Notes on Insurgent Universality In Ambedkar’s Social and Political Thought: A Critique Of Postcolonial Anti-Universalism

In this thesis, we seek to take steps towards problematizing postcolonial theory and its frequent anti-universalism. Towards this end, my initial focus will be some of the productive and problematic aspects of what Getachew and Mantena term the “decolonization of political theory”. Here, we highlight how some comparative political theory scholars have methodologically overemphasized ‘difference’ in their studies of non-western political thought as an overcorrection to Eurocentrism. In supporting this claim, we review literature in comparative political theory, postcolonial theory, and modern South Asian history and historiography in order to demonstrate that a more philosophically robust, but still historically informed, conception of universality is needed for more sensitivity to how Europe was already provincialized by “reason and history, rather than by any vague appeal to popular authenticity” as the “colonized already participated in universality and agency, even if on unequal terms”. After doing this, we draw on Massimiliano Tomba’s concept of “insurgent universality” as a theoretical lens for an analysis that outlines how universality functions in Ambedkar’s critique of the Indian Political-Social distinction, Gandhi, and Gandhism on caste. Ultimately, I contend that comparative political theorists must be careful in centering difference as they risk missing the histories of the colonized which demonstrate that resistance came not only from a position of particularity that rejected hegemonic forms of modernity in total, but also manifested itself in the very universalist categories that elites framed their own politics in. As an alternative, I argue that an emphasis on insurgent universality rather than ‘fragmentary resistances’ or difference is helpful as a conceptual anchor in bringing out how the colonized participated in universality, even if unequally

A comparative study to find the effectiveness of pressure biofeedback Versus isometric exercises of deep neck flexors in reducing chronic neck pain using neck disability index.

INTRODUCTION : Neck pain is a major problem in the society, with an increasing sedentary population especially with reliance on computer technology in the workplace. Neck pain is considered to be chronic if it last for more than 3 months of duration and pain that continues after the stimulus is removed (or) the tissue damage heals. Chronic neck pain is becoming increasingly prevalent in society estimations indicated that 67% of individuals will suffer neck pain at some stage throughout life. The current research incidence of chronic neck pain in Bangalore has been estimated as 35% and the median age as 27 years and its ranges between 18 to 52 years. OBJECTIVES : 1. To study the efficacy of stabilizer pressure biofeedback of Deep Neck flexors helps in reducing chronic neck pain using Neck Disability Index. 2. To study the efficacy of isometric exercises of Deep Neck flexors helps in reducing chronic neck pain using Neck Disability Index. 3. To compare the results obtained by stabilizer pressure biofeedback and isometric exercises of Deep Neck flexors in reducing chronic neck pain using Neck Disability Index. MATERIALS AND METHODS : POPULATION - Chronic Neck pain subjects between 25-50 yrs of both genders SOURCE OF DATA - Government General Hospital, Tamilnadu, Padmavathi College of Physiotherapy, OPD, Dharmapuri and Clinics in and around Dharmapuri. SAMPLE SIZE - Sample size is 30. SAMPLING DESIGN - Simple Random Sampling. RESEARCH DESIGN - Experimental evaluation comparative study. MATERIALS - Stabilizer Pressure Biofeedback, Towel, Couch / Treatment Table. RESULTS : A Experimental evaluation comparative study consisting of 30 patients with Neck pain randomized in to two groups; 15 subjects in Group A (Stabilizer Pressure Biofeedback) and 15 subjects in Group B (Isometric Exercise) is undertaken to study and compare the effects of treatment in reducing the neck pain. CONCLUSION : This study concluded that the SPB have better improvement in reduction of pain by giving correct feedback for the isolation of deep neck flexors contraction in chronic neck pain patients with the help of NDI score. From this study it is also noted that the basic characteristics of age and sex are not having a direct impact on chronic neck pain subjects

ANFIS based Wind Speed Sensor-less MPPT Controller for Variable Speed Wind Energy Conversion Systems

Keywords: Variable speed wind turbine, Doubly fed induction generator, Maximum power point tracking, Adaptive neurofuzzy inference system. Background: Although, wind energy is abundant, it varies frequently throughout the day depending on the environmental conditions. Such frequent wind speed variation, makes the necessity of maximum power point tracking device in the Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS). The amount of power output from a WECS depends upon the accuracy with which the peak power points are tracked by the maximum power point tracking controller of the WECS control system irrespective of the variable speed generator used. Objective: To reduce the complexity in tracking the optimal power from a variable speed wind energy conversion system. A Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) based Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technique is proposed. Results: Compared to the existing technique, the proposed method reduces the complexity in leaning the peak power. Furthermore, the proposed method forecasts the optimal rotor speed of the wind turbine using the measured wind speed. Therefore, by regulating the optimal rotor speed, maximum power is extracted. Conclusion: We have proposed a simple and accurate technique to extract maximum power from a grid connected variable speed operated doubly fed induction generator based WECS. The optimal rotor speed of the wind turbine is estimated by the proposed MPPT technique. Therefore, maximum power is extracted from WECS for variable wind condition by dynamically adjusting the speed control loop of the rotor side converter

Abstract 2988: DOK2 suppression by methylation induces platinum resistance via suppression of apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells.

Ovarian cancers are highly heterogeneous and while chemotherapy is the preferred treatment, many patients are intrinsically resistant or quickly develop resistance. Furthermore, all tumors that recur will become resistant. Recent evidence suggests that epigenetic deregulation may be a key factor in the onset and maintenance of chemoresistance. To examine the ovarian epigenome, we first analyzed a set of 43 primary ovarian tumors and 9 normal ovarian samples. Since therapy response is a significant issue for ovarian cancer patients we analyzed the epigenetic differences that segregate with platinum response. We then associated expression data to identify genes with expression changes potentially altered by promoter methylation to generate a list of candidate platinum resistance genes. Next, we developed a tissue culture carboplatin resistance screen to determine which candidates functionally affect resistance. The screen utilized pools of shRNAs of the candidate genes to identify genes that when repressed allowed survival from carboplatin treatment, in order to validate that our epigenetics screen identified genes involved in resistance. Of the genes identified in the screen we further characterized one gene, docking protein 2 (DOK2), an adapter protein downstream of tyrosine kinase, to determine if we could elucidate what mechanism was used to increase resistance. Our analysis determined that loss of DOK2 decreased the level of apoptosis in response to carboplatin. In addition, we determined that in cells with reduced DOK2, the level of anoikis was decreased, a mechanism of possible importance in ovarian cancer where there is a large number of cells floating in ascites. Functional analysis of the DOK2 genes ability to affect resistance validates this approach to finding genes involved in carboplatin resistance

A case-control collapsing analysis identifies epilepsy genes implicated in trio sequencing studies focused on de novo mutations

Trio exome sequencing has been successful in identifying genes with de novo mutations (DNMs) causing epileptic encephalopathy (EE) and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we evaluate how well a case-control collapsing analysis recovers genes causing dominant forms of EE originally implicated by DNM analysis. We performed a genome-wide search for an enrichment of "qualifying variants" in protein-coding genes in 488 unrelated cases compared to 12,151 unrelated controls. These "qualifying variants" were selected to be extremely rare variants predicted to functionally impact the protein to enrich for likely pathogenic variants. Despite modest sample size, three known EE genes (KCNT1, SCN2A, and STXBP1) achieved genome-wide significance (p<2.68×10−6). In addition, six of the 10 most significantly associated genes are known EE genes, and the majority of the known EE genes (17 out of 25) originally implicated in trio sequencing are nominally significant (p<0.05), a proportion significantly higher than the expected (Fisher’s exact p = 2.33×10−17). Our results indicate that a case-control collapsing analysis can identify several of the EE genes originally implicated in trio sequencing studies, and clearly show that additional genes would be implicated with larger sample sizes. The case-control analysis not only makes discovery easier and more economical in early onset disorders, particularly when large cohorts are available, but also supports the use of this approach to identify genes in diseases that present later in life when parents are not readily available

The relationship between cannabis outcome expectancies and cannabis refusal self-efficacy in a treatment population

Background and aims: Self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancies are central to Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Alcohol studies demonstrate the theoretical and clinical utility of applying both SCT constructs. This study examined the relationship between refusal self-efficacy and outcome expectancies in a sample of cannabis users, and tested formal mediational models. Design: Patients referred for cannabis treatment completed a comprehensive clinical assessment, including recently validated cannabis expectancy and refusal self-efficacy scales. Setting: A hospital alcohol and drug out-patient clinic. Participants: Patients referred for a cannabis treatment [n=1115, mean age 26.29, standard deviation (SD) 9.39]. Measurements: The Cannabis Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ) and Cannabis Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (CRSEQ) were completed, along with measures of cannabis severity [Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS)] and cannabis consumption. Findings: Positive (β=-0.29,

Methylation detection oligonucleotide microarray analysis: a high-resolution method for detection of CpG island methylation

Methylation of CpG islands associated with genes can affect the expression of the proximal gene, and methylation of non-associated CpG islands correlates to genomic instability. This epigenetic modification has been shown to be important in many pathologies, from development and disease to cancer. We report the development of a novel high-resolution microarray that detects the methylation status of over 25 000 CpG islands in the human genome. Experiments were performed to demonstrate low system noise in the methodology and that the array probes have a high signal to noise ratio. Methylation measurements between different cell lines were validated demonstrating the accuracy of measurement. We then identified alterations in CpG islands, both those associated with gene promoters, as well as non-promoter-associated islands in a set of breast and ovarian tumors. We demonstrate that this methodology accurately identifies methylation profiles in cancer and in principle it can differentiate any CpG methylation alterations and can be adapted to analyze other species

Methylation detection oligonucleotide microarray analysis: a high-resolution method for detection of CpG island methylation

Methylation of CpG islands associated with genes can affect the expression of the proximal gene, and methylation of non-associated CpG islands correlates to genomic instability. This epigenetic modification has been shown to be important in many pathologies, from development and disease to cancer. We report the development of a novel high-resolution microarray that detects the methylation status of over 25 000 CpG islands in the human genome. Experiments were performed to demonstrate low system noise in the methodology and that the array probes have a high signal to noise ratio. Methylation measurements between different cell lines were validated demonstrating the accuracy of measurement. We then identified alterations in CpG islands, both those associated with gene promoters, as well as non-promoter-associated islands in a set of breast and ovarian tumors. We demonstrate that this methodology accurately identifies methylation profiles in cancer and in principle it can differentiate any CpG methylation alterations and can be adapted to analyze other species