This paper raises some of the ethical issues involved in the recruitment of healthy volunteers (HVs) by clinical research organizations (CROs) for bioavailability and bioequivalent (BA/BE) studies. It also explores the underlying reasons for the participation of the HVs and their interaction with the CROs. The findings are based on the data collected from 50 HVs participating in a BA/BE study conducted by a CRO in Hyderabad and from the key officials involved in it. The findings indicate the existence of various complex networks, throw some light on the role of middlemen ("Anna") and the negotiation process, and give us an insight into the social norms and values that compelled the HVs to participate in the study. The paper offers a critical analysis of a few ethical concerns.

The present study focusses on exploring the impact of parental support on the academic performance of students with disabilities. A qualitative study approach was used to explore students with disabilities' perspectives of parental support and the impact it has on their academic performance. This qualitative study purposively selected eight participants. They were subjected to semi-structured, open-ended, one-on-one interviews, and these interviews were recorded using an audio recorder with their permission. The collected data was analysed using thematic content analysis. Parental support may take numerous forms, including emotional, physical, and financial assistance. As a result, parental support influences academic success and the adjustment of students living with disabilities to their new environment. However, parental knowledge, attitudes, and tolerance of a student's disability have been shown to be obstacles to meaningful parental support. This study concludes that for students with disabilities to perform to their maximum potential, parents must be trained and empowered to provide necessary support including motivating their children.

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A precise routine method is essential for the rapid identification of pathogenic mycobacterial species to support our publicly maintained health care management systems to efficiently treat and control and emerging tuberculosis pandemic that is threatening populations of global third world economies. To date, many conventional and more recently developed molecular genotyping methods are employed to this end. However, current technologies are limited in respect in that they are time consuming nature and dependent on highly skilled technical personnel expertise. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been recently reported as reliable, economical, and highly efficient method for both bacteria, yeast and to a limited extent for mycobacterial strain identification. Unlike other microbes, a major impediment exists in the efficient extraction of cellular proteins from mycobacteria, especially due to their complex cell wall associated lipid structure. In this study, the manufacturer prescribed mycobacterial sample preparation method for MALDI TOF MS is modified and optimised to generate more efficient cellular protein extraction for efficient biotyping. In this regard, the newly developed sample preparation method is inclusive of a glass bead cellular disruption/delipidation followed by a chloroform-methanol solvent extraction event. Interestingly, the data from this locally based study shows that newly developed method generates unique and highly reproducible mass spectra profiles. A new and independent main spectral profile reference library (CMEFA-MSP) representing clinically relevant American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) mycobacterial strains and clinical isolates was established and subsequently used to unequivocally identify 110 (n = 100) blind-coded clinical mycobacterial isolates to the species level that displayed log score values of ≥2.3. This strongly suggests that MALDI-TOF MS when used in conjunction with the CMEFA sample preparation protocol has potential as a simple and cost-effective alternative for the unambiguous identification of clinically important mycobacteria.