Learning Journal 7

This past Monday in class we talked about some of the reading that we had done about field studies. One of the papers addressed the topic of taking notes and gathering your day to day data. Writing is not exciting for me, but I know that it will be super important for me to put together some well developed thoughts. It talked about jotting, keeping a journal, and keeping a log. I think the ones that I will be the best at are jotting and keeping a log. Jotting will go great for me because I enjoy planning out my days and planning ahead. I think a lot of time can be saved by proper preparation. I also think it will be very helpful to take notes of what I actually end up doing each day, not just what I planned to do. I have a short term memory so it will be good to refer back to my notes. It will also be very important for me to get home each day and elaborate through writing what has happened. As I elaborate about interviews I had that day, it will be very helpful to code it so I can refer to it in a quick manner. I have a hard time with journals, but I can see their importance. I know a field study will not be easy every day so it would be very helpful to be able to look back and read some days that I was really enjoying or read some reasons as to why I was out there.
We also talked about another reading that discussed monochromic and polychrnoic time. I am sure that both systems will be present in India. I am curious how I will like each way. I am used to monochromic time because I like to plan out my days and focus on one thing at a time. A polychronic way of living might actually be nice for a field study because I will be able to stop people on the street and talk to them, knowing that they will talk and get back to what they are doing afterwards. I think that this is helpful to understand when performing a field study and will be beneficial for me to look out for while in India.
I look forward to further develop and understand each of these two readings so that I can be a better field study participant.

Source 9

Ayurveda is a holistic healing science used by a large amount of people throughout the world, especially India. Its literal meaning is the science of life. So it not only provides treatments, but it also gives guidance for how to live your whole life in a healthy manner. The two aims of Ayurveda are: 1) To maintain the health of healthy people 2) To cure the diseases of sick people. Every person is made up of five primary elements: space, air, fire, water, and earth. When any of these elements are imbalances in the environment, they will in turn have an influence on us. While we are a composite of these five primary elements, certain elements have the ability to combine to create various physiological functions.
The three main ones are as follows:
1) The elements combine with Ether and Air in dominance to form Vata Dosha. Vata Dosha governs the principle of movement and therefore can be seen as the force which directs nerve impulses, circulation, respiration and elimination.
2) The elements of Fire and Water combine to form the Pitta Dosha. This is responsible for process of transformation or metabolism. Ex: Nutrients in food are assimilated.
3) The elements of Water and Earth combine to form the Kapha Dosha. This is responsible for growth, adding structure. It also offers protection. Ex: The mucous lining of the stomach that protects it.
The ratios of each of these vary in each individual because each person has a special mixture that makes us all different. When any of the doshas become accumulated, Ayurveda will suggest specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to assist the individual in reducing the dosha that has become excessive. Also, herbal medicines will be suggested to cure the imbalance and disease. This explains why persons with the same disease may require different treatments and medications.

Other basic principles of Ayurveda include
Dhatus- These are the basic tissues which maintain and nourish the body. They are seven in number namely- rasa(chyle), raktha(blood), mamsa(muscles),meda(fatty tissue), asthi(bone), majja(marrow) and sukla(reprodutive tissue). Proper amount of each dhatu and their balanced function is very important for good health.
Mala- These are the waste materials produced as a result of various metabolic activities in the body. They are mainly urine, feaces, sweat etc. Proper elimination of the malas is equally important for good health. Accumulation of malas causes many diseases in the body.
Srotas- These are different types of channels which are responsible for transportation of food, dhatus, malas and doshas. Proper functioning of srotas is necessary for transporting different materials to the site of their requirement. Blockage of srotas causes many diseases.
Agni- These are different types of enzymes responsible for digestion and transforming one material to another.
The essence of treatment is the removal of the cause and avoidance of causative factors. Ayurvedic treatment does not mean suppressing the main symptoms and creating some new ones as side effects of the main treatment. It is to remove the root cause and give permanent relief. "Treatment is rooted in measure" : the effect of any particular therapy on any particular patient depends on its dosage, which again depends upon the climate, the doshas involved , the strength of the patient versus the strength of the disease, the patients age and constitution , the specific syndrome, the patients social environment , the goal of treatment and so on.Because the medicines are from natural sources and not synthetic, they are accepted and assimilated in the body without creating any side effects and on the other hand, there may be some side benefits. Along with medicine, proper diet and living style is also advised.
When the doshas are well harmonized and function in a balanced manner, it results in good nourishment and well being of the individual. But when there is imbalance or disharmony within or between them, ailments begin to rise.
You can increase each dosha by eating or drinking certain things. Not only does eating or drinking increase a dosha, but doing certain things each day. This list can be found online.
Ayurveda proposes three stages in the quest for good health: daily routine and seasonal activities to prevent illness, purification therapy and medications for diseases and rejuvenation of the system to enhance health and quality of life.
Ayurveda proposes three stages in the quest for good health: daily routine and seasonal activities to prevent illness, purification therapy and medications for diseases and rejuvenation of the system to enhance health and quality of life.
Guidelines for maintaining Good Health

Daily Routine
+ Awaken before sunrise
+ Evacuate bowels and bladder after awakening
+ Bathe every day to create a sense of bodily freshness
+ Exercise (preferably Yoga) and meditate
+ Wash hands before and after eating
+ Brush teeth after meals
+ Fast one day a week to help reduce toxins from the body
+ Sleep before 10 PM

Diet and digestion
+ Food should be fresh, warm, tasty and easy to digest.
+ Eating should not be too rushed or too slow. Chew your food nicely.
+ Do not eat while watching TV or while reading .
+ Eat in peaceful and pleasant surroundings.
+ Do not drink water one hour before or after meals . You can have it in small quantities with meals.
+ There should be at least four hours difference between two meals .
+ Do not take too many items in one meal. The items taken should also not be contradicting one another.
For example yogurt and milk or ice cream and hot coffee.
+ Fruits should not be mixed with meals. Either take a separate meal of fruits or eat between two meals.
+ If you feel tired or heaviness in the stomach after eating , this is improper eating. Eat according to your digestive power.
+ One teaspoon of grated fresh ginger with a pinch of salt is a good appetizer
+ A glass of warm milk with ginger at bedtime is nourishing and calms the mind
+ Exess intake of cold drinks reduces resistance and creates excess mucus
+ Taking a nap after lunch will increase kapha and body weight

Physical Hygiene
+ Oil massage promotes circulation and relieves excess vata.
+ If possible gaze at the rays of the sun at dawn for five minutes daily to improve eyesight.
+ Gazing at a steady flame , morning and evening for ten minutes , improves eyesight.
+ Do not repress the natural urges of the body , i.e. defecation, urination, coughing, sneezing, yawning, belching and passing gas
+ Bad breath may indicate constipation , poor digestion, unhygienic mouth and toxins in the colon.
+ Body odor indicates toxins in the system.
+ Rubbing the soles of the feet with sesame oil before bedtime produces a calm, deep sleep.
+ Reading in bed will injure the eyesight.
+ Application of oil to the head calms the mind and induces sound sleep.
+ Dry hair immediately after washing to prevent sinus problems.
+ Cracking the joints is injurious to the body.
+ Avoid physical exertion , such as yoga or running during menstruation.

Mental Hygiene
+ Fear and nervousness dissipate energy and aggravate Vata.
+ Possessiveness , greed and attachment increase Kapha.
+ Worry weakens the heart.
+ Hate and anger create toxins in the body and aggrevate Pitta.
+ Exessice Talking dissipates energy and aggravates Vata .

This encompasses some of the basic principles of Ayurveda, but there is still a lot more to it. There are also: Women and Child Care, Ageing and Rejuvenation, Philosophy & Yoga, Purification Therapies, and Diseases and Cures.

Ayurveda is very important to what I will observe while in India. This sort of lifestyle and thinking will be very common among people that I talk to. It is interesting that this way of living involves daily brushing ones teeth after each meal. If daily hygiene were performed in a proper way by each individual who lives by these principles, I would expect to see teeth in good condition. But after all of the studies I have read of research that has been done in India, it seems that I will not observe the best of teeth. Asking if people live by Ayurveda will be a great question for me to determine how prevalent this practice still is among the people. I look forward to learning more about their health codes and practices.

Learning Journal 6

This past Friday for class we discussed our research question. I think one thing stands common amongst us all, we all have a lot of narrowing down to do. Much of what we proposed as our "main question" was very broad. However, this is fine for right now since we are all in the beginning steps. I guess it just made me realize that although I still have time to work on bringing my project to a focus, I really need to work a little faster. Determining the question is the first part of the whole process, but it is just the beginning. Like those commercials for Tootsie Pop that ask "how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop", I feel in a similar position. I have just taken off the wrapper and am taking my first few licks. It has just hit me that this process will take a lot more licks to get to that delicious center. So until then I am just licking and licking away, hoping to make progress. Once I decide on my question, I will still have a lot more decisions to make; how will I gather my data, who will I use, what questions will I ask? I really think that once I pick my topic the whole process will proceed much quicker.
Another aspect that caught me about the project was how I was going to ask the people my survey questions. I probably can't translate the questions directly and I probably can't just ask them in the same way that I would ask them in the US. I was thinking I might focus on a younger age group, so I would have to determine how I would ask them in a way that they could understand. Then I would also have to decide how I would go about picking that age group or if I would try to ask everyone I thought was in that age range. This whole process will actually take a lot of time and I may come to realize that I won't actually know what to ask them until I get there. There are a lot of questions to be asked. There are a lot of questions that I need to answer before i hop on that plane.
I have been trying to spend more time focusing on what I can specifically research as I see that as my first step in getting closer to my proposal. This includes spending more time on the internet learning more about oral care and current practices. I want to look into Ayurveda a little more to get the common practices. I appreciate the extra comments from classmates, teachers, and Rem.

Source 8

Source Document Analysis Worksheet

World Health Organization 7 August 2003
Author’s name (last, first) Publication date
IARC Monographs Programme finds betel-quid and areca-nut chewing carcinogenic to humans
Title
World Health Organization World Health Organization
Book series OR Journal Location and publisher OR volume, issue, pages

Betel-quid and areca-nut chewing is a traditional habit widely practiced in many parts of Asia. Betel quid generally consists of betel leaf (from the Piper betel vine), areca nut (from the Areca catechu tree), and slaked lime (predominantly calcium hydroxide), to which tobacco is often added. Other ingredients and flavoring agents can be included according to local preferences and practices. A previous evaluation in 1985 had found that chewing betel quid with tobacco is carcinogenic to humans. The new evaluation goes further to conclude that chewing betel quid without tobacco is also carcinogenic to humans. The working group also concluded that the areca nut, a common component of many different chewing habits, is carcinogenic to humans. Betel quid is chewed for many reasons, including for its stimulant effects, to satisfy hunger, to sweeten the breath, and as a social and cultural practice.
The expert working group has determined that betel quid with tobacco causes oral cancer, cancer of the pharynx, and cancer of the oesophagus in humans. Betel quid without tobacco is now known to cause oral cancer in humans. Areca nut, a common component of all betel quid preparations, has been observed to cause oral submucous fibrosis (a pre-cancerous condition that can progress to malignant oral cancer), leading to the determination that areca nut itself is carcinogenic to humans.
Oral cancers are more common in parts of the world where betel quid is chewed. Of the 390,000 oral and oro-pharyngeal cancers estimated to occur annually in the world, 228,000 (58%) occur in South and South-East Asia. In some parts of India, oral cancer is the most common cancer.
Aggressive advertising, targeted at the middle class and at children, has enhanced the sales and use of these products. In some parts of India, almost one out of three children and teenagers regularly or occasionally chew these products. Some have viewed such products without tobacco (for example, pan masala) as a safe alternative to betel quid with tobacco. The evidence shows that these products have led to oral disease, even among children, and that use of these products cannot be considered safe. Several states in India have begun to regulate these products, and reductions in oral disease and oral cancer can be expected to follow from reductions in their use.
This article displays another aspect of oral care that I had not taken into consideration. It is interesting how common of a practice this is among the people there, but it can be compared to the availability and use of cigarettes in the US. It is sad to see how prevalent this is, even among the youth, and the effects that it can have on health. In another research paper I read they mentioned the percentage of people that use pan masala. It is sad that addictive substances have been used to hook the people who use it.
I am curious what the awareness of this carcinogen is among the people there. It would be interesting to determine what other common foods are detrimental to health. This whole topic is interesting because it is such a common practice among the people of India and relevant to many of them. If I were to pick this as a research topic, I would have to decide how to survey or research more about it. This topics opens the door for me to explore other things that are common among the people of India that cause oral and general health problems.

Learning Journal 6

For class on Wednesday we were supposed to read a section of a book that Margaret pulled out for us about the history of India. I'd like to start by saying that I am not a very big fan of reading. As I printed off the reading, I was mainly focused at how many pages kept rolling out. Depending on the subject of material that I read, I tend to zone out fairly easily. As I started reading through the history of India, I was half focused and half thinking about other things going on in my life. When I realized that the reading was long but concise, I began to tune in more. I came to realize that it was covering a lot of history in a simple manner, it caught my attention. The more I read, the more I was enticed. I recall very little about Indian history from all of my years of world history classes. Everything I read was new and that fact alone kept my attention. There is also the fact that one is more interested in something when connected to it in some way. I am connected to India I thought, this is exciting.
One thing I struggle with is going into things with no clue what I am doing. I would hate to go into India without some basic history as to why it is the way it is. This has continued to fuel my interest. In class we watched some videos on YouTube about India, one of them was a BBC production. We started watching an hour long documentary, but had to stop because class was over. What I took as a sarcastic joke to go home and finish watching the video (who goes home and wants to continue doing class work) turned into something I actually ended up doing. I actually had to work after class so at work I pulled up the video on YouTube and watched the rest of that documentary and a whole other documentary on India. I was enthralled because it was so interesting. Since I am a very visual learner, the material with the locations made it very interesting. Location after location came up on the screen and little pieces of treasure about the history were covered. I noticed that some of the material that was covered was a repeat from the reading that needed to be completed for class. Watching it and hearing it again helped solidify what happened in the early history of India. I liked the documentary so much, that I am ready to spend my weekend watching more films about India.
After I came home from work that one night, I watched more and realized something that I didn't know about. An old king named Ashoka was covered in one of the documentaries and they mentioned that there was a newer film produced about his life. I sent Nathan (a friend also going to India) a text right away and told him that we had to rent it and watch it because it looked great.
Anyways, the more I can understand about the history of India, the better prepared and comfortable I will feel in India. I am excited to continue to understand more about the place I will be living for 90 days. This history will hopefully help me connect to people so that as I research them they will feel comfortable with me. It will also be neat to see ancient history in the modern places we will be around.

The Ashoka Chakra, "the wheel of Righteousness" (Dharma in Sanskrit or Dhamma in Pali)"

Source 7

Source Document Analysis Worksheet

Karibasappa GN, Nagesh L, Sujatha BK 25 April 2011
Author’s name (last, first) Publication date
Assessment of microbial contamination of toothbrush head: An in vitro study
Title
Indian Journal of Dental Research Karnataka, India, Indian Journal of Dental Research
Book series OR Journal Location and publisher OR volume, issue, pages

 This study and research paper set out: 1)  To assess the microbial contamination of the hard deposit on the toothbrush head, between the bristle tufts, after 1 and 3 months of use. 2) To assess the microbial contamination of the hard deposit on the toothbrush head, between the bristle tufts, which were kept in the bathrooms with and without attached toilet. They realize that the most common oral hygiene aid used to improve the oral health of an individual is toothbrush and it is often neglected to maintain in a proper aseptic condition, which could probably result in contamination by various micro-organisms.
They conducted the study by keeping twenty toothbrushes in the bathrooms with an attached toilet and 20 toothbrushes kept in the bathrooms without an attached toilet were collected from the participants, making it a total of 40. Among these 20 toothbrushes in each group, 10 were used for 1 month duration and 10 were used for 3 months duration.
Their leading results were that Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas, Lactobacillus, Klebsiella, Candida species were isolated in 1 month and 3 months used toothbrushes kept in the bathrooms without attached toilet. Escherichia coli was found in 3 months used toothbrushes kept in the bathrooms with attached toilet. Micro-organisms were found in isolated form in toothbrushes used for 1 month, whereas in toothbrushes used for 3 months they are found in clumps. These microorganisms cause different diseases, e.g., Str. mutans causes initiation of dental caries in human beings; Lactobacilli cause the progression of the dental caries; Candida causes candidiasis; Pseudomonas causes suppurative otitis, eye infections, urinary tract infections, burn infections, etc.; Klebsiella causes pyogenic infections, septicemia, pneumonia, diarrhea, urinary tract infections; Str. pyogenes causes urinary tract infections, rheumatic fever, glomerulonephritis; and Sta. aureus causes boils, carbuncle, pustules, abscess, osteomyelitis, endocarditis and septicemia. In the present study, the micro-organisms isolated were not only oral pathogens but also general pathogens.
This study is interesting and can be relevant to my research because it provides me with another aspect of oral hygiene, proper maintenance of dental supplies.  From this study it appears that improper maintenance of a toothbrush could allow various microorganisms to enter the body and potentially cause disease. I am sure that the conditions could get worse, depending on the condition of the bathroom. Improper care of dental supplies in India could be a contributing factor to prevalence of oral diseases. I think it would be interesting to determine the care that is taken of hygiene products in India. This could give a clue to not only oral problems, but general health problems as well. This study is very applicable because I could very simply put together a study to research the condition of oral hygiene products in India. This research gave me another avenue to travel down if I so choose.

Learning Journal 5

Today we went over some of the things wrong with a proposal. There was a myriad of things that could be fixed to make it sounds better. I liked the idea that although my proposal may not  be perfect at first, I can continue to tweak it to make it fit the desired outcome. I guarantee that my first idea will not be the most fitting for my circumstances. I need to
1) Really narrow down my project
2) Decide how to gather the data - questionnaire, talking with people on the street, survey of schools, dental offices.
I would narrow down my project right now, but I am still in search of what research has been done already to determine how I can effectively use my time. If I do sociodemorgaphic, i can ask all sorts of questions: Income, transportation, family size, village or city, education, age, drugs. However, this is useless unless I relate it to dental work so I would have to ask some of the questions from my 25 questions that I posted earlier dealing with dental care. I don't necessarily have the resources to compare tobacco use or other causes of oral damage. An alternative research idea that I could work on would be to understand the alternative types of oral care that are used in India. This could include everything from what they chew on to what they swish in their mouth, like the sesame oil.
The online annotated sources are really giving me a good idea of alternative ideas that are dental related so that is really helpful. As I continue to study and research, it will help me narrow down my topic so that when it comes time to write my proposal, I can be precise and confident.

Source 6

Source Document Analysis Worksheet

Reddy, Sujatha S, Shaik Hyder Ali, KH				19 October 2007
Author’s name (last, first)				Publication date
Estimation of nicotine content in popular Indian brands of smoking and chewing tobacco products
Title
Indian Journal of Dental Research		Bangalore, India, Indian Journal of Dental Research
Book series OR Journal		Location and publisher OR volume, issue, pages

The purpose of this article is to estimate the nicotine content of some popular Indian brands of smoking tobacco (cigarettes and bidis) and pan masalas (chewable tobacco). Much of the cancer prevalent today is linked to our lifestyles. Tobacco and diet are claimed to account for nearly two-thirds of all cancers we see worldwide; most of these are preventable. In recent decades, there has been a massive global increase in tobacco use, having risen from 300 million per year in 1920 to 5.5 trillion in 2000. There are an estimated 82,000-99,000 young people worldwide initiated into smoking each day.

In India it is estimated that 57% of the population aged 15 years and above (more than 500 million) use tobacco in one form or another. Of this group, 72% smoke bidis, 12% smoke cigarettes, and 16% use tobacco in the smokeless form. Tobacco-containing brands are preferred by many due to their intoxicating effect and also the added flavor and taste due to the tobacco in the mix.

Nicotine concentration of nicotine in chewing tobacco averaged 3.4 mg/gm whereas it averaged 15 mg/gm in smoking tobacco. In the US the nicotine content of cigarettes was found to be 10.2 mg/gm. Nicotine concentrations in India in the smoking form of tobacco were found to be almost four times higher compared to that in chewing tobacco, however, this was largely compensated for by the greater intake of chewing tobacco. Chewing tobacco used 7-8 times a day may be equivalent to smoking 30-40 cigarettes per day. The odds for oral cancer is estimated to be 7.2 in smokers, 1.3 in alcoholics, and 11.4 in those habituated to chewing tobacco. Bidis, an alternative type of cigarette is the most popular form of tobacco used in India. The nicotine content of bidis was found to be 26.9 mg/gm, much higher than in cigarettes. Bidis is associated with increased incidence of oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, lung, esophageal cancers, as well as stomach and liver cancer; also, overall cancer risks are higher for bidi smokers than for cigarette smokers.

This study is relevant to me because it identifies another aspect of oral care that I had not thought of. A great study to be done in India, which has been done, is the prevalence of tobacco use. This is important because it has a huge affect of the oral condition. If people are using tobacco on a regular basis, their oral hygiene will be in a worse condition and will lead to a need for more treatment. This would be another thing that I could study while in India; it just gives me more possibilities. It is good to know how much and often people use tobacco because it will affect the need for oral care and will help me understand my results better. 

Learning Journal 4

During class on Friday we covered a lot of very important concepts. One concept that stuck out to Nate and I was performing research that cannot just be studied at home in the library. I realized this a while back when I was thinking of my research topic. I know very little about dentistry and even less about diagnosing oral concerns or problems. I knew that I wouldn't be able to do a dental research project where I actually look in peoples mouth. I know that most of my research will come from sociodemographic data and very common and basic questions about oral care. I will mainly be performing questionnaires or talking with people about their day to day oral perception. With this data I should be able to draw some clear conclusions about the oral condition of that area.
What stuck out to me in the reading, was fitting in the right way with your research. I want to make sure that people answer honestly. In class we talked about approaching people the right way and bringing up the conversation in an appropriate manner. We did this a lot on our missions, but it will be different with this field study. I will not be involving myself in the research, but will probably be asking the questions for it. In order to fit in, it will probably be important to the people that I can communicate with them. I don't know if an interpreter would limit the accuracy of data that I could collect. If I could talk with the people in their own language, or at least attempt to, they might trust me more and be more willing to share information. As I narrow down my research topic, I will have to decide what will be the best way to approach the people from the area. I may not even be able to do this until I travel over there and am put in the situation. I think building the trust through friendships would create the best results. This would involve time and more than a simple questionnaire though, it would involve trust.

