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Learning Poverty (LP), the inability to read at age of 10 years has been the cynosure of concern and trigger for policy reform. Specifically, in India, the National Education Policy (NEP-2020) advocates several recommendations for epistemic justice and to thwart "learning poorness." This paper exposes that the proposals advocated by the NEP-2020 are neither unknown nor unattempted nor have they gone unlitigated in the High Courts/the Supreme Court. Based on an analysis of how the NEP-2020 aspires to deal with LP and an evaluation of how the same were addressed by the Indian Judiciary, we find that the state's executive construes discourses that at least profess to advantage the Indigenous/Tribal/Minority/Minoritized (ITM) child in particular. However, counter-discourses by the Judiciary overturn the projected advantage albeit its engagement with 'allied legal concerns' every time the state's executive proposes changes. In doing so, the courts espouse an inconsistent jurisprudence and perpetuate a status-quo that can potentially accrue LP and thus are counterproductive for the ITM child's rights.

This paper examines the predicament of the Dalit youth in their pursuit of higher education through a qualitative study in a low-income locality of Delhi. In absence of control over material resources historically, education offered promise in liberating socially excluded groups for its instrumental link with modern occupational structure. The policy of universal public education backed up with affirmative action in India has formally aided its access across sections. Even as the participation of the hitherto marginalized groups has been increasing manifold, privatization and marketisation in the education sector under the neo-liberal regime have transformed the educational landscape. Dalit youth is largely segregated into low-quality distance and social sciences education. The paper discusses various constraining and motivating factors embedded within and outside the neighbourhood and educational institutions which shape their educational interests, choices, and decisions. It elaborates on how cumulative socio-cultural, spatial, and historical disadvantