Negotiating meanings of gender justice: Critical reflections on dialogs and debates in a non-governmental organization (NGO)

In this paper, we reflect upon how dialogs and debates in a non-governmental organization (NGO) – CARE India in the context of a girls’ education project shaped staff members’ understandings of gender justice. As CARE India staff shared their experiences in the field, in the organization, and in domestic spaces during gender training sessions and other forums, their different politics in these spaces shaped how they translated global discourses of gender justice to produce fluid, contested, and contextual understandings. While these dialogs included the voices of diverse social actors in identifying the capabilities needed for gender justice in education, they were often reframed by local NGO actors.     

Circadian Rhythm of Serum Cortisol in Female Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients have disturbed sleep patterns which may lead to altered circadian rhythm in serum cortisol secretion. The aim of this study was to assess circadian changes, if any, in serum cortisol levels in female patients with FMS. Cortisol levels were estimated every 6 h during 24 h period; in 40 female patients satisfying ACR criteria for FMS (Age 36.4 ± 9.9), and 40 healthy females without FMS (Age 33.8 ± 11.1). A significant difference in the night time serum cortisol level was observed among the patients and control groups (patients, 12.9 ± 9.7 controls 5.8 ± 3.0; p < 0.01). However, no significant difference was found in serum cortisol levels in patients and control groups in the morning (patients, 28.4 ± 13.2 controls, 27.6 ± 14.5; p > 0.05), afternoon (patients, 14.4 ± 5.6 controls, 14.0 ± 6.6; p > 0.05) and evening hours (patients, 10.9 ± 5.8 controls, 8.9 ± 3.6; p > 0.05). It could be concluded that there is an abnormality in circadian secretion of cortisol in female FMS patients.     

Study of Oxidative Stress in Vitiligo

Vitiligo is an idiopathic, acquired, circumscribed, hypomelanotic skin disorder, characterized by milky white patches of different sizes and shapes. It is due to the destruction of melanocytes resulting in the absence of pigment production of the skin and mucosal surfaces. Oxidative stress has been implicated in pathophysiology of vitiligo. To study the activity of blood Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in vitiligo patients. A case–control study was conducted in which 100 patients were enrolled after written consent. 50 cases were of active vitiligo and 50 served as control (25 healthy control and 25 with stable vitiligo). SOD—In our study, among the active vitiligo cases 90% had high level of SOD and 10% had normal level of SOD. Among the stable vitiligo controls, 92% had normal level of SOD and 8% had low levels of SOD.The difference between active vitiligo cases and stable vitiligo control as well as with healthy control was statistically significant (P value < 0.05). GPx—Among the active vitiligo cases 74% had normal GPx levels, 22% had low and only 4% had high levels of GPx. Among the stable vitiligo controls, 64% had normal GPx levels, 16% had low, and 20% had high levels of GPx. The difference between active vitiligo cases and stable vitiligo control as well as with healthy control was statistically not significant (P value > 0.05). Our study shows that oxidative stress is involved in the pathophysiology of vitiligo, as indicated by the high levels of serum superoxide dismutase activity.     

Foreign Media Systems

Conferences, proceedings of three recent international telecommunications

Yves de la Haye, ed. Marx and Engles on the Means of Communication (International General, P.O. Box 350, New York, N.Y. 10013---$4.50 or £2.25, paper)

David Hargreaves' Adult Literacy and Broadcasting: The BBC's Experience (London: Frances Pinter/New York: Nichols, 1980---$22.50)

Christopher Bagley and Gajendra K. Verma's Racial Prejudice, the Individual and Society (Lexington, Mass.: Lexington Books/Farnborough: Saxon House, 1979--- $19.00)

David Morley's The Nationwide Audience: Structure and Deconding (British Film Institute, 127 Charing Cross Rd., London WC2H oEA---£.2.95 or about $$7.50, paper)

Barbara Coulton's Louis MacNeice in the BBC (London: Faber and Faber/Lawrence, Mass.: Merrimach Book Service, 1980---E12.50/$31.00)

Australia, a report from Henry Mayer of some recent material from

World Bank, catalog of publications from     

Plane curves of some geometrical significance and associated differential equations

Loci of points in the Euclidean plane are determined from prescribed relations of the points with given points, and/or, lines. The dependence of these relations on parameters lead to the diffrential equations representing the family of loci under concern. Incidentally most of the diffrential equations thus obtained are nonlinear ordinary diffrential equations.     

The Correlation between Two Random Variables in a Coin‐Tossing Experiment

We find the correlation of two jointly distributed random variables connected with a coin tossing experiment. The marginal distributions are binomial and negative binomial.     

LWT–DSR based new robust framework for watermark extraction under intentional attack conditions

This paper proposes a new watermarking approach using dynamic stochastic resonance (DSR) based tuning operation to extract the watermark logo from the watermarked image that has undergone different intentional and signal processing attacks. This method is intended to provide remedies from the shortcomings of the technique proposed by Lin et al. (2008), and invalidates the effect of intentional attacks recently designed by Meerwald et al. (2009). The algorithm incorporates three level image decomposition using lifting wavelet transform (LWT) and low-pass subband is utilized for data hiding purpose. Watermark bits are embedded into the blocks of non-overlapped wavelet coefficients of the cover image by quantizing the two maximum coefficients of the corresponding block. In watermark extraction process, the DSR is applied by performing the tuning operation on coefficient blocks of attacked watermarked image. It is a parameter dependent approach that enhances the performance of watermark extraction, where the parameters of DSR inherently depend on the image properties such as standard deviation or variance. As far as security is concerned, the randomization of wavelet coefficients, blocks, and watermark bits helps the framework to be more secure. The proposed technique is also examined against multiple watermarking attack and successfully proves its authenticity and ownership. Comparison of the proposed technique with recent techniques shows remarkable improvement in terms of robustness and security against various intentional, signal processing, and geometrical attacks.     

Fibrinogen,Lp(a), Microalbuminuria and Left Ventricular Mass Index: Cardiovascular Disease Risk factors in Diabetes

The present work was undertaken to study interrelation of Fibrinogen, Lp(a) and LVMI in Type II diabetes patients with or without nephropathy. 100 Type II Diabetic patients attending OPD/IPD of DMC&H, Ludhiana were included. They were divided in two groups. Group I: 50 patients without microalbuminuria (MAU). Group II: 50 patients with MAU. Fibrinogen (Clauss method), Lp(a) and MAU were estimated on Multichannel Autoanalyzer Hitachi-911 (Roche). LVMI was estimated by echocardiography using formula of Devereux and Reicheck. Type II diabetes patients with MAU had significantly raised levels of Fibrinogen, Lp(a), and LVMI as compared to normoalbuminuric diabetics (P < 0.01). Group II patients had positive correlation between Lp(a) and LVMI but no relation between Fibrinogen and LVMI. MAU, marker of microangiopathy, is associated with higher Fibrinogen and Lp(a) levels. This becomes basis of increase cardiovascular risk as demonstrated by higher mean LVMI in Group II patients.