This Is Us Saying Who We Are: Speaking The Rhetoric Of Mental Disability

People with mental disabilities, or what are sometimes referred to as “mental illnesses,” face stigma when they interact with the public. To fight this stigma, the members of a small, grassroots, advocacy organization known as the Speakers Bureau travel to high school and college classrooms narrating their experiences with mental disability. They do so to replace culturally circulating stereotypes regarding such disability with more accurate and positive images. This dissertation is an auto-ethnographic exploration of the rhetoric of the Speakers Bureau. Through rhetorical analysis of members’ classroom speeches, of interviews with each speaker, and of the speaker’s self- assessment of their own rhetorical motivations, it identifies the moves one group of mentally disabled speakers makes to circumvent the impasses that stigma puts in their way of their efforts to persuade audiences to let go of negative perceptions of people who bear psychiatric diagnoses. The study of the Speaker’s Bureau’s rhetoric involved six participants including the author. It led to the following conclusions: First, the way in which a mentally disabled speaker represents her identity to audiences depends on which model of mental disability she accepts—the “medical model,” which posits mental disability as an illness that medication can successfully address, or the “consumer/survivor/ex-patient” model, which considers mental disability not a defect but simply an alternative way of being human. Second, the speakers’ attempts to persuade rely on “deep disclosure” of the disturbing nature of their experiences with mental disability. Deep disclosure makes the speakers vulnerable to rejection by the audience, but may also open the possibility for a reciprocal vulnerability in members of the audience, vulnerability to the idea that mental disability can affect them and vulnerability to a change in the audience member’s faith in the idea of normalcy. Through these vulnerabilities, the speaker and the audience member grant each other agency. The speaker grants the audience the agency to accept or reject him, and the audience member grants the speaker the agency to truly change the audience member’s perception of mentally disabled people. Through these mutual acknowledgments of agency, the agentive potential of each speech comes into being

Development of Novel Chemical Strategies to Modulate Biological Function

This research involves the development of novel chemical strategies to modulate biological function. This approach has taken multiple forms. First, the site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids (UAAs) was utilized to develop a novel labeling strategy. Further, the site-specific incorporation of a photocaged UAA was used to control protein activity. Next, solid-supported Glaser-Hay couplings were utilized to efficiently synthesize natural products and to create a library of polyynes, which are molecules containing multiple conjugated acetylenic units. These synthesized molecules were then screened for biological activities. Overall, this thesis discusses the development of these chemical strategies, which contribute additional levels of sophistication to proffer control over biological function. Studying mechanisms to control biological function is critical, as they have potential downstream medical applications in diagnosis, disease prevention, and disease treatment

The effect of population on whole-plant production of corn harvested for silage

Corn (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important livestock feeds in the United States. This crop is of great interest since it produces more dry matter per acre than most other crops grown in temperate climates. It is one of the crops best suited for mechanised agriculture and thereby becomes a potentially promising choice to allocate to agricultural land of high productive potential. All corn roughage programs and high moisture corn feeding programs are becoming increasingly popular. Consequently, any research finding which can increase knowledge about corn production should be of considerable importance to the livestock industry. The hybridization of corn has produced hundreds of hybrids of different growth, production and plant characteristics. A choice has to be made from among these many varieties to suit the individual farming conditions for producing optimum yields from an economic point of view. The full-season varieties may produce higher yields than the mid-season ones; but those maturing in a shorter season may allow the planting of winter crops in the fall. Such considerations make it necessary to know the actual dry matter yields of different hybrids grown for harvest at the silage stage of growth. On these points, adequate information applicable to Tennessee conditions is lacking. Much work has been done on the suitability of different plant populations for corn grain production. When corn is grown for silage, however, both the total dry matter production and the grain production must receive due consideration. Plant population becomes a factor of particular importance when considered in conjunction with other factors such as varying levels of soil fertility and moisture supply. The same rate of plant population may not be applicable to every location, and may have to vary from year to year in order that maximum economic benefit may accrue the grower. Much of the information available on this subject is extrapolated from conclusions drawn from corn grain production experiments. While some workers (15, 73, 75) have concluded that a population of about 24, 000 to 35,000 plants per acre was suitable for silage production, some others (53, 65) have felt that high populations of up to 200, 000 or 300,000 plants per acre were more suitable or promising ones for forage production. Thus, at the time of the study research verified informations are not available to serve as a basis for making management recommendations to farmers producing corn for silage. When corn is to be used for silage, the content of grain, which is an important source of carbohydrates, and that of leaves, which is the major source of protein in the total yield, are of primary importance. Furthermore, the plant population can possibly influence the proportion of grain, leaves and stems in the plant. If any of these were appreciably affected, the quality of corn silage also could be affected. Thus, the choice of the variety and of the plant population, as affecting the quality and quantity of corn plant yields, are additional questions that need to be answered. The three experiments reported here were designed to determine the effects of population on the growth and productivity of two corn hybrids harvested at the silage stage of growth. One of the varieties was a full-season hybrid (Dixie 33) and the other a mid-season hybrid (Tennessee 501). The components of production of the whole above-ground parts of the plants were determined separately in an effort to investigate the effects of population, genotype and environment on the potential quality for silage of these hybrids

Prostate artery embolisation : an initial experience from an Indian perspective

Purpose: The study aims to report our very early experience with prostate artery embolisation in patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) in an Indian setting. Material and methods: This prospective study was approved by the Institutional Ethical Review Board, and informed consent was obtained from all the patients. Four patients with lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia underwent prostate embolisation. Embolisation was performed using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles. International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL) score, postvoid residual volume, and prostate volume was recorded in each patient for 12 months. No major complications were seen in any patient. Results: Four patients with a mean age of 74.2 years underwent prostate artery embolisation. It was successful in all the cases. Bilateral embolisation was performed in three patients and unilateral approach in one patient. Clinical improvement was characterised by a mean prostate volume reduction of 22% and mean IPSS reduction of 30% at 12-month follow-up. Conclusions: The initial experience with prostate embolisation has been very rewarding and is a great alternative treatment for BPH. It is a very safe and effective procedure and can be an ideal procedure from an Indian perspective

Eosinophilic granuloma in jaw bone: a pare pediatric case report

Background: Eosinophilic granuloma (EG), one of the three clinical forms of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), is a benign inflammatory reaction to an unknown etiologic agent. It most commonly occurs in children and young adults. The most frequently involved bones are the skull, the ribs and the femurs. Alongside the cranium, the maxilla and mandible can also be affected.Case Details: Herein, we report a case of eosinophilic granuloma in a ten years old boy involving posterior quadrants upper and lower jaws as a destructive lesion involving gingiva, periodontium and alveolar bone. Involvement of other bones is ruled out by nucleotide imaging study.Conclusion: EG should be considered as a differential diagnosis whenever there is a bony destructive lesion involving alveolar bone of the Jaws. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention will resolve the lesion.Keywords: Eosinophilic granuloma, langerhans cell histiocytosis, oral manifestations, alveolar bone and surgical curettag

Genetic Variability in Candidate Plus Trees of \u3cem\u3eAcacia nilotica\u3c/em\u3e--An Important Fodder Tree under Agroforestry System

The realization of the effects of climate change redirected the focus on agroforestry, which deals with the management of land use system for increased sustainability. Enhancement of fodder production per unit area per unit time is essential to meet the demand from livestock sector for which different land use systems are being developed. Acacia nilotica is one of the important agroforestry species which fits into in silvipastoral system under agroforestry, in arid and semi-arid regions. It is known as babool, kikkar or Indian gum arabic, which has ability to improve nitrogen content of soil through its interaction with symbiotic bacteria on drought prone and degraded soils, tolerant to waterlogged conditions. It is an important source of fodder, the leaves and pods together will supplement the protein component in the livestock feed and when everything is dry; Acacias serve as the only green fodder source during peak summer season. It is a good source of timber, fuel wood, industrial source for the raw material tannin and as protective hedge and hence plays an important role in rural farming. The studies on maximization of forage production and wasteland development has reported that babool has highest survivability among fodder trees and has higher dry fodder production/tree/year. Tree growth and canopy diameter contributes to the production of green as well as dry fodder biomass. Assessing the variation within and among the provenance selections for different traits will help selection of genotypes for different use in the silvipastoral agroforestry system. In view of this, the present study was undertaken to study the genetic variability present in the candidate plus trees of different provenances collected from central India

Percutaneous ultrasound-guided plugged liver biopsy : a single-centre experience

Background: Liver biopsy is a widely used, safe diagnostic tool utilised by clinicians for the histopathological assessment of the liver. Our study aims to report our experience in patients who underwent ultrasound-guided plugged percutaneous liver biopsy in a tertiary care hospital in India. Material and methods: The Institutional Ethical Review Board approved this retrospective study, and informed consent was obtained from all the patients. A total of 830 liver biopsies were performed between January 2014 and December 2018, of which 782 were plugged percutaneous liver biopsies. The tract was plugged using Gelfoam slurry. Various observations related to the procedures were recorded. Results: Seven hundred and eighty-two were plugged percutaneous liver biopsies, which were performed during the study period. Of the 782 patients, 163 were male, and 619 were female (20.8 % and 79.2 %, respectively), with a mean age of 49.6 ± 2 years (1 month to 86 years). A 100% technical success rate was seen. No immediate major complications were documented in any of the patients who underwent plugged biopsies. No significant complications were seen in any patient. Conclusions: Percutaneous liver biopsy is an extensively performed diagnostic tool. We found that ultrasound-guided percutaneous plugged liver biopsy is an easy to perform procedure, which is associated with a lower risk of a bleeding complications

Genetic Evaluation of Leucaena Genotypes in Bundelkhand Region of Central India

During the 1970s and 1980s, Leucaena was known as the “miracle tree” native to Central America and Mexico, because of its worldwide success as a long-lived and highly nutritious forage tree. It is estimated to cover 2-5 million ha area worldwide. The genus Leucaena is one of the most widely grown tropical fodder trees and is the subject of extensive research. This is mainly due to its long life span; high productivity even under regular defoliation; its adaptation to wide climatic and edaphic tolerances; excellent palatability and digestibility and many uses including wood for timber and fuel wood. The species possesses enormous wealth of variability and great potential for economic yield which attract the breeders in utilizing the species in hybridization. A logical way to start any breeding programme is to survey the variations present in the germplasm. Precise information on the nature and degree of genetic divergence in respect of important traits is a prerequisite for undertaking meaningful breeding programme towards the improvement and conservation of a species. Further an investigation into the nature and degree of divergence among populations will be useful in understanding the course of evolution and for classifying the tree population into groups based on the diversity, particularly when they are overlapping in one more characters. Therefore, the present study was conducted to estimate genetic divergence among different germplasm of genus Leucaena

Tragacanth gum-based hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications

Natural polymers have many uses, and Tragacanth gum is just one of them. Many people are interested in natural gums because of their many attractive characteristics, such as being ‘green’ bio-based renewable materials, being easily accessible, inexpensive, and structurally diverse. One class of naturally occurring polysaccharides is called gum because of its tendency to create a gel or a thick solution. Among the many plant-based raw materials, these polysaccharide gums are abundant. Hydrogels, which are three-dimensional polymeric webs that can imitate live tissues, have demonstrated remarkable potential as adjustable biomaterials in numerous regenerative techniques due to their high water or biological exudate absorption capacities. Natural polysaccharides, often known as gums, are present in many different types of trees and possess many desirable properties, such as being renewable, biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic, and amenable to chemical modification. Many people are curious about certain parts of the food, water, energy, biotech, environmental, and healthcare sectors as of now. Gum, a type of very important and unique food ingredient, has many vital uses in the food business. Cosmetics, coating, photosensitive resin, fertilizer, casting, pharmaceuticals, and tobacco are just a few of the non-food businesses that make use of their strong water-affinity and structural plasticity. There are a lot of benefits to hydrogels made from natural gums as opposed to those made from synthetic sources. Synthesis hydrogel polymers have been the center of interest among these non-food applications because of their extensive use in the pharmaceutical and medical fields. The Tragacanth gum hydrogels used for medication delivery and tissue engineering have been the focus of this study. We also paid close attention to drug delivery, physical-chemical properties, and the extraction of Tragacanth gum. Our research has a wide range of biomedical applications, including tissue engineering for bone, skin, fixation of bone, periodontal, and cartilage. Possible futures based on hydrogels made of Tragacanth gum were likewise our primary focus

\u3cem\u3e Albizia procera\u3c/em\u3e Based Silvipastoral System: An Ideal Alternate Land Use System for Sustainable Forage Production in Semi-Arid Region

India’s economy is agro-based and about 69% of the total population depends on it for their livelihood (GoI, 2013). Livestock is the integral component of Indian agriculture since time immemorial. Its contribution to national economy through milk, meat, wool as well as farmyard manure is enormous. India has the largest number of livestock, representing over 17% of the world. Among four important species of livestock, cattle represent over 43% of the population followed by buffaloes (19%), goats (26%) and sheep (10%). The share of livestock reared is highest in marginal followed by small and semi-medium land holders implying that marginal holders and small land holders are playing seminal role in development of livestock sector in country. The productivity of livestock and growth of animal husbandry are closely linked with the biomass and quality of forages. Currently there has been radical change in realising the importance of forages in integrated farming system, crop diversification, watershed management, restoration of degraded lands and climate resilient agriculture. Grasslands represent some 70% of global agricultural land area; unfortunately as much as 35% of the grasslands are degraded. The insufficient fodder availability has adversely affected all the three systems of livestock production. Silvipasture systems is an integrated approach of growing ideal combinations of grasses, legumes and trees for higher land productivity, conserving biodiversity and nutrients and producing forage, timber and firewood from a single unit area on a sustainable basis. The trees and shrubs used in silvipasture are used primarily to produce fodder for livestock. Looking at the enormous production potential of the slivipastoral systems, it is pertinent to introduce these in the arid and semi-arid regions so that large area of wasteland which is not suitable for crop production can be used for of fodder and biomass production. Dev et al. (2014) observed significant impact of participatory silvipastoral intervention and soil conservation measures for forage resource enhancement in western Himalaya. The study aims to present the suitability of silvipastoral systems in detail and advocate the extensive use of silvipasture in semi-arid regions for higher production