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"You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write." Saul Bellow

TECHNICAL POSTS

Deep Learning Algorithms for Medical Image Processing

Medical imaging has changed the face of modern healthcare sector by precisely imaging the human body and treating chronic diseases. According to EMC Digital Universe, hospitals are generating 50 Peta-bytes of data every year across the globe. A staggering 90% of all the healthcare data comes from medical imaging where more than 97% of it goes un-analyzed or un- used. Such heavy database generation, storage and accurate interpretation represents an enormous challenge for healthcare organizations. It is even more challenging for developing countries like India where every year 5.2 million deaths are reported due to incorrect or late diagnosis, improper team coordination, shortage of medical staff and devices in the hospital. Computerized medical imaging analysis is an essential current need to reduce error, costs,processing time and accelerate medical prognosis.

Recent progresses in deep learning have shed new light on medical image analysis by finding meaningful associations and patterns which are presently time – consuming or repetitive, and difficult to analyze by skilled healthcare professionals. Deep learning algorithm based machines try to interpret, classify and quantify imaging data in the form of complex patterns and structure by building multi – layer artificial neural networks. These neural networks consists of interconnected neurons grouped into three different types of layers namely input, hidden and output layer(s). The word ‘deep’ refers to multiple numbers of hidden layers (sometimes, more than 1000). Each neuron connection is associated with a random weight. They can be set according to the importance of input value. After receiving the raw data at input layer, complex mathematical associations and patterns are made and tested in the hidden layers. Such a network now learns these patterns and may predict new data and or identify similar data. It is very similar to the learning process that occurs in our brain’s neocortex. The power of deep learning algorithms is not limited to identification of unhealthy tissues, performing repetitive segmentation tasks, automation of imaging processes but also detection and prediction (years before) of chronic disorders like epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, different type of cancers, depression etc. According to Signify Research – a market intelligence and consultancy to the global healthcare technology industry, deep learning based healthcare solutions will become a $300 million industry by 2021. There are already a number of FDA approved life saving AI diagnostic devices such as IDx – DR for detecting retinopathy, QauntX for evaluating breast abnormalities, Aidoc for identifying intracranial hemorrhages in head CT scans and etc in the market.

Virtual Reality

Featured in school magazine

‘Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are’ is a forever status for those who try to judge or interpret a personality simply by asking questions about other people from them. Personalities can vary from person to person and in a person it-self.

According to the recent theories a person can have multiple qualities and based on their levels, they transform or collect into what is called a personality.

In this fast technologically passed world it has become very important to know and build a strong, smart and superficial virtual personality which not only attracts the visitor but also impacts your personality in his virtual world. Thus, safeguarding it is an important issue of today’s era.

Firstly what is a virtual personality?

It’s a giant term with various definitions. Let’s look at them one by one.

Many a times,” virtue” is interpreted as soul. A soul which is not there but its body which is assigned to that soul is physically alive. This depressed, sad, mentally absent personality is considered as a virtual personality.

Another meaning of this vast term is social networking ids. Your Whatsapp account, twitter, Face-book, yahoo, Orkut ids come under this category. The way you present your display pictures, status, about yourself and updates reveals your virtual personality.

Updating “feeling sad” interprets that you are sad and so on. Potentially, every virtual personality is a work of art, but actually; only those of them become a work of art, which have the radiance of form, which is perceived directly. Hence, in this socially active world one must know how to update status, what to and what not to on their respective walls.

In the old golden times our grandparents used to quote, ” By the way you dress and talk, you reflect your personality in the eyes of beholder”. This virtual self acts as a medium for you and another person to interact and understand each other.

Try to never be false or manipulative.

By safeguarding your accounts one should not feel to post nothing at all but post in a limit and the required data. A limit to everything looks satisfactory.

People often fall for not real (Not real) personalities and get hurt. Various studies have found that this happened due to one reason i.e. “Virtual personality” which is considered in *personality in personality* acts as a pathway in between a real self and a not real self revealing neither of them but something new with better qualities than the real self.

It has not only tried to destroy our lives but on the contrary lead to some betterment in life (Mostly destruction). It tells about how imaginative and creative you are. One of the sites like “Create your virtual buddy” may show your creation.

Another very common definition to this word is our ‘fantasies’. The most fascinating and charming world of all times is our very own made “fantasy“.

Virtue is (also) something not real.

Everyone dreams to be better than present. To be perfect and to gain excellence is anyone’s fantasy. Psychological disorder treatments pay huge attention on this fantasy world which reflects your virtual personality. It reveals a personality which is not yours but which you wish/admire to be.

One must not allow their “virtual” self to over-power their true self and keep fantasies till the doors of fantasy only. Old is gold is not just a saying but has a social importance in human life and activities.

Fantasizing about a virtual friend or relationship acts like a graveyard dug/prepared by your virtual personality so one should always act real, stay real. Copying or commenting false statements would only make you more hypothetical for people to understand.

Use it as a platform to learn and not false identities which only brings havoc in society. At last doing things in limit is the key to success here.

Stay in limit, stay true to your kind and live a happy life.

Conflict of interest | Research ethics assignment

Introduction

Research requires people, time, and money. It works on the traditional shared purpose to enquire and create knowledge, provide a constructive critique on existing knowledge, and to finally disseminate knowledge for good of humanity. Trust is a core ethical value in research. A relationship based on trust is necessary within the institutions, their colleagues, the government, study sponsors, and public. Breaching this concept of trust has serious repercussions and should not be practiced. So the idea of ‘conflict of interest’ is obvious and much needed to continue research in all walks of life and subjects. Conflicts of interest (COI) may be defined as “circumstances that create a risk that professional judgments or actions regarding a primary interest will be unduly influenced by a secondary interest”. It is intrinsic to the researcher's enterprise. It doesn’t necessarily imply wrong doing on anyone's part but can potentially prove to be illegal practice in conduct of research. This article focuses on the broad concept of COI, its significance in different levels and area of research, its sources, types and their differences. Some common examples of COI have been mentioned in different sections. Need of COI in Biomedical research, existing policies, management of COI and its extent in India have also been discussed in the respective sections. It also highlights case studies such as Remembra and human gene therapy at University of Pennsylvania etc and the Bayh-Dole Act (1980).

1.1 Some common definitions of conflict of interest (COI)

· A conflict of interest is a situation in which financial or other personal considerations have the potential to compromise or bias professional judgment and objectivity.

· According to AAMC, 1990, Conflicts of interest are "situations in which financial or other personal considerations may compromise, or have the appearance of compromising, an investigator's judgment in conducting or reporting research."

· According to NAS Integrity in Scientific Research, "A conflict of interest in research exists when the individual has interests in the outcome of the research that may lead to a personal advantage and that might therefore, in actuality or appearance compromise the integrity of the research."

Conflict of interest is broadly divided into two categories: intangible, i.e., those involving academic activities and scholarship; and tangible, i.e., those involving financial relationships. Following sections focus on a detailed discussion of intangible and tangible COI. It is important to note that a conflict of interest exists whether or not decisions are affected by a personal interest; a conflict of interest implies only the potential for bias, not likelihood. It is also important to note that a conflict of interest is not considered misconduct in research, since the definition for misconduct is currently limited to fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism. It can occur at a personal level, institutional level, financial level etc. Four main sources of COI have been shown in fig.1

1.1.1 Conflict of interest (COI) at personal level

Objectivity is the sine qua non of scientific discovery. But bias in judgment is virtually impossible to eliminate. There are often subtle and not so subtle, pressures that can influence how we perceive and how we act. All research professionals understand the pressure to publish and get funding, appointments, promotions, and to earn respect from peers. Many strive for the ultimate validation and highest order of recognition - the Nobel Prize. In an effort to succeed, there are myriad areas where bias can influence judgment and diminish objectivity. A desire to validate a pet theory, overconfidence about a particular concept, overreliance on a belief held by a special group, ruling out data that don't support a hypothesis, and internal or external pressures to get a specific result are all influences that may lead to distortions in objectivity. Any of these biases or pressures may lead to what sociologists call as ‘selective in attendance’.

Bias can be too subtle to recognize and too difficult to control. It can creep into how research questions are selected and framed, the choice of research design, the selection of research participants, and how the data are collected, analyzed, interpreted, and ultimately published. Whether you describe the glass as half empty or half full is influenced by what you want your results to look like. Bias can even influence the sharing of the results of the study.

1.1.2 Academic COI or intellectual bias

An academic conflict of interest could occur if an individual interferes with the peer-review process for some type of intangible personal gain. For example, bias can cause a reviewer to respond positively to a manuscript because it presents results favoring a method or production in which the reviewer has a personal interest or a reviewer may act to delay the publication of a competitor's manuscript in order to strengthen his or her own chances for publication or funding.

These are intangible interests, and they are indigenous to every researcher. Indeed, the drive for recognition can be overwhelming, particularly when a future position or livelihood depends on these public achievements. These are the sources of "intellectual bias" that have long been recognized by the research community but that must also be recognized and addressed by the individual researcher.

The six Ps Conflicts of interest are inevitable in an academic career, and it is the responsibility of researchers to identify potential or actual conflicts. The Integrity Coordinating Group has outlined an excellent list – known as the six Ps - which researchers can use to determine whether a conflict of interest exists.

1. Public duty versus private interest: Do I or the research sponsor have personal or financial interests that may conflict or be perceived to conflict with the interests and welfare of the general public?

2. Potentialities: Could there be financial or other intellectual benefits for me, my organization, or research sponsor that could cast doubts on my research and data?

3. Perception: How will my research sponsor’s involvement in study conception, study supervision, study design, research conduct, and manuscript writing be perceived by others? Would any bias in research design, sample selection, data reporting, data modification, and manuscript preparation be perceived as a conflict of interest associated with me, my organization or research sponsor? Are there any risks associated with me, my organization, or research sponsor?

4. Proportionality: Does my or my research sponsor’s involvement in all decisions regarding the research appear to be fair and reasonable?

5. Presence of mind: What consequences will I face if I ignore or do not disclose a conflict of interest? Can I give a reasonable answer if editors, reviewers, or readers question me or my research sponsor’s involvement?

6. Promises: Have I, my organization, or research sponsor made any promises or commitment in relation to conducting or publishing the research? Do I stand to gain or lose from the promised action/decision?

Some common examples of COI in academics include:

· An academic who has a senior editorial position with a commercial journal is also on a University library committee that recommends journal subscriptions.

· A researcher has a financial interest in the licensee (or proposed licensee) of University intellectual property.

· A researcher holds a position (example: as a director) in an enterprise that may wish to restrict or otherwise manage adverse research findings for commercial reasons.

· A member of staff chairs a University committee which is to consider the allocation of funds to be shared between numbers of colleges, including their own.

1.1.2.1 Four Principles of COI in academics

1. Spinout formation: All academics involved in the formation of a new spinout should complete a conflict of interest management plan, which is to be reviewed by Research Services and approved by the Head of Department before the initial investment can go through.

2. Intellectual property: If a researcher has a financial interest in the licensee (or proposed licensee) of University intellectual property they should disclose this, and step back from the negotiations, which should be managed by the IP Rights Management Team and Oxford University Innovation.

3. Applying for grants and negotiating contracts: Staff and students should declare all conflicts when applying for grants, negotiating contracts etc. In particular, financial conflicts need to be declared to avoid doubts being cast over the validity of research, and subsequent potential reputational damage.

4. Publishing: Authors submitting a manuscript should disclose any ‘significant financial interest’ or other relationship with the manufacturers of any commercial products or providers of commercial services discussed in the manuscript and any financial supporters of the research. The intent of such disclosures is not to prevent an author with a significant financial or other relationship from publishing a paper, but rather to provide readers with information upon which to make their own judgments. Journals increasingly are requiring authors to provide a list the companies that fund their research and submit a COI form to ensure legality. Good journal papers always have a section of ‘COI’ mentioned at the end of the research paper.

1.1.3 Conflicts of Interest at the Institutional Level

Institutional conflicts of interest can be introduced simply by the institution having a license agreement. An institutional conflict of interest takes place when financial interests of the institution or of an institutional official might affect or reasonably appear to affect institutional processes including the conduct, review, or oversight of human research. According to the Council on Government Relations, "institutional conflicts of interest may occur when one or more aspects of either internal relationships between different units within the university or external relationships between the university and other entities are incongruent with institutional core values, and result, or have the potential to result in choices or actions that are harmful to the missions, the obligations, or the values of the university."

In recent years after addition of Bayh-Dole Act (1980), academic institutions have thrived on their relationships with industry as they have emphasized bringing their discoveries directly to the marketplace. Given the cutbacks in federal spending, this is not necessarily a perilous relationship and in fact is usually beneficial, as funding is necessary in order for technology to advance. The extent of these burgeoning university-industry ties is as impressive as the consequences. Many academic institutions hold equity interests in start-up companies that sponsor research, workshops, technical and nontechnical events at those institutions.

1.1.4 Financial COI

Financial conflicts of interest are considered tangible conflicts, because they can be seen and measured. While they appear easier to deal with than intangible conflicts of interest, they may not be. Financial arrangements with sponsors are affecting many areas of scientific life. A growing literature is documenting, with disturbing accounts, how the new entrepreneurial environment is altering the publication practices and prescribing patterns of investigators and clinicians

1.1.5 Other Types of Conflicts of Interest

In addition to academic, financial and personal conflicts of interest, there are other conflicts that can compromise objectivity. For example, conflicts of commitment, which may also be called conflicts of effort or conflicts of obligation, occur when the extent of time spent on a secondary activity competes with the time expected to be spent on teaching, research, or service by the primary employer.

1.2 COIs in Financial Consulting

A new kind of COI has just come to light as the practice has become much more widespread now. Many investigators are recruited to consult for financial entities including venture capital firms, hedge funds and investment houses to inform them of the latest developments in their field. They are paid nicely and the investigators feel quite flattered. Sometimes, the investigators have provided privileged information about an ongoing clinical trial about which both they and their institutions signed confidentiality statements. In all instances, the goal of the consulting groups is to learn information of investment value before the competition. After the initial concern, apparently this area of concern has lost immediacy.

1.2.1 Case Study: Remembra

Dr. Zhivago, in NIH supported research, made remarkable progress in memory studies by identifying a new receptor "C" responsible for instilling and preserving memories. In mice and rats substantial improvements in memory were produced in a short time as demonstrated by performance studies. Activating C in monkeys permitted substantial acceleration in achieving cognitive skills and great enhancement in cognitive capability. Zhivago approached her institution's Office of Technology to arrange for patent and licensing. The University had just established a research incubator to carry its inventions to a more advanced stage so that it would be able to retain a greater portion of the financial benefits to come from the products of discovery. The Office of Technology suggested that Zhivago establish a company with the university to exploit her discovery and develop small molecule receptor agonists for use in treating certain forms of mental retardation as well as Alzheimer's and other disorders. Neither Zhivago, nor the university officials were unaware of the fact that once approved; the agonists would most likely be taken by normal persons to augment their intellectual capabilities. Zhivago was told that the university would advance up to 1 million dollars of its endowment on this company and that as funding requirements grew, depending on the situation, either more new funds would be allocated or venture capitalists would be invited to invest.

Zhivago, figuring that if she reduced her clinical burden and got out of teaching, which were easily arranged, she could spare 30% of time for this project and suggested to her senior technician Anna Karenina that she take a job at the new company, LEARN, with a significant salary increase, and manage the practical details of creating C-receptor agonists under Zhivago's direction. When the time came, Zhivago would test her drug first in mentally retarded children, her specialty. Dr. Zhivago delayed publication of her discovery for four months in order to accomplish the patent and license work. Upon learning of the discovery, a couple of very large drug companies with an interest in mental health volunteered financial support for priority in the bidding for the new agent when it was developed. The entire university leadership was highly attuned to this activity as the result of their big stake in the outcome.

Zhivago found that it was very difficult to recruit someone as effective as Anna to run her lab where she was expected to continue to perform at a high intellectual level. Zhivago found that she needed a lot of assistance with designing, synthesizing and testing CR agonists. Pharmacologists from the university were asked to help and they asked for equity in return. The Pharmacologists were knowledgeable but unwilling to commit enough time to oversee the effort.

3.5 million dollars and two years later, a potent CR agonist was available for testing. It was called Remembra. The IRB, with an inquiry from the university President urging expediency, approved the Phase I and II trials. In a total of 25 subjects the pharmacokinetics and acute toxicity studies were completed satisfactorily. As Dr. Zhivago gears up for the clinical test of Remembra, she learns that her NIH renewal was not going to make the grade because of poor recent productivity. She thinks, "If this works, I won't need to keep applying for grants."

While the IRB was initially reluctant to approve Dr. Zhivago's role in both managing and carrying out the Phase III placebo controlled double blinded trial, with a little institutional encouragement the protocol was approved and Zhivago began testing Remembra on mentally retarded adolescents who required special schooling. Even though the study was double-blinded, the progress on Remembra was so dramatic that everyone thought they knew who was taking the real drug. Treated students were able to learn and retain much more rapidly than ever before. Enthusiasm at the school got out and reached university administration, which reveled in the possibility that one of their investments might pay off. About 3 months into the six-month trial it was noted that some of the participants began to have episodes of sweating and confusion that came and went. The teachers and investigators reported these events and when the Data and Safety monitoring Board was informed, one of the investigators suggested measuring the blood sugar during episodes and sure enough, the symptoms were found to be due to hypoglycemia (very low blood sugar).

Since there were no severe episodes and the episodes were treatable with orange juice, the DSMB suggested providing frequent meals and teaching the families and teachers of the students how to treat hypoglycemia. The IRB required an amendment to both the protocol and the consent form recognizing the adverse event. By the fifth month the adolescents were gaining a lot of weight and on one occasion a participant went into hypoglycemic coma and had to be treated in the E.R. The DSMB decided to stop the trial for safety reasons even though the participants on Remembra were learning at an impressive rate and the teachers wanted it continued. The DSMB heard an appeal from the university president for the sake of the mentally retarded to continue the study but they did not budge. Shortly thereafter Dr. Zhivago received a call from a major drug company about the possibility of developing Remembra as a treatment for diabetes. The take away from the case study is that bias is everywhere. Often we start our scientific journeys to help and produce something meaningful for the society but greed, selfish motives and hunger to strive more alters our thought process. Outsourced Strict and regular check should be mandatorily done on such projects.

1.3 Existing Policies of COI (worldwide)

Many professional societies and associations, such as the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the American Association of Universities (AAU), and the Council of Government Relations (COGR), have developed policies on conflicts of interest.

The death of 18-year-old Jesse Gelsinger, at the University of Pennsylvania in a gene-transfer trial, has become a metaphor for egregious science. The universitys Institute of Human Gene Therapy, the trial sponsor, has come under scrutiny because the researchers involved with the trial and the university had apparent financial conflicts of interest. The tragic results of this widely publicized trial alarmed the public and the research community. The University of Pennsylvania has subsequently changed many of its policies, and has discontinued all human gene-transfer experimentation at the Institute of Human Gene Therapy. The principal investigator, James Wilson, stepped down as president of the institute. Following the death of Jesse Gelsinger, the American Society of Gene Therapy (ASGT) has been especially proactive in following this approach and was one of the first to adopt a "zero-tolerance" policy. The ASGT resolved that "all investigators and team members directly responsible for patient selection, the informed consent process and/or clinical management in a trial must not have equity, stock options or comparable arrangements in companies sponsoring the trial.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology published a Revised COI Policy in 2003 which also advocates zero tolerance, stating that members should not hold any stock or equity interest in the trial sponsor or receive from the sponsor honoraria, gifts, or payments that exceed the true cost of the research activity (e.g., a recruitment bonus or incentive for early completion of the study are not permissible).

2. Bayh-Dole Act (1980)

The history of the rise of commercialism in science is revealing. Before 1980, the federal government retained the rights to the research and discoveries of the investigators it funded. Concurrently, biotech companies were having difficulty obtaining licenses to manufacture and market their discoveries. The research enterprise was not thriving during this period. Congress responded in 1980 by passing the Bayh-Dole Act, which:

· Permits recipients of federal funds to obtain the title to the inventions they develop under their federally funded projects, and to transfer the technology to the private sector.

· Requires federally funded researchers to obtain a patent for products developed, to seek commercial opportunities, and to report to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on the use of their discoveries.

The Bayh-Dole Act, in essence, removed the ban on campus entrepreneurship and allowed academic researchers to take an active role in the private applications of their research. This act has been a tremendous boon, especially to universities that now encourage, and even exhort, their faculty members to apply for patents for their discoveries. Of course, this enables the universities to benefit significantly from the shared royalties. Ultimately, many universities have thrived on their relationships with industry. But there is a downside to entrepreneurial relationships. Financial arrangements with sponsors are having effects on publication practices, on the prescribing patterns of investigators and clinicians, and even on the assignment of students or trainees to work on projects from which the researcher is likely to benefit financially. This literature is growing, and it is disturbing. Potential or actual financial conflicts of interest are the unintended consequences of the Bayh-Dole Act.

3. Management of COI

3.1 Managing Conflicts of Interest at the Individual Level

COI must be recognized and identified, then managed, reduced, or eliminated. In handling individual investigator conflicts of interest, disclosure and oversight of the research by an independent board seem to be the most common management strategies. Specific steps might include:

· Increasing numbers of journals require authors to disclose their financial relationships with sponsors of their studies when publishing reports of clinical trials. Many now also require disclosure for editorials or commentaries.

· The investigator's financial interests with the sponsor of the trial could be fully disclosed to any human research volunteers.

· The investigator's financial relations to the sponsor should be included in all written and oral presentations, publications, and abstracts.

Depending on the seriousness of the conflict, other management strategies could include:

· Modifying the research plan, including changing the site(s) of the trial.

· Monitoring of research by independent reviewers. This could include special oversight and approval of any consulting agreement language when faculty consults with companies in which they also hold equity interests. In a clinical study, oversight could include participant recruitment and enrollment, the informed-consent process, analysis of the study data, and the subsequent reporting to the sponsor.

· Divestiture of significant financial interests.

· Severance of relationships that create actual or potential conflicts.

· Disqualification of the researcher from part or all of the research project

3.2 Managing Conflicts of Interest at the Institutional Level

Strategies are emerging to manage institutional COI, several of which are similar to COI that occur on the individual level.

· Encourage transparency via disclosure of conflicts of interest among trustees and former trustees as well as university officials who often have close connections with boards of companies doing business with the institution.

· Place limits on involvement of faculty members and other institutional officials in companies.

· Exercise caution when technology-transfer official's remuneration is tied to stock values, as personal biases can influence judgments regarding stock sales or the acceptance of sponsored research agreements.

· Manage and review conflicts of interest using independent sources and external reviewers.

· Build organizational firewalls so that potentially conflicted parties do not interact. The institutional technology-transfer office should not be in the decision chain of identifying or managing conflicts of interest.

· Anticipate situations that could be perceived as compromising research and fiduciary integrity.

The sources of institutional conflicts of interest are myriad. But they must be addressed if we are to both avoid undermining the credibility of our scientific enterprise and ensure that the highest standards of ethical conduct of research are sustained. The search for truth must not be contaminated by even a perception of bias.

4. Need of COI in Biomedical Research

The growth of the medical-industrial complex during early 21st century has been paralleled by a deepening interest in the ethical conduct of research on human subjects. This interest in biomedical ethics has been driven, in part, by interacting social and historical forces, including political and economic interests and advances in science and technology, together with the growth of concerns for broader protection of human rights. Recognition of the multiple and sometimes divergent interests of the stakeholders involved in medical research and the risk that some interests may undermine others, including the integrity of medical research, has resulted in efforts to reduce or eliminate the potential for divergent and conflicting interests to adversely impact the research process and trust in that process. As the impact of COI has been increasingly recognized and examined, the importance of developing effective strategies to identify and manage such conflicts has been a matter of particular interest in education, medicine, and science.

4.1 Managing conflicts of interest in biomedical research

It can readily be seen that the extent and variety of conflict is a substantial management challenge, and reliance upon good intent and character is inadequate to address these issues. Indeed, focus only upon individual financial interests is also insufficient, and strategies for managing financial and non-financial interests and intrinsic conflicts can be seen as falling into three interrelated, sometimes overlapping domains. These include the following:

· Regulation of the individual

· Design and regulation of the research process

· Critical assessment of the research product

5. COI in India

The extent of conflict of interest regulation index (0 -10) in India was reported at 6.7 in 2016 (shown in Fig.2) according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. This index measure the protection of shareholders against directors’ misuse of assets for personal gain by distinguishing 3 dimensions of regulation that address COI i.e. transparency of related-part transactions (extent of disclosure index), shareholders’ ability to sue and hold directors liable for self -dealing (extent of director liability index) and access to evidence and allocation of legal expenses in shareholder litigation (ease of shareholder suits index). There is no separate law of COI in India but it has been indirectly imbibed in the administration. Below are some of the real life examples of COI seen in India

1. Research selection committees that govern research grants, fellowships and awards are ridden with a severe of COI. It is observed that scientists/ staff select their own students or junior colleagues and term it as ‘recommendation letters’ but both the things are entirely different. In such cases, independent, deserving students don’t get a chance to get selected and work in esteemed organizations.

2. COI is considered a serious offence and controversy event in cricket. According to the Lodha committee which introduced the COI guidelines ‘a person can’t be involved in Indian cricket in more than one role’. Cricketers such as Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly and now Dravid have faced this issue.

3. ICICI Bank and its CEO Chanda Kochchar became a part of controversies related to COI and nepotism when she allowed a loan of 3,250 crore rupees to a corporate group named ‘Videocon’ in 2012 which was dealing with her relatives.

4. In Nov, 2018 senior officials from RBI were fired because they were trying to help the govt. exercise never before used powers that would allow it give ‘directions’ required in the ‘public interest’ to the bank. A conflict btw. BJP govt. and India’s central bank was observed because BJP govt. wanted the RBI to allow state owned banks to resume lending to small businesses, lower interest rates so that it allowed liquidity into the economy. The RBI didn’t approve and it led to cut short tenure of an important board member, on the grounds of COI.

5. India is currently home to more Trump-branded properties than anywhere outside of North America. The Delhi NCR project is his fifth property and is run by Donald Trump Jr. There is a concern that investors could potentially use Trump Jr. as a conduit of influence to his father. Though President Trump is inextricably linked to his business empire and continues to earn profit from it. His refusal to divest from his business continues to create COI. It gives appearance to what is called as ‘Presidency for sale’.

Conclusion

It is clear that conflicts of interest will not go away. Intangible and tangible conflicts of interest will always exist. It can become a serious issue causing money and trust loss if giant companies and institutions are involved in a grouped activity with shared revenues. Financial conflicts of interest will inevitably become more complex and involved. Devising new strategies to manage, reduce, or eliminate conflicts of interest will be an ongoing challenge. Most conflicts of interest created by academic-industry relationships are real, consequential, but tolerable, so long as they are managed to contain their risks while preserving their benefits. We must be vigilant against conflicts of interest that lead to bias and loss of objectivity. The enterprise of research depends on it.

COI are pervasive in biomedical research but must be managed effectively to maintain the integrity of research and public trust. Although most of the focus on conflicts and their management has been on financial conflicts, it is likely that non-financial and intrinsic conflicts have similar potential for creating bias and exerting undue influence on the judgment and actions of the investigator. Further efforts are needed to develop and test methods for effectively identifying conflicts of interest and strategies for their management should be evaluated for their capacity to promote high quality research, protection for research subjects, and public trust in medical research.

It is a need of the hour to have a separate law for COI in India to generate and maintain trust between private and govt. institution, industry and academia for fruitful research processes. Favourism, nepotism and conservatism shouldn’t be practiced in research. It automatically gives a room to conflict of interest in various domains, ones actions, and rights.

NON - TECHNICAL POSTS

Who am I?

Work published in E-fiction India Vol. 5, Issue 01 | Best entries of Beyond Infinity Contest Feb., 2017

It was 11 in the grueling winter night of January; Barney Stinson yelled at Ted in the TV to ‘Suit Up’ for their sexy dates waiting at the bar. We laughed and awed when mother came in the dining hall, the 5th time, to remind us about the (going to suck) exam next day. Sister and I begged for 5 more minutes but our request was not heard and told to march back to our rooms.

Beep. Beep. The message arrived in the inbox states “What if you fail your destiny? Know your future today. Try us 16*0*00*3.” I turn blind eye for the first and lay down on my comfortable bed to read the second notification-It’s Ray’s birthday tomorrow. Wish him all the best!

Beloved and now stressed mother entered the room and said, “Honey you must wake up by 5 for a last revision. It’s your 2nd chance to become a doctor.” She switched on the dim light, kissed me on the cheek and left me with an ocean of unanswered, irrefutable and compelling thoughts. Eventually with several phrases popping into my head one after the other I fell asleep.

I am on a hill, sitting on a cut down trunk aside an oak tree with a notepad resting on my lap while the sun is about to set and prepare for a new start. I write ‘Hey Ray! Blessed Birthday, you have grown into a good ma (n)

“Seriously, a man, is that what you tell others?” shouted a familiar boy-like voice from the distant hill.

"Who is IT?” asked I. A boy of around age 9-10 with brown eyes, curly hair, and sharp nose dressed in pants and t-shirt called himself as Raju Handa. “Wait, what? My father used to call me Raju. I’m a girl”, said I.

“Why the fuck are you messing up woman? I’m a male. I’m better than you. Nobody bullies me. I’m the favorite of Mrs. Kanta.”

“Nonsense! I’m her favorite and I’m a female. How can you be me? I don’t sound like a male.” replied I in confidence.

"Why? Can your subconscious not be male?” replied a female with black eyes, curly hair and wore decent clothes of about age 25 or so stood in front of me with that girl who calls herself as a boy on the other side. She said, "Before you ask and then freak out. I’m you."

I asked myself and them indirectly, "Who am I?"

Raju replied, "You mean, who we are?"

I told Raju to hold on. I know myself. I’m Palak Handa, biomedical graduate from UNT preparing for MCAT. You, Tom boyish can’t be me. She is highly feminine. NO! Not me.

Raju responded, "I don’t like you either. I wish I could tell you how far you have changed. We were mates and now? Look at you, an 18-year-old sulking, possessive woman horrified of her future. Since when did you start dressing up like a Barbie?"

I picked up a pebble to shut him/ her when the woman distracted us by vision of little me dancing and jumping on the bed with my younger cousins on Dhoom Macha Le Dhoom. Those black eyes, curly hair with white t-shirt and black shorts smiled at me as if she could see that I’m watching her dance. She talks and walks like a boy. She jumps from the bed and starts beating her fellow male friends and laughs at other girls who stares at her in kindergarten for her ugly make up and tomboyish behavior. She says, “I will beat them all!”

The vision changes to her being a sister to a newborn named Chaitanya. She changes her younger sister’s diapers and whispers in her ear “I’m your brother. You can always count on me. You will never see a fragile girl threatened by others!”The visions again changes to an emotionally depressed child of 12 with a sick mother and all decisions to take for her family and school life. She wears a fake smile, cooks, and bathes her mother and studies for the coming exams.

It shows us a teenager who reads to distract herself from misery and unwanted heeds; she as a child accepted the love and torture she thought she deserved; harassed by men for her ethereal beauty. The image of me winning an international award and felicitated by guests in front of the entire school.

“Look people. That’s me. This is all of me.” I shout with tears in my eyes but none to hear. The boy and woman were gone. The nature roars with its thundering sounds and sings, “Just keep moving forward, one day at a time. The view from the top is so worth the climb.”

I feel confused and mesmerized and turn around for no reason but to absorb the positive energy around me. I see this beautiful and well equipped laboratory with 3D printers and ECG.

I turn back and ignore the lab view I just met with. It’s just a dream. I tell myself nothing is real.

I hear somebody saying in a flirt tone “Miss Palak. Would you like to have some coffee? We could discuss your project plans for wearable EEG at brunch.”

She handshakes with the male and speaks formally, “I’m lactose intolerant and I look forward to it Mr. Swaminathan”. She looks like a secluded but ambitious, lively woman in her 30's, lean but healthy, dark circled black eyes and straight black hair with strips of white and red in them.


I try to run silently towards the lab and switch on the 3D printer button to quickly test all its function and ignore the conversation going on but I am not able to. It fades away into thin air as if its existence is a complete sham.

I try to avoid the harrowing wolf standing alongside me but it keeps staring me as if looking forward to have a deep conversation with the person standing right beside it. It speaks, “You should feel frightened by my presence.”

"I don’t know. You look familiar. Are you going to say that you are me too?" said I with hesitation.

“Which fool would stand beside you to fantasize about your desires than yourself of course?"

“But animals don't have conscious. They don’t do sleep talking."

"We are social animals. Did you not cram that in 3rd grade? Now suck up, it's time for your desires to unfold before you" said the alluring wolf.

The woman met Mr. Swami. I could clearly see that the equation between the two isn’t great. One was trying to hit and the other was ignoring but writing and analyzing her results. She is deep-seated into her research work with no worldly distraction around her. I enquired the wolf about the woman’s state of contentment.


“What does she look like to you?”

I answered to the wolf that her pale face suggests desolation. I feel she could try being happy by meeting people, having a hobby or anything. I feel she is trapped in her fancy world of equipment with no living soul to encourage or hear her out.

"Nothing in this world comes for free. Everything has a price tag.”Then out of nowhere the girl dressed as a boy or reverse i.e. Raju from my earlier visions approached us. It felt as if the world is going to end. I still hadn’t concluded whether the boy was a girl or the girl was a boy. The view of a beautiful lab and wolf collapsed right in front of me and slowly Raju took my hand and started to walk towards a washroom. I turned back while walking and watched the sun set in a row and now three walls stood nearby which looks like a lab area with no equipment, wolf or humans with no questions but shock.

He asks to distract me from the sudden shock, "Tell me Gemini (sun sign) I showed you so many possibilities. This was one of them but you no longer respond back to them the way you used to. You don’t question a lot or consider taking opinions from elders. You are less decisive now or should I say you have learnt the art of numbness. Why? It's your natural instinct.”

I told him that I have experienced many worldly notions and being indecisive is the last thing I want on this earth. It is better to shut and act numb than act stupid.

He says it's a shame that I don't follow my basic instincts but agrees to the fact that change is necessary. Always!

The moment he opens the door, I feel my hands in a patient’s chest, massaging his heart when he is bleeding profusely.

“Nurse, scalpel and push an epinephrine; he is not slowing down. Put a bag of blood. Where are the fucking lab pads? Yes, some more lab pads.”

“Doctor Palak, the patient is coding.”

“No, no. NO. You are not dying on me. Charge to 150. Everyone Stay back. Anything? Is the heartbeat back? No pulse?”

“No Doctor.”

“Charge to 180 potential and I could try a….”

I take a moment to think back about what other procedures I could try to save this man lying on my table in this big washroom sized Operation theatre when everything fades. Tsunami of questions likes why am I in a washroom? Who is this? Where am I? He can’t die on me; flooded my veins with bundles of emotions. On the other hand, the Raju sits on the table, staring at me with his twinkling eyes and speaks "You always wanted this, an open heart surgery, to be a surgeon. You wanted it to be your destiny.”

I ask him to shut up and let me help the patient. Help is all I want to do. I shut every emotion and think really hard what if I could try a ventricular escape suture but I…

“Go on. You are not sure.” says the boy in confidence and attitude.

“Wait. Is this my destiny? Tell me. Am I in the right direction? Is it really happening? Should I go for MCAT? Are you really a boy?"

“There are certain answers that are lost forever the moment they are explained in words. I only show you of what I have observed. If I tell you now then what purpose will you serve in this universe? You are here for a reason. Do whatever you do. What’s coming will come and we will meet it when it does.”

"Sweetheart, wake up. It's 5 in the morning. You are going to get late for your revisions. Wake up or here comes a bucket full of cold water!"

I m still mumbling in my sleep Raju’s words ‘we will meet it when it does’ and everything turns dark and dusty with blood on my hands and vanished and I wake up with a jerk in my neck.

My beloved and now concerned mother asked "Are you okay? Is it another dream? You are taking too much tension. It’s going to be just fine."

"I don't know. I was talking to myself. The woman, boy and wolf No, no I should revise. The time is not now.” replied my confused conscious mind.

She smiled and cloaked me in her affection and said “Is it another ‘you talking to yourself’ dream? Don’t worry you are in the right direction. You are safe here.”

I replied ‘Hmm.. .’ in a muted voice and woke up to brush my teeth, believing that when the time is right I will know.

My faith is perseverant

Face - to - faith competition | Tony Blair Foundation

It was 2012, 10th grade was on a high with running, wild opportunities to prove yourself and experience more and more but never to stop. Most of the students at school were worried about up-coming 11th subjects and their careers, jobs and life and so on. Whereas I was busy in creating/ trying to create or learn something new or exciting. Summer holidays were on their way and our family had decided to join a 3 day sat-sang of 23, 24 and 25th March, 2012 at Bias, India.

Year 2012, March 23, a day that significantly changed my life in a way that none could have imagined. It was shocking and mesmerizing at the same moment to witness such an incident that took place for about three hours but gave a lifelong message to me and the individuals present at the Sat-sang.

On the night of 22nd March, we reached Bias via train and were welcomed to stay at my uncle's house in quarter R, Bias. It is one of the most beautiful, peaceful and lonely place that I visited in my 15 year old existing life. After the tasty breakfast of Pao Bhaaji on March 23, we assembled in the pandaal and decided to sit in the end to get a better view of the screen and maybe get a closer darshan of Babaji. At the end of every Sat-sang, Babaji gives darshan to everybody present at the pandaal. He sits in an open car with his hands joined and the car moves in every lane and then at the end of every lane the car rotates so most people sitting in the end get to see him twice and not once. Hence our motive to sit in the end of the tent was total and act of greediness. The act of “we want more”.

Have you ever seen a maze box?

Pandaal was like a maze box. Ropes were tied from the poles and children and women sat together and men sat opposite to children. It was like a bi-directional road side where both the sides’ cars can go. We waited for the last tent to open so that we could sit in the very end. 5 minutes before the sat-sang, we were informed from the shouting crowd that they would not open the last tent. Panicking women were running here and there. All the saeva-daars at duty were trying to accommodate the left sangat. They tried their best to keep their and the people’s anger down but the enraged, confused women and children denied to move. Not even an inch. The exasperated men and women demanded the last tent to open!

The situation went quiet when Baba-Ji entered the stage and every screen showed his glowing yet so peaceful face. There he stood with his white turban and wore a light kurta pajama. He sat on his aasan and started to speak. By this time the sangat had gone crazy along with the sevadaars. The men at duty started to close all the entry gates for any tent and did not allow any of the women, men or children to enter. They shouted for us "To quietly leave the Pandaal" OR they will be forcefully asked to do so.

Some of women were still shouting at the duty gentle men and some children wept. They cried because there chance to hear something good was slipping through their hands? OR they cried because their parents were inside or maybe lost and they felt scared? The environment was filled with anger and sadness. We were ashamed of our greed and worldly emotions. Some of the angry women went back to their homes and some sat in the scorching sun, on the floor to just hear something which was left audible. They were denied to see their guru and listen to hear his preaching’s, how pathetic and sad!

And it was extremely sad that “I was one of them”.

Faith Shorts organized by Face to Faith, A Tony Blair Organization was supposed to be held in July 2012. I was called by Mrs. Shailja, our instructor to inform others about the upcoming "Faith Shorts" event. We were encouraged to make videos and prepare dialogues. It was my best friend’s thought about "Hey! Why not turn the 22nd March incidence into a video?". Mrs. Shailja agreed and that lead to the production of this video!

After 5 Years, when I look back to this video it reminds me of the innocence and joy I had in those moments. I still laugh at this video. It is funny especially because it features my sister and her story about her faith. Originally, the idea was to shoot me but I was the only photographer and videographer available so that had to be her. It makes me extremely proud to deliver a blog in front of you which showcases my talents and experience! Hope you like it. Have a good watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXh1AW78QuA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WONwZCplYEM


25 Quotes for a fresh start

Hey! It’s me again. A typical human day starts with the thought of ‘Hey, what to do today? This or that’ and usually ending up with ‘You know what? Let’s schedule it for tomorrow.’ In such a hectic life, I bring to you 25 quotes to read and re-read until you understand and complete the shitty task and make your life a happy place to live with!

25 Quotes:

Following definitions are known to all but a very few can distinguish between them.

Acquaintance: A person who knows slightly but who is NOT a close friend.

Colleague: A person with whom one WORKS in a profession or business.

Friend: A person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one EXCLUSIVE of sexual or family relations.

Best Friend: A person’s closest friend.

Maintain the difference between these 4 alike yet different terms. You will live longer and happy. Content

There are two types of images that we can see. One is the real image and second is the virtual image. You eyes should be sharp enough to visualize the virtual image and aim for the real picture.

Scientific fact: It takes 1/5th of a second to fall in love with someone. Has anyone thought about what do we do for rest of our lives? We test TLC. (Trust, Loyalty and Care)

What could be the difference between confidence and over confidence? Confidence reflects through your face and over confidence is reflected in your answer sheet in the form of your mistakes.

Bad memories were created for us to realize the essence of good memories. That is why bad times come a lot of time but good times fade early yet we remember the good ones and never the bad. Who wants to? No one.

A tip for ‘Advisors’: End with “If I were you, I would….. Only you (Seeker) have the power to change things and NOT the advisor.” Save the future’s mess and your ass. P.S. Thank me later.

There are three different ways of answering a question.

The underground (run-run) way

The same-same way

The changed way. Choose Wisely!

WISELY

To stay underground(run-run) for a while maybe a solution for a day or two but remember one day you will have to step forward into the limelight. Till then, Get ready!

You are tempted to go over board to let someone you love know, how grateful you are for what they have done for you. Say thank-you but don’t get crazy. After all, have you not already paid this one forward?

Can anybody love someone? Love your soul first. You will find a lovely crowd around you.

To ever gain success in life, start reading from the bottom to top of your physics experiment files i.e. Observations- Calculations- Diagrams- Source of error- Precaution- Procedure- Aim (Fulfilled).

Trust is not an argument. You neither win nor lose. It is all about ending your cynicism and seeks for a leap of faith.

If you are so eager to help people and society then make sure if you are helping from your right hand. The left hand is left undisturbed and unknown. Don’t expect for a reward! Keep your help as help and not a favor.

Every individual takes his/ her decision as if they know what is right/ true for the situation. But does that necessarily mean that they are right? No? Yes? Think about it! Never rely on one’s thought judgments. You are good analyzer.

Good Analyzer!

Never pray for something you can’t possibly afford. It only brings a disaster in your blissful life. Standing in a crowd and standing alone surrounded by a crowd are two different things. Some people imagine it; Some people adore it and some enjoy it. The question is who do you want to be?

While seeing though the twinkling stars he asked, “How can I pass through the caring test?”She smiled and answered,” Whenever you see me ill. Just come and hold me. You will pass.”

Sometimes you don’t need a bunch of people to stay happy. Your subconscious i.e. your best and only true friend is enough for you to attain the bliss of life.

When you are standing in a territory of a danger zone, you can neither go back nor step forward for more danger. All you can do is dance, right on that place. Release your tension and get ready for the upcoming danger party.

A bad habit so far is ALWAYS a bad habit but if it keeps your life blissful then try and replace the ‘ALWAYS’ to ‘Sometimes’ for a while.

Sometimes acting up like a queen/ motivator/ adult doesn’t actually help the situation. You have to work with the pack and feel the pain-in-ass situation.

Everyone is ready to hear the echo of a hurt person. What about the hurter? Is she/ he not a human? Mistake is done by both. Some more, some less.

Change?

Instead of asking anyone ‘How much have YOU changed over the years? Good or Bad?’ Just compare your childhood memories with today. You will get the answer with all cherries and plum cakes.

People are both beautiful and not beautiful. Fruits are both more and not more. Thoughts are both right and not right. It’s the way you perceive. A not and a No not.

Every day you don’t need a new plan when the past plan is still in process. Completing the task is important and not generating it.A mistake if punished at the right time becomes a success in the future. -A quote to the lusty man I once knew.

Everything happens for a reason. Stay tuned for more quotes.

My motivation to research in biomedical domain

'Excuse me, excuse me, Good Morning Sir, Hello Sister Mam, excuse me", I say as I make my way towards the Neuro Lab on ground floor. On my way to the lab, I see beautiful faces, wearing different smiles where some were sad, crying in joy or helpless. I asked myself 'what if? What if or how could anyone help these people' and ignored the thought immediately and mentally checked all my questions prepared for the Day 10 at Max hospital, Delhi. I reminded myself to quickly ask doubts from Dr. Sudhanshu and get the daily instrument check form filled and then come back and copy all the serial numbers of D-Fib from the Max healthcare biomedical data base software and report back to the biomedical department.

'May I come in sir?', said the voice in my head as I tried to open the door of Neuro Lab but I quickly closed the door after watching something that I thought I shouldn't be watching. I opened it again and this time sister mam called my name and asked me to take a seat and observe the NCV procedure.

'Ah, it hurts.' the female patient kept repeating painful words for 5-10 minutes when Dr. Sudhanshu intervened and started explaining (and simultaneously continued the procedure) the patient about the pros and cons of the procedure. He was very calm and inspired the family members to be brave and not worry at all and keep taking medicines on time. She weeped but this time she felt comforted. This emotion touched my heart and it was the Neuro and Biomedical department who inspired me to stay calm in difficult situations and react logically and not emotionally and develop a helping nature in everyday life. This situation inspired me to re-search till date. I would never stop asking myself that what if? What if or how could anyone help everyone.

Domestic violence against women

Declamation and Debate | District Level 1st runner up Nov., 2009

How many cases have you heard of domestic violence on women? Maybe it happened to someone you know, but you had no idea about because the victim remained silent, maybe they wanted to protect their identity and their family from social disgrace. Maybe they feared for their children’s future, their reputation in their so called “SOCIETY”. There could be a lot of reasons but none of them valid, none of them important.

After reading this article, you might end up with “Hey, she is bias or talking shits about feminism/ Go and die for your rights” but I feel it isn’t about gender. Being a feminist doesn’t mean “Female rights”, it isn’t biological; feminism is an ideology. (Quoted by- Honorable Kamla Bhasin– Female activist and Social Scientist”)

What I don’t understand is “WHY SO PREVALENT AMONGST WOMEN”.

Is it God’s fault that he made us this way? or the society who considers us as the weaker section and dependable over men for our lives. I don’t say men are wrong but then why forget the vows that you took to “make each other happy” and respect each other’s perspective (applicable for both the genders).

Why forget that she is someone’s daughter and someday your daughter could face the same harassment and pain that you just tried to give your wife/ girlfriend? I feel men alone are not responsible; it’s also the people behind them, silently supporting their vicious actions, but we all cannot ignore the fact that it happens frequently. The root cause of this violence cannot be pinned down to one. We could blame illiteracy, society, our upbringing, the social norms but the real problem lies within us.

I feel nothing should come between you and your identity be it any gender. It is an indisputable fact that we being social animals depend on others to assure us of what is good and bad. Respect yourself and it doesn’t matter what people would say or think about you (Refer: Looking-at-yourself-through-someone-else’s-eyes)

Now comes the point of what could be done to prevent this.

Prevention

First of all we should not remain silent, stand for our rights without being afraid of the consequences. We are allowed to be selfish when it comes to our pride, our dignity and our beliefs.

So make sure you stand for yourself even when it feels like the wrong thing to do at the moment. It would at the end amount to something. At times you might feel the need to not say anything against violence, protecting people who you love from disgrace. But being a victim is worse than being a disgrace.

People all around us need to come to terms with the fact that we as women would not tolerate violence at the hands of others .All of us should take a vow to raise our voice against such inhuman crime and join hands to protect those who need us in their time of need. Stand for what is right and ignore the others. Families too need to be more open about such things. Some online platforms like “I-am-nirbhaya” are 24/7 available to help you. All you have to do is email/ contact them. Government help lines like 181 are ready to help women in distress. Contact them and stand for yourself. Don’t let any gender crush your happiness.


How money evolves us all

By Anvita Dixit and Palak Handa

I am sure most of you must believe money is life and life is money. I am not being presumptuous here by saying that money can buy happiness, but it sure can buy you things which makes you happy. Many of us dream of big houses, yachts, having our own jet, shopping till you drop and all those kinds of things which money can buy.

I don’t want to sound like a materialistic person but I cannot disagree with the fact that having money at your disposal is “not at all a bad thing”. All of us at some point might have come across such people who build relationships based on financial status. It is a common occurrence where parents look for potential brides/grooms for their children with better financial condition than their own.

So we do agree that money has power over human mind and can alter our decisions to some level. Let’s not stray from our current topic of “How money evolves us” but if you wish to read more about our thoughts on how money affects human relationships check out our upcoming article “She earns more than me”.

We all know that kids keenly observe their surroundings and learn as they grow. Their parents are a huge influence on the way their mind works. They learn the importance of money from their parents.

For a better understanding of the given situation we are taking into consideration three kinds of parents. Some parents want to give their child the whole world since they did not have that sort of privilege as a kid. Even psychology states that every individual wants his/her next generation to have more than they had, a better lifestyle, better grooming and a state where they would want for nothing. These are the kinds of parents that spoil their kids rotten. Some parents want their children to learn about the limitations that money brings with it. They do have the luxury of giving their child anything that he/she asks for but would only buy them stuff which is essential but would occasionally pamper them. The third kind of parent has enough money to buy their kids the necessary stuff but not enough to pamper them.

These different kinds of upbringings affect their teenage life immensely. This cycle goes on to affect their future, their parenting style, and their relationships with their partner and so on. Now comes the time when the kid gets introduced to the world of romantic relationships. Here, irrespective of the individual’s parenting he/she during their blooming stage of love would want to treat their partners lavishly on important dates like Valentine’s Day, birthday, their first meeting, and their six month anniversary and so on and so forth. The person would eventually buy something but might have some doubts regarding the amount of money spent. He/she purchases something in the spur of the moment when they are in the love induced fog but come to their right mind sometime later and realize that they have spent their money on shit.

But do they learn the importance of money?

Some do. Some don’t. We can never predict a person in love. Those few who eventually come to their senses realize that earning money is not easy and requires understanding its value. This person then evolves into a parent and tries to incorporate his own life’s learning into his parenting. He/she would try to help his/her kids in not making the same mistakes that they did. And voila! He/she is a new and improved person and an excellent parent.

Since we are steering towards the end of this article, I would like to shed some light on the way I think we should be living. I understand that it is important to save money for a rainy day but we should surely keep some money aside for enjoying life because as I have said in the earlier articles that our goal should not be not to just exist but live and enjoy life. It is not bad if sometimes we spend money on our wants and not our needs (sometimes being the keyword here!). So, friends try to grab as much happiness as you can from your life and before I forget HAPPY NEW YEARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR…..( just in case you didn’t understand that was me singing in my very off tune voice JUST FOR YOU..)

POEM

Self esteem

This poem was awarded several times in various inter school competitions and featured in D.A.V. magazine.

when i die

I want to be cremated,

No,not put in a jar afterwards,

or thrown out to sea,

but instead remembered as a keeper

And a helping hand to a weeper.

so that over the years i'll once again come alive

All ears would listen to my earnest rejoice

And say "There she lived ,a helper"

Self esteem was her name

She hopped,tried and fought

But never orates to not try again

One calls her every time

In need or in feed

She is the one who replies all the time

So ask her what it is to life

And live happily in the dive.

Colourless rainbow

By Palak and Chaitanya Handa | This poem was awarded several times in various inter school competitions and featured in D.A.V. magazine.

Colourless rainbow

Shiny drops that suddenly hopped

Outside that silent window

Today something happened outside

There I saw a colourless rainbow.

It was not something I could explain

Nor a thing that will go in vain

What it was I Just don't know

Because it was a colourless rainbow.

Suddenly I heard a silent voice

It was not clear so heard (it) twice

Something that just didn't allow me to go

It was the voice of that colourless rainbow .

Something it said after taking (some)time

I'm first, there are others in line

But before going there is something

That you should know

I'm your tears , not a colourless rainbow

I'm your fear , not a colourless rainbow.

So Let's make it full of hues of harmony and happiness let loose .

"Everything happens for a reason. Keep breathing and let live." - PH