Source 5

Source Document Analysis Worksheet

Asokan, Sharath				2 April 2008
Author’s name (last, first)				Publication date
Oil pulling therapy
Title
Indian Journal of Dental Research		Chennai, India, Indian Journal of Dental Research
Book series OR Journal		Location and publisher OR volume, issue, pages

1. What is the source’s stated purpose (the argument or thesis)?

The purpose of this article is to bring up the importance of an alternative form of oral care.  Although there are older forms of oral care that have been practiced for centuries, the author is bringing up the validity of these practices. The author wants more research to be done on this topic.

2. What evidence does the author provide to support his or her main argument? How is the author attempting to logically prove his or her thesis and how does this affect the organization of the document?

The sesame plant gives off gingelly or til seeds. Sesame oil has a high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids and is a good source of vitamin E. Sesamin has been found to inhibit the absorption of cholesterol as well as its production in the liver. It reduces lipogenesis and exhibits an antihypertensive action.

'Oil pulling' or oil swishing is a procedure that involves swishing oil in the mouth for oral and systemic health benefits. Oil pulling therapy with sesame oil has been extensively used as a traditional Indian folk remedy for many years for strengthening teeth, gums, and jaws and to prevent tooth decay, oral malodor, bleeding gums, dryness of throat, and cracked lips. For oil pulling therapy, a tablespoon (teaspoon for young children) of sesame oil is taken in the mouth, sipped, sucked, and pulled between the teeth for 10-15 min. The viscous oil turns thin and milky white. It is claimed that the swishing activates enzymes and draws toxins out of the blood. The oil should not be swallowed as it contains bacteria and toxins. Oil pulling therapy should be followed by tooth brushing and rinsing of the mouth. It is preferably done on an empty stomach in the morning.

Sesame oil has the following advantages over the standard and commercially available mouthwashes: it causes no staining, has no lingering aftertaste, and causes no allergic reactions. It is five to six times more cost-effective than the commercially available mouthwashes and is, moreover, readily available in the household. Considering these benefits, oil pulling therapy with sesame oil should be promoted as a measure for the prevention of oral disease.

3. Who is the audience? What does the author assume the audience already knows about the topic?

The audience is anyone interested in performing more research into this topic. This research can turn out to become a big industry in third world countries since it can be produced much cheaper. The author tells us the potential benefits of learning more about the oil as to spark an interest.

4. Describe the author’s methods (i.e. how does the author know what he or she knows)?  In your opinion were they appropriate why or why not?

The author knows this information because it has been around for such a long period of time. The author still doesn’t know much about the topic and is inquiring more about it.

5. To what other sources (theorist, researchers, artists) does the author refer? Explain the specific ideas the author draws upon from these other sources to support his or her own argument (the theoretical framework).

The author cannot refer to much research prior to this, but many articles have been referenced with it since.

6. What are the connections between this source and your project? How useful or applicable is this source’s approach to your own project? How is yours new and different? 

The neat part of this source is that it brings up an alternative form of oral care that can be used anywhere. This source mainly brings up the idea that there are other preventatives and hygiene available. The best part of it all is that it is affordable and available. That is crucial for developing countries. This source just gives me a good idea that there is at least one alternative form of oral care available to the public.

Learning Journal 3

During our last class we discussed the history of India. Wow, there is a lot of history to review. I never really thought about acclimating myself to the historical aspect of India. But it can end up being very beneficial to my experience over there. The historical context of India covers a wide variety of topics. In order to better fit in and communicate with the people, it will be helpful to study up on my history 101 for India. The more I know about the people and who they are, the less of an outsider I will be. This really opened up a door of information for me to become familiar with. It is really important for me to try and fit in with the people, especially because I will be trying to gather information from them. If they do not feel comfortable around me, I will not get valid information or they may not even be willing to help with my survey.
For me personally, I want to learn more about Hinduism because I know that it is very popular. I also want to be familiar with the popular social and political movements. I will probably be spending some time in the library or online learning more about the Indian culture. I am excited to understand more because the topic is interesting to me and I know so little about it. We brought up a lot of questions in class and they all sounded valid to me to look more into.

Project Question

My research in India will focus around one big question. This question will mold into what I want it to become as the semester goes on. Right now I know that it will be dental related.

What is the perception of oral care among residents in Coimbatore, India and what sort of oral hygiene is observed?

I am looking to observe the perception of oral care among all sorts of ages. I also want to know what steps are taken, if any, to observe proper oral hygiene. It could also be beneficial to look into what sociodemographic conditions limit or influence dental care. This is too broad of a topic and involves too many questions, so I will have to narrow it down. 

Source 4

Source Document Analysis Worksheet

Babaee Neda, Gholizadehpasha Atefeh, Zahedpasha Samir, Moghadamnia Yasaman, Zamaniejad Shiva, Moghadamnia Ali Akbar				26 November 2011
Author’s name (last, first)				Publication date
Effects of milk curd on saliva secretion in healthy volunteer compared to baseline, 2% pilocarpine and equivalent pH adjusted acetic acid solutions
Title
Indian Journal of Dental Research		Babol, Iran, Indian Journal of Dental Research
Book series OR Journal		Location and publisher OR volume, issue, pages

1. What is the source’s stated purpose (the argument or thesis)?

The purpose of this research paper is to determine the effects of milk curd on the amount of saliva secretion. Saliva has a critical role in the natural oral cavity environment. Factors that affect salivary function may change hard and soft oral tissue integrity and function and may increase the prevalence of digestive illness. Xerostomia (dry mouth) can be helped by a drug called Pilocarpine, which increases saliva production by 42%-52%, but they are trying to determine whether there are other more natural resources. The thought is that the sour taste of milk curd may contribute to increased salivation, but this will be tested in the research.

2. What evidence does the author provide to support his or her main argument? How is the author attempting to logically prove his or her thesis and how does this affect the organization of the document?

These authors found that milk curd and pilocarpine showed a significant increase in saliva secretion at the end of the first minute in their five-minute collecting period. All groups of milk curd (.5%, 1%, 2%, 4%) showed a significant increase in saliva secretion compared to baseline. Greater differences were seen for 2% and 4% milk curd than for the other groups. The difference between the group receiving .5% milk curd and the group getting 4% milk curd was also significant after 2 minutes. However, the changes in saliva secretion between the study groups were not statistically significant. No significant differences were seen in saliva secretion at minutes 3, 4, and 5, as compared to baseline.

To determine whether pH had an effect on saliva secretion, they performed some tests. They found that no significant differences were seen in the saliva secretion rates at any sampling time point between the baseline and after administration of acetic acid drops with pH levels equivalent to those of the milk curd drops. It was believed that milk curd increases saliva secretion due to its sour taste, but there is no scientific evidence to support this notion.

3. Who is the audience? What does the author assume the audience already knows about the topic?

The audience that is being addressed is any individual curious about how to increase saliva production. This can range from people with dysfunctions to diseases to old age. They propose that gum with milk curd enrichment can be beneficial for helping with dry mouth in these populations.

4. Describe the author’s methods (i.e. how does the author know what he or she knows)?  In your opinion were they appropriate why or why not?

The authors were very appropriate in the way that they gathered their information. They took a random survey of women between certain ages and set up very specific parameters.

5. To what other sources (theorist, researchers, artists) does the author refer? Explain the specific ideas the author draws upon from these other sources to support his or her own argument (the theoretical framework).

The authors do not refer to any other similar studies performed. Much of what they were testing was the first of its kind.

6. What are the connections between this source and your project? How useful or applicable is this source’s approach to your own project? How is yours new and different? 

This source is a very unique and helpful aid in my research because it brings up questions that I had not thought of before. I never thought of looking into common day foods to determine if they can aid in the production of saliva. This is just one type of food that improves the saliva production in the mouth. There must be other foods that can help in a similar fashion or that can help with oral hygiene. It would be interesting to look into what foods have a benefit in oral care and see if those products are used in India.