Running: An inclusive approach to understanding the notion of pilgrimages

This paper is anchored in the personal narrative of the author whose childhood interest in running was rekindled in adulthood. She prepared herself to run her first half marathon after practicing for a few years, despite a history of serious injuries. The paper offers observations and reflections of the author, as an amateur runner. In addition, insights and analysis are drawn from autobiographical accounts of elite runners like Indian ultra-distance runner Amit Sheth (2011) and North American ultramarathon distance runner Scott Jurek (2012). The paper examines the reasons for different runners to commence and continue to run in their adulthood. For those who are able to sustain, with passage of time, the act of running changes from being a physical and outward movement to a journey of inner transformation. For most scholars and pilgrims in India, pilgrimage has a traditional connotation. The contribution of this research lies in bringing to the fore a secular, contemporary, and interdisciplinary understanding of the notion of pilgrimage by connecting the practice of running with broader discussions in pilgrimage studies. Parallels are drawn between the running community and the ideas of a ‘utopian’ and ‘deeply contested’ communitas discussed by pilgrimage studies scholar George Greenia (2014). The ideas of scholars, Simon Coleman and John Eade (2004), on the topic of pilgrimage relating to embodied motion, sacralised movement, habitual social realms and kinetic ritual are applied to running, which is defined as ‘religion in motion’. Running as a pilgrimage with spatial and temporal dimensions is also discussed. Moreover, concepts in pilgrimage studies such as process and structure, individualism and community, traditional and contemporary forms of pilgrimages, mundane and extraordinary, established and emerging forms of socialisation and identity, are considered. An encompassing definition of pilgrimage is offered where conceptual dichotomies are blended and pilgrimage is redefined as a way of being or a joyous and peaceful state of mind

QSAR studies on aminopyrazoles for the prediction of inhibition of CDK2/Cyclin A as antitumor agents

Cylin dependent kinases (CDKs) have emerged as novel mechanistic target due to their direct involvement in underlying genetic changes during the cancerous state. In order to identify the essential physiochemical parameters for CDK2 inhibitory activity in some 3-aminopyrazole derivatives, Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) studies have been carried out on a series of total 35 compounds (taking 24 and 11 molecules in trainings set and test set respectively) using the multiple linear regression MLR) method. Among the generated models, the best QSAR model with good correlation coefficient (r2 = 0.643) along high statistical significance (> 99.9 %) well explained variance in activity for both training and test set molecules (Pred. r2 = 0.632). The two dimensional QSAR studies revealed that the activity is positively controlled by the indicator parameter (I), electronic parameter (field effect, F) and hydrophobic fragmentation constant (Fr) of substituents. Apart from that one of the interesting finding is that this model well discriminates between the Molar refractivity (MR) and hydrophobic fragmentation constant (Fr) in prediction of inhibitory activities based on the regression coefficient and associated error. Further the calculation of important descriptors like log P, hydrogen bond donor and acceptors etc. indicates the potential of these molecules in clinical trial as an anticancer drug.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

An Efficient Approach to the Synthesis of Novel Oxazolidinones as Potential Antimicrobial Agents

Oxazolidinone, either mononuclear or condensed with other heterocyclics, has established its importance in medicinal chemistry. A variety of biological activities have been reported by oxazolidinone derivatives. The present work describes the synthesis of several oxazolidinone derivatives, 3-(2-(7-chloroquinoline-4-ylamino)ethyl)-2-imino-5-(4-chloro/nitro/methoxy benzylidene)oxazolidin-4-one 4(a–c) and 4-(2-(7-chloroquinolin-4-ylamino)ethyl)-2(4-chloro/nitro/methoxy-benzylidene)-1,6-diox-4,9-di-azaspiro[4,4]nonane-3,8-dione 5(a–c). Synthesized compounds (1, 3, 4a, 5a, and 5c) were screened against bacterial strains such as S. aureus (MTCC 96) and E. coli (MTCC119) and fungal strains A. niger (MTCC 1344) and C. albicans (MTCC 871) compared with penicillin for bacteria and fluconazole for fungi as reference drugs by disk diffusion method. All synthesized compounds were identified by the means of IR, NMR, and MS

