Innovation in Indian Handloom Weaving.

Handloom weaving is the second most important livelihood in rural India after farming. Improving handloom technologies and practices thus will directly affect the lives of millions of Indians, and this is similar for many other communities in the global South and East. By analyzing hand-loom weaving as a socio-technology, we will show how weaving communities are constantly innovating their technologies, designs, markets, and social organization-often without calling it innovation. This demonstration of innovation in handloom contradicts the received image of handloom as a pre-modern and traditional craft that is unsustainable in current societies and that one should strive to eliminate: by mechanization and/or by putting it into a museum.

Comparative Effects of Education and Bilingualism on the Onset of Mild Cognitive Impairment.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence suggests that life course factors such as education and bilingualism may have a protective role against dementia due to Alzheimer disease. This study aimed to compare the effects of education and bilingualism on the onset of cognitive decline at the stage of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS: A total of 115 patients with MCI evaluated in a specialty memory clinic in Hyderabad, India, formed the cohort. MCI was diagnosed according to Petersen's criteria following clinical evaluation and brain imaging. Age at onset of MCI was compared between bilinguals and monolinguals, and across subjects with high and low levels of education, adjusting for possible confounding variables. RESULTS: The bilingual MCI patients were found to have a clinical onset of cognitive complaints 7.4 years later than monolinguals (65.2 vs. 58.1 years; p = 0.004), while years of education was not associated with delayed onset (1-10 years of education, 59.1 years; 11-15 years of education, 62.6 years; >15 years of education, 62.2 years; p = 0.426). CONCLUSION: The effect of bilingualism is protective against cognitive decline, and lies along a continuum from normal to pathological states. In comparison, the role of years of education is less robust.

Dementia in developing countries: does education play the same role in India as in the West? / Demência nos países em desenvolvimento: a edução desempenha o mesmo papel na Índia como no ocidente

Evidence suggests that education protects from dementia by enhancing cognitive reserve. However, this may be influenced by several socio-demographic factors. Rising numbers of dementia in India, high levels of illiteracy and heterogeneity in socio-demographic factors provide an opportunity to explore this relationship. OBJECTIVE: To study the association between education and age at dementia onset, in relation to socio-demographic factors. METHODS: Association between age at dementia onset and literacy was studied in relationship to potential confounding factors such as gender, bilingualism, place of dwelling, occupation, vascular risk factors, stroke, family history of dementia and dementia subtypes. RESULTS: Case records of 648 dementia patients diagnosed in a specialist clinic in a University hospital in Hyderabad, India were examined. All patients were prospectively enrolled as part of an ongoing longitudinal project that aims to evaluate dementia subjects with detailed clinical, etiological, imaging, and follow-up studies. Of the 648 patients, 98 (15.1%) were illiterate. More than half of illiterate skilled workers were engaged in crafts and skilled agriculture unlike literates who were in trade or clerical jobs. Mean age at onset in illiterates was 60.1 years and in literates 64.5 years (p=0.0002). Factors independently associated with age at dementia onset were bilingualism, rural dwelling and stroke, but not education. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that in India, rural dwelling, bilingualism, stroke and occupation modify the relationship between education and dementia.

Evidências sugerem que a educação protége de demência pelo fortalecimento da reserva cognitiva. Todavia, pode ser influenciado por vários fatores socioeconômicos. O aumento no número de demência na Índia, altos índices de analfabetismo e heterogeneidade de fatores sociodemográficos fornecem uma oportunidade para explorar estas relações. OBJETIVO: Estudar a associação entre educação e idade no início da demência em relação aos fatores sociodemográficos. MÉTODOS: A associação entre idade de início da demência e alfabetismo foi estudado em relação aos potenciais fatores confundidores, como gênero, bilinguismo, local de moradia, ocupação, fatores de risco vasculares, acidente vascular cerebral (AVC), história familiar de demência e subtipos de demência. RESULTADOS: Arquivos de 648 pacientes com demência, diagnosticados numa clínica especializada no Hospital Universitário em Hyderabad, foram avaliados. Todos os pacientes foram prospectivamente incluídos num projeto de acompanhamento longitudinal cujo objetivo é avaliar indivíduos com demência através de estudo de detalhado de acompanhamento clínico, etiológico e de imagem. Dos 648 pacientes, 98 (15%) eram analfabetos. Mais da metade dos analfabetos estavam envolvidos em trabalhos manuais ao contrário dos alfabetizados, envolvidos em comércio ou escritórios. A idade média de início em analfabetos foi de 60,1 anos e entre alfabetizados 64,5 anos de idade (p=0,0002). Os fatores independentemente associados à idade de início da demência foram bilinguismo, AVC, moradia rural, mas não educação. CONCLUSÃO: Nosso estudo demonstra que na Índia, moradia rural, bilinguismo, AVC e ocupação modificam a relação entre educação e demência.

Dementia in developing countries: Does education play the same role in India as in the West?

Evidence suggests that education protects from dementia by enhancing cognitive reserve. However, this may be influenced by several socio-demographic factors. Rising numbers of dementia in India, high levels of illiteracy and heterogeneity in socio-demographic factors provide an opportunity to explore this relationship. OBJECTIVE: To study the association between education and age at dementia onset, in relation to socio-demographic factors. METHODS: Association between age at dementia onset and literacy was studied in relationship to potential confounding factors such as gender, bilingualism, place of dwelling, occupation, vascular risk factors, stroke, family history of dementia and dementia subtypes. RESULTS: Case records of 648 dementia patients diagnosed in a specialist clinic in a University hospital in Hyderabad, India were examined. All patients were prospectively enrolled as part of an ongoing longitudinal project that aims to evaluate dementia subjects with detailed clinical, etiological, imaging, and follow-up studies. Of the 648 patients, 98 (15.1%) were illiterate. More than half of illiterate skilled workers were engaged in crafts and skilled agriculture unlike literates who were in trade or clerical jobs. Mean age at onset in illiterates was 60.1 years and in literates 64.5 years (p=0.0002). Factors independently associated with age at dementia onset were bilingualism, rural dwelling and stroke, but not education. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that in India, rural dwelling, bilingualism, stroke and occupation modify the relationship between education and dementia.

Evidências sugerem que a educação protége de demência pelo fortalecimento da reserva cognitiva. Todavia, pode ser influenciado por vários fatores socioeconômicos. O aumento no número de demência na Índia, altos índices de analfabetismo e heterogeneidade de fatores sociodemográficos fornecem uma oportunidade para explorar estas relações. OBJETIVO: Estudar a associação entre educação e idade no início da demência em relação aos fatores sociodemográficos. MÉTODOS: A associação entre idade de início da demência e alfabetismo foi estudado em relação aos potenciais fatores confundidores, como gênero, bilinguismo, local de moradia, ocupação, fatores de risco vasculares, acidente vascular cerebral (AVC), história familiar de demência e subtipos de demência. RESULTADOS: Arquivos de 648 pacientes com demência, diagnosticados numa clínica especializada no Hospital Universitário em Hyderabad, foram avaliados. Todos os pacientes foram prospectivamente incluídos num projeto de acompanhamento longitudinal cujo objetivo é avaliar indivíduos com demência através de estudo de detalhado de acompanhamento clínico, etiológico e de imagem. Dos 648 pacientes, 98 (15%) eram analfabetos. Mais da metade dos analfabetos estavam envolvidos em trabalhos manuais ao contrário dos alfabetizados, envolvidos em comércio ou escritórios. A idade média de início em analfabetos foi de 60,1 anos e entre alfabetizados 64,5 anos de idade (p=0,0002). Os fatores independentemente associados à idade de início da demência foram bilinguismo, AVC, moradia rural, mas não educação. CONCLUSÃO: Nosso estudo demonstra que na Índia, moradia rural, bilinguismo, AVC e ocupação modificam a relação entre educação e demência.