Recent Update on Serum Alkaline and Acid Phosphatases in Pre- and Postoperative Breast Cancer Patients

Background: Breast carcinoma in females is an ever-growing malaise with significant mortality and morbidity. In resource-poor settings, the need for a cost-effective and reliable diagnostic tool is of utmost importance. Methods: In the present study, 54 histopathologically proven breast cancer patients were investigated for their pre- and postoperative serum ALP and ACP levels. Results: A total of 34 cases (belonging to the age interval of 40–60 years) exhibited a significant drop in serum ALP level after surgery (P = 0.002). Although the serum ACP also showed a postoperative decline, it was not as significant as that of serum ALP. Conclusion: The role of serum ALP and ACP in the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring/surveillance of breast carcinoma cannot be underestimated particularly in third-world countries lacking in medical infrastructure or resource-poor settings

Energy deprivation of Indian households: evidence from NSSO data

This study examines the patterns of domestic energy consumption of households in India over the period of past two and half decades. The analysis shows that the use of energy varies across rural and urban households and also across the categories of low and high income groups. Although increase in income is accompanied with the change in household’s fuel mix but total disappearance of fuel-wood for cooking purpose is uncommon. Households wait for threshold level of income in order to change their cooking energy preferences but their lighting energy preferences change constantly with income. Further, a puzzling pattern is noticed that monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) and average calorie intake from energy sources move in opposite directions in the considered second decade of the study which this paper intends to explain. Further, this paper makes an attempt to estimate Gini Coefficients to measure energy inequality in terms of energy consumption and expenditure. This is revealed that inequality is high in the consumption of LPG in rural areas and that of electricity in urban areas. In addition to this, various methods for estimating the energy poverty are also examined. Each one leads to the conclusion that energy poverty was sharply declined in India in the period 1999-00 and then suddenly increased in 2011-12

Energy deprivation of Indian households: evidence from NSSO data

This study examines the patterns of domestic energy consumption of households in India over the period of past two and half decades. The analysis shows that the use of energy varies across rural and urban households and also across the categories of low and high income groups. Although increase in income is accompanied with the change in household’s fuel mix but total disappearance of fuel-wood for cooking purpose is uncommon. Households wait for threshold level of income in order to change their cooking energy preferences but their lighting energy preferences change constantly with income. Further, a puzzling pattern is noticed that monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) and average calorie intake from energy sources move in opposite directions in the considered second decade of the study which this paper intends to explain. Further, this paper makes an attempt to estimate Gini Coefficients to measure energy inequality in terms of energy consumption and expenditure. This is revealed that inequality is high in the consumption of LPG in rural areas and that of electricity in urban areas. In addition to this, various methods for estimating the energy poverty are also examined. Each one leads to the conclusion that energy poverty was sharply declined in India in the period 1999-00 and then suddenly increased in 2011-12

Existence of Structural Disadvantage among socio-religious groups: Is it a reality? An Analysis of Indian Labour Market

The labour market in India has been segmented into a formal and informal sector. More than 85% of the labour force is engaged in the informal sector. Since the informal sector does not follow labour laws such as provisions of minimum wage and social security, there is enough scope for differential treatment against certain weaker sections of society. We term this differential treatment as structural disadvantage. In this paper, we find that structural disadvantage against ST/SC Hindus relative to Upper class Hindus and Upper class Hindus relative to that of Other religious minorities does exist in India. But is non-existent against Muslims given our specification. What is a cause for worry is that the dis-advantage against ST/SCs Hindus has been increasing overtime whereas against Upper Hindus has considerably fallen. Increase in better quality of middle and higher education along with more reservations for ST/SCs in education and in formal labour markets can go a long way to abate the the magnitude of structural dis-advantage

Existence of Structural Disadvantage among socio-religious groups: Is it a reality? An Analysis of Indian Labour Market

The labour market in India has been segmented into a formal and informal sector. More than 85% of the labour force is engaged in the informal sector. Since the informal sector does not follow labour laws such as provisions of minimum wage and social security, there is enough scope for differential treatment against certain weaker sections of society. We term this differential treatment as structural disadvantage. In this paper, we find that structural disadvantage against ST/SC Hindus relative to Upper class Hindus and Upper class Hindus relative to that of Other religious minorities does exist in India. But is non-existent against Muslims given our specification. What is a cause for worry is that the dis-advantage against ST/SCs Hindus has been increasing overtime whereas against Upper Hindus has considerably fallen. Increase in better quality of middle and higher education along with more reservations for ST/SCs in education and in formal labour markets can go a long way to abate the the magnitude of structural dis-advantage

Dimensions of Economic Mobility in Kerala’s Migrant Households

This paper analyses economic mobility as an evaluating criteria in gauging the nature and extent of improvement in economic position of households having migrants in terms of remittances and extent of economic mobility. Using panel data from Kerala Migration Surveys, we estimate the quantum of improvement in standards of living of migrant households in Kerala through transition matrices and statistical and econometric techniques

Decomposition and Progression of Urbanisation in India

This study, using data from the Census of India for 2001 and 2011, decomposes urbanisation ratio into its mathematical components to explain the causes of changes in this ratio over time. Using statistical techniques, we adjust current urbanisation levels of major states in India according to the progression of towns to larger sizes and estimate Class Progression Indices to arrive at a meaningful discussion on the spread of urbanisation