Violence and Motherhood in Kashmir: Loss, Suffering, and Resistance in the Lives of Women

This paper examines the social and political context of aggrieved mothers in Kashmir through personal narratives collected by the author. The theme of motherhood as a counter-piece of feminist analyses has re-emerged in recent years for example in the works of Ellen Ross (1995), Elleke Boehmor (2005) etc. Studies on motherhood, as Ellen Ross (1995) contends, are in the process of moving from the margins to the centre of feminist discussion, the mother increasingly a subject rather than a distant, looming object2. The context for this analysis is contemporary Kashmir positioned precariously in geo-politics. The paper attempts to reconstitute the meaning of motherhood within the context of the ethnic culture of Kashmiri Muslim society. At the same time, it seeks to explore how mothers deal with the political situation that is responsible for the early and violent deaths of their children and offers a discursive theoretical framework to demonstrate how mothers find the meaning in their own motherhood. The paper explores, through two case studies, the degree of choice mothers may have in either restraining their sons from joining the current violent political situation through militancy, or in their active resistance to these engagements. The article concludes with reflections on how mothers make sense of their sons’ militancy by uniting the political with the emotional intimacy of mothering following the death of their sons

Strategies to solve communication barriers between parents and teachers of visually impaired learners in Pakistan

This research seeks to identify strategies to solve communication barriers between parents and teachers of visually impaired learners (VIL) in Pakistan. The design of the study is qualitative case study research design. Five parents and five teachers of VIL were selected as the sample for this study from two government secondary level institutes of visually impaired students in Lahore Pakistan. The researcher adopted the purposive sampling technique in selecting ten respondents. Interview guide was prepared based on the objectives and research question of the study. Content validity of interview guide was validated by two qualitative experts with their teaching experience. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the help of an interview guide. Collected data were analyzed with cross case analysis. The findings of the study indicated that daily diaries as a way of communication, increasing parent-teacher interaction, provision of parental assistance and parent-teacher meetings are the strategies to solve communication barriers between parents and teachers of VIL in Pakistan. Based on the findings, some recommendations were made which include that parents should take the responsibility to show their involvement in the school of their VIL that can create communication with teachers

ROLE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM IN ADJUSTMENT OF PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IN SOCIETY

The purpose of this study was to identify the role of the special education curriculum in adjustment of physically handicapped children in society. The researcher used self developed questionnaires to collect the data about the problem under investigation. All physically handicapped children of District Lahore were constituted as target population for the study. The physically handicapped children of Special Education School, Lahore were assessable population for the study. Fifty physically handicapped children from Special Education School Lahore were conveniently selected as a sample for the study. Simple descriptive statistical techniques such as mean and percentages were used to analyze the collected data. After careful data analysis the researcher concluded that the special education curriculum may play very vital role in the adjustment of physically handicapped children in society but unfortunately due to lack of resources and infrastructure and lack of teachers trainings that need to involve parents in education and rehabilitation program. Trained and qualified teachers should be appointed in these schools. There is also some lack in the awareness about the importance of social adjustment of physically handicapped children in the society. The researchers identified very important needs, problems, and adjustment problems of physically handicapped children through review of literature and research

Identification of novel anticancer terpenoids from Prosopis juliflora (Sw) DC (Leguminosae) pods

Purpose: To identify a novel source of terpenoid anticancer compounds from P. juliflora (Sw.) DC. (Leguminosae) pods as a medicinal substitute for cancer medicines.Methods: The pods were collected, dried and pulverized. The ethanol extract was prepared by maceration. Various phyto-constituents were detected in the extract by UV-VIS spectroscopy at a wavelength ranging from 200 - 800 nm. The molecular formula, chemical structure, and percent peak area of these phyto-constituents were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was used for functional group determination of bioactive compounds.Results: P. juliflora pods were rich in tannins, carotenoid and terpenoids. Nineteen bioactive compounds were detected. Out of these, thirteen are here reported for the first time with four of them exhibiting anticancer activities, while two belong chemically to terpenoids. Furthermore, FTIR established characteristic peaks for the various biologically-active functional groups.Conclusion: The results show that P. juliflora pods is a valuable source of anticancer, antitumor and chemoprotective compounds, especially terpenoids, that can potentially be developed as alternatives to current painful and costly cancer therapies.Keywords: Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC., Anticancer terpenoids, Attenuated total reflectance-FTIR, Herbal medicin

TIME MANAGEMENT, SOCIAL SUPPORT, PERSONALITY AND BURNOUT AMONG POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

Time management performs an important role in performing tasks in time without getting any burnout. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of time management, social support, personality and burnout among postgraduate students. In the section of literature review reveals that personality and social support defense the negative effects of time management of burnout. There were 214 respondents who have participated in the online survey consisting of six sections which have work experience, time management, personality, social support, and burnout as their demographic. A descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation, T-test for Independent Sample Means, and Multiple Regression were used to analyze the data. . There are inconsistencies in the findings obtained by previous researchers on the relationship between time management and burnout among students indicate that research into the effects of time management, personality and social support on students’ burnout is not conclusive. This study attempts to fill the gap by investigating the relationship of time management, social support, personality and to reduce burnout among postgraduate students with proper usage of the skills of time management. Time management has a significant relationship with burnout; however, burnout has no significant relationship with personality were the results of Co-relation statistics

The Diagnostic Value of Biochemical Cardiac Markers in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. The role of cardiac markers in the diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment of patients with chest pain is vital. Patients with elevated cardiac troponin levels but negative CK-MB who were formerly diagnosed with unstable angina or minor myocardial injury are now reclassified as non–ST-segment elevation MI (NSTEMI) even in the absence of diagnostic ECG changes. CK-MB is both a sensitive and specific marker for myocardial infarction. Cardiac troponin T is a cardio-specific, highly sensitive marker for myocardial damage. Cardiac troponin I is a contractile protein exclusively present in the cardiac muscle. The absolute cardiospecificity of cTnI allows the diagnosis of myocardial infarction distinct from muscle lesions and non-cardiac surgery. In 2000, the European Society of Cardiology and the American College of Cardiology redefined AMI with a particular advocacy on troponin. The 2002/2007 American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) Guideline Update for the management of these patients strongly recommend to include cTnI. Specifically, with rare exception, the diagnosis cannot be made in the absence of elevated biomarkers of cardiac injury

Comparative Susceptibility of Different Cell Cultures and Chicken Embryo Organ Cultures to Infectious Bursal Disease Virus of Poultry

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an acute highly contagious viral infection of young chickens often resulting in immunosuppression. Inactivated vaccines play significant role in protection against IBD. Mammalian cell lines could be used for producing such vaccines. In present study twenty-five, local strains of IBD virus were inoculated into chicken embryo bursa cell culture, liver cell culture, kidney cell culture, fibroblast cell culture and Vero cell lines for cytopathic effect. Moreover comparative susceptibility of chicken embryo bursa organ, embryo liver organ and embryo kidney organ cultures, to infectious bursal disease virus were studied. Chicken embryo bursa cell line was found to be most susceptible (90%) followed by Vero cell lines (70%), fibroblast cell lines (65%), kidney cell lines (50%) and liver cell lines (45%). While chicken embryo bursa organ culture gave maximum cytopathic effect (80%) followed by chicken embryo liver (60%) and kidney organ (45%). From these studies it is concluded that after bursa cell lines, Vero cell lines gave maximum cytopathic effect yielding high number of virus particles and are easy to maintain. Thus Vero cell lines can be used to produce infectious bursal disease vaccines using local isolates

Conceptualising Orientation and Mobility Practices within the Expanded Core Curriculum

This paper intends to examine the orientation and mobility practices within the Expanded Core Curriculum The study conceptualises and methodologically sheds light on the practices of orientation and mobility O M within the expanded core curriculum ECC for visually impaired learners O M practices have become significant as these are essential in independence and one of the main components of the expanded core curriculum of visually impaired learners The O M practices are done in the school boundaries by O M experts to facilitate and accommodate visually impaired learners for better independence However owing to these practices but not as part of the expanded core curriculum results are less responsive to visually impaired learner s needs Aziz 2007 Existing research has focused on O M practices which are the integral part of the expanded core curriculum for the independence of visually impaired as most were not conducted to address the O M within the expanded core curriculum for visually impaired learner s Therefore this study attempts to conceptualise the orientation and mobility practices within the expanded core curriculu