”, one of the most popular tales by Charles Perrault, across and more importantly, within cultures, during different historical periods. In this paper, I attempt a diachronic comparative study of multiple adaptations of “Cinderella”, focusing on different ‘versions’ of the tale embodied in films produced in the USA, from the early 20th century to the contemporary times. The study would take into account the issues of race, gender, class as also the varying themes, keeping in mind the historical conditions under which the films were produced

Enacting “Technology” and Everything Else: Gendered Practices and the System of Crop Intensification

This dissertation is a qualitative examination of the functioning of a rural development project in a Himalayan region of India, with a special focus on a particular project activity centred around an agro-ecological method of crop production, the System of Crop Intensification (SCI). Environmental changes and disasters along with rapid transformations in the rural economy in Uttarakhand has engendered a renewed interest in non-mainstream farming practices. However, the success and/or failure rates of adoption of new agricultural methods and technologies remains a poorly understood phenomenon. Studies of adoption rates tend to focus on the aspects of the technology itself, rather than its social life. Drawing from science, technology and society studies, agrarian studies, scholarship on rural livelihoods, political ecology, gender studies and practice theory, this research study examines how the discourse of SCI is articulated differently in different spaces, and the implications of these variations for extension and adoption practices. Beginning with the construction of knowledge at the institutional level, the research study first traces who articulates what, and how and why this process takes place, in both the national and regional contexts. Second, it examines how contestations in discourse translate into mediated practices and outcomes. Finally, the study focuses on the embodied identities of field development workers and the inhibitory as well as emancipatory effects of the structuring elements of the organisation. The study finds that SCI, and rural development projects more broadly, are co-produced both discursively and in practice, by project planners, development workers, and beneficiaries

Covid-19 and the Politics of Gastronomic Consumerism in Pandemic India

Food culture has always been a definitive marker of identity throughout the ages, reflecting transformations social orders have undergone over time. Consumerism finds its most potent manifestation in food cultures, especially in terms of the type of food consumed (imported, ready-to-eat, frozen etc.) and the modes in which it is consumed (at restaurants, dine-ins, online ordering). The Covid-19 pandemic situation saw drastic transformations in the way Indians perceived and consumed food and drinks, with the gig economy and home-made food industry flourishing. The lockdown and associated restrictions led to a sharp decline in the number of people eating out at restaurants, hotels and cafes. Besides, the work-at-home culture made leisure possible for a significant section of the middle-class, propelling the subjects to cook at home, often leading to the emergence of local food-based start-ups. Domestic servitude declined due to the upper-class suspicion of maids and “lowly” domestic employees who came from “unclean” locales. As such, homemakers and working subjects, especially women, began cooking on their own, leading to innovative food cultures and novel modes of gastronomic consumerism. The paper attempts to explore the multifaceted modes in which the Covid-19 situation propels transformations in gastronomic consumer culture and the “culture industry” in India, as revealed through surveys, published reports and social media pages. The study would also engage with the modes in which gender, class and caste intersect with pandemic consumerism in the gastronomic arena, thereby developing a holistic perspective on how it affects consumer and food cultures across social groups in India

Anemia in children with chronic kidney disease

Anemia is a common feature of chronic kidney disease, but the management of anemia in children is complex. Erythropoietin and supplemental iron are used to maintain hemoglobin levels. The National Kidney Foundation-Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (NKF-KDOQI) clinical practice guidelines for the management of anemia specifically in children were recently published. Pediatric nephrologists are encouraged to use current clinical practice guidelines and best evidence in conjunction with their clinical experience to optimally manage patients with anemia

A descriptive study on the physical activities among type 2 diabetes patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar in a selected hospital at Kollam district, Kerala.

A study to analyze the physical activities of type 2 diabetic patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar in a selected hospital at Kollam district, Kerala. The objectives of the study were (1). To compare the physical activities among type 2 diabetic patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar. (2)To find the correlation between the physical activities and the post prandial blood sugar, body mass index among type 2 diabetic patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar.(3)To determine the significant association between the physical activities, postprandial blood sugar and selected factors among the type 2 diabetic patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar. The hypotheses of the study were (1) There will be a significant difference in the physical activities between type 2 diabetic patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar. (2)There will be a significant difference in the speed in physical activities between type 2 diabetic patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar. (3) There will be a significant difference in the sweating during physical activities between type 2 diabetic patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar. (4) There will be a significant correlation between the physical activities and the post prandial blood sugar among type 2 diabetic patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar. (5) There will be a significant correlation between the physical activities and body mass index among type 2 diabetic patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar. (6) There will be a significant association between the physical activities and selected factors among type 2 diabetic patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar. (7) There will be a significant association between selected factors and post prandial blood sugar among type 2 diabetic patients with controlled and uncontrolled blood sugar. The investigator organized the review of literature under 2 sections as follows. (1) Studies related to physical activities among type 2 diabetic patients. (2) Studies related to the physical activities in the control of blood sugar among type 2 diabetic patients. The conceptual framework for the study was designed by the investigator on the basis of Structure Process Outcome Model. The research design used was a descriptive design, comparative in nature to analyze the physical activities of type 2 diabetic patients. The samples for the study were selected from the OPD of Vijaya Hospital, Kottarakkara. The sample size was 100 type 2 diabetic patients; 50 with controlled blood sugar and 50 with uncontrolled blood sugar. The samples were selected by purposive sampling. The data were collected by self-reporting semi structured questionnaire, developed by the investigator. The tool was validated by 4 experts. The main study was conducted in Vijaya Hospital, Kottarakkara in Kerala. The data collected were tabulated, analyzed and interpreted by SPSS package (version 10.0). The findings of the study revealed that (1) Type 2 diabetic patients with controlled blood sugar spent more time in housework, exercise and traveling. (2) There was significant association between the speed in housework, exercise and the control of blood sugar among type 2 diabetic patients. (3) There was an association between sweating in personal activity and control of blood sugar among type 2 diabetic patients. (4)There was significant negative correlation between the time spent in exercise and controlled blood sugar among type 2 diabetic patients. The study clearly concluded by stating the implications, limitations and recommendations

Transforming the Ich-Du to the Ich-Es: The Migrant as “Terrorist” in Kabir Khan’s New York and Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire

Terror narratives have been characterized by a dialogism where the “normative” I—i.e. the “non-threatening mainstream”—defines and delineates subjects whose identity is centred on their (actual or presumed) location in the terror network. This is especially so in the case of Asian migrants who settle down in Western countries, as their very identity as Asian locates them at a precarious point in the real or imagined “terror network.” The migrant is no longer the Du (Thou), but the Es (It), imparting an identity to the Ich (I), where the Ich denotes the “original” citizens of the country. The transactions of the “I” with the “Thou” and the “It” become significant in the context of Asian immigrants in that, for the dominant mainstream (the “I”), the “terrorist” is an Es/”It” that has gradually marked its transition from the Du/“Thou.” The person of the “terrorist” finds its ontological properties from the gradual movement away from a “Thou” to an “It.” The hitherto unbounded “Thou” is transformed into a definable “It,” by ascribing to her/him a religion, race, colour, nationality and ethnicity. He/she is not confronted, as every “Thou” is, but is rather “experienced” as a source of terror, as an “It.” The paper attempts to explore the transformation of the figure of the “migrant terrorist” from a confronted “Thou” to an “imagined/experienced” “It” through an analysis of New York (2009) by Kabir Khan and Home Fire (2017) by Kamila Shamsie

Changes in body weight and food choice in those attempting smoking cessation: a cluster randomised controlled trial

<p><b>Background:</b> Fear of weight gain is a barrier to smoking cessation and significant cause of relapse for many people. The provision of nutritional advice as part of a smoking cessation programme may assist some in smoking cessation and perhaps limit weight gain. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a structured programme of dietary advice on weight change and food choice, in adults attempting smoking cessation.</p> <p><b>Methods:</b> Cluster randomised controlled design. Classes randomised to intervention commenced a 24-week intervention, focussed on improving food choice and minimising weight gain. Classes randomised to control received "usual care".</p> <p><b>Results:</b> Twenty-seven classes in Greater Glasgow were randomised between January and August 2008. Analysis, including those who continued to smoke, showed that actual weight gain and percentage weight gain was similar in both groups. Examination of data for those successful at giving up smoking showed greater mean weight gain in intervention subjects (3.9 (SD 3.1) vs. 2.7 (SD 3.7) kg). Between group differences were not significant (p=0.23, 95% CI -0.9 to 3.5). In comparison to baseline improved consumption of fruit and vegetables and breakfast cereal were reported in the intervention group. A higher percentage of control participants continued smoking (74% vs. 66%).</p> <p><b>Conclusions:</b> The intervention was not successful at minimising weight gain in comparison to control but was successful in facilitating some sustained improvements in the dietary habits of intervention participants. Improved quit rates in the intervention group suggest that continued contact with advisors may have reduced anxieties regarding weight gain and encouraged cessation despite weight gain. Research should continue in this area as evidence suggests that the negative effects of obesity could outweigh the health benefits achieved through reductions in smoking prevalence.</p&gt

Overview of the Canadian pediatric end-stage renal disease database

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Performing clinical research among pediatric end-stage renal disease patients is challenging. Barriers to successful initiation and completion of clinical research projects include small sample sizes and resultant limited statistical power and lack of longitudinal follow-up for hard clinical end-points in most single center studies.</p> <p>Description</p> <p>Existing longitudinal organ failure disease registry and administrative health datasets available within a universal access health care system can be used to study outcomes of end-stage renal disease among pediatric patients in Canada. To construct the Canadian Pediatric End-Stage Renal Disease database, registry data were linked to administrative health data through deterministic linkage techniques creating a research database which consists of socio-demographic variables, clinical variables, all-cause hospitalizations, and relevant outcomes (death and renal allograft loss) for this patient population. The research database also allows study of major cardiovascular events using previously validated administrative data definitions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Organ failure registry linked to health administrative data can be a powerful tool to perform longitudinal studies in pediatric end-stage renal disease patients. The rich clinical and demographic information found in this database will facilitate study of important medical and non-medical risk factors for death, graft loss and cardiovascular disease among pediatric end-stage renal disease patients.</p

Implementation of corticosteroids in treating COVID-19 in the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK:prospective observational cohort study

BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone was the first intervention proven to reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19 being treated in hospital. We aimed to evaluate the adoption of corticosteroids in the treatment of COVID-19 in the UK after the RECOVERY trial publication on June 16, 2020, and to identify discrepancies in care. METHODS: We did an audit of clinical implementation of corticosteroids in a prospective, observational, cohort study in 237 UK acute care hospitals between March 16, 2020, and April 14, 2021, restricted to patients aged 18 years or older with proven or high likelihood of COVID-19, who received supplementary oxygen. The primary outcome was administration of dexamethasone, prednisolone, hydrocortisone, or methylprednisolone. This study is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN66726260. FINDINGS: Between June 17, 2020, and April 14, 2021, 47 795 (75·2%) of 63 525 of patients on supplementary oxygen received corticosteroids, higher among patients requiring critical care than in those who received ward care (11 185 [86·6%] of 12 909 vs 36 415 [72·4%] of 50 278). Patients 50 years or older were significantly less likely to receive corticosteroids than those younger than 50 years (adjusted odds ratio 0·79 [95% CI 0·70–0·89], p=0·0001, for 70–79 years; 0·52 [0·46–0·58], p80 years), independent of patient demographics and illness severity. 84 (54·2%) of 155 pregnant women received corticosteroids. Rates of corticosteroid administration increased from 27·5% in the week before June 16, 2020, to 75–80% in January, 2021. INTERPRETATION: Implementation of corticosteroids into clinical practice in the UK for patients with COVID-19 has been successful, but not universal. Patients older than 70 years, independent of illness severity, chronic neurological disease, and dementia, were less likely to receive corticosteroids than those who were younger, as were pregnant women. This could reflect appropriate clinical decision making, but the possibility of inequitable access to life-saving care should be considered. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research and UK Medical Research Council

Procalcitonin Is Not a Reliable Biomarker of Bacterial Coinfection in People With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Undergoing Microbiological Investigation at the Time of Hospital Admission

Abstract Admission procalcitonin measurements and microbiology results were available for 1040 hospitalized adults with coronavirus disease 2019 (from 48 902 included in the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infections Consortium World Health Organization Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK study). Although procalcitonin was higher in bacterial coinfection, this was neither clinically significant (median [IQR], 0.33 [0.11–1.70] ng/mL vs 0.24 [0.10–0.90] ng/mL) nor diagnostically useful (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.56 [95% confidence interval, .51–.60]).</jats:p