Genetic diversity analysis of Katchaikatty Black – An endangered sheep breed from Tamil Nadu

The study presents the genetic diversity of Katchaikatty Black, an endangered and culturally significant sheep breed of Tamil Nadu. A panel of 25 microsatellite markers recommended for Indian sheep was used for genotyping. Considerable genetic variation in terms of allele diversity and heterozygosity was observed within the investigated breed. A total of 174 distinct alleles were detected across the analyzed microsatellite loci with an average of 6.96 alleles per locus. The average observed and expected heterozygosity values were 0.600 and 0.706, respectively. The positive heterozygote deficiency (FIS) value of 0.171, estimated for this breed may be due to the possibility of Wahlund effect resulting from sampling from different breeding flocks, i.e. different villages and flocks in the same area. A normal L-shaped curve suggested absence of genetic bottleneck in this breed. The information generated will be useful in guiding conservation and management programmes for Katchaikatty Black sheep

Utilization of mechanical power and associations with clinical outcomes in brain injured patients: a secondary analysis of the extubation strategies in neuro-intensive care unit patients and associations with outcome (ENIO) trial

Background: There is insufficient evidence to guide ventilatory targets in acute brain injury (ABI). Recent studies have shown associations between mechanical power (MP) and mortality in critical care populations. We aimed to describe MP in ventilated patients with ABI, and evaluate associations between MP and clinical outcomes. Methods: In this preplanned, secondary analysis of a prospective, multi-center, observational cohort study (ENIO, NCT03400904), we included adult patients with ABI (Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 12 before intubation) who required mechanical ventilation (MV) ≥ 24 h. Using multivariable log binomial regressions, we separately assessed associations between MP on hospital day (HD)1, HD3, HD7 and clinical outcomes: hospital mortality, need for reintubation, tracheostomy placement, and development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Results: We included 1217 patients (mean age 51.2 years [SD 18.1], 66% male, mean body mass index [BMI] 26.3 [SD 5.18]) hospitalized at 62 intensive care units in 18 countries. Hospital mortality was 11% (n = 139), 44% (n = 536) were extubated by HD7 of which 20% (107/536) required reintubation, 28% (n = 340) underwent tracheostomy placement, and 9% (n = 114) developed ARDS. The median MP on HD1, HD3, and HD7 was 11.9 J/min [IQR 9.2-15.1], 13 J/min [IQR 10-17], and 14 J/min [IQR 11-20], respectively. MP was overall higher in patients with ARDS, especially those with higher ARDS severity. After controlling for same-day pressure of arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen (P/F ratio), BMI, and neurological severity, MP at HD1, HD3, and HD7 was independently associated with hospital mortality, reintubation and tracheostomy placement. The adjusted relative risk (aRR) was greater at higher MP, and strongest for: mortality on HD1 (compared to the HD1 median MP 11.9 J/min, aRR at 17 J/min was 1.22, 95% CI 1.14-1.30) and HD3 (1.38, 95% CI 1.23-1.53), reintubation on HD1 (1.64; 95% CI 1.57-1.72), and tracheostomy on HD7 (1.53; 95%CI 1.18-1.99). MP was associated with the development of moderate-severe ARDS on HD1 (2.07; 95% CI 1.56-2.78) and HD3 (1.76; 95% CI 1.41-2.22). Conclusions: Exposure to high MP during the first week of MV is associated with poor clinical outcomes in ABI, independent of P/F ratio and neurological severity. Potential benefits of optimizing ventilator settings to limit MP warrant further investigation

Crossing thresholds: documentary film practice and perceptions of marriage amongst middle class Indian women

This is a practice-based research which investigates the institution of documentarv representation and marriage with special reference to the Indian context. The research aims at experimenting with ethical, reflexive, and participatory strategies so that the filming process becomes less hierarchical and more interactive for the filmmaker, the participants, and the audience.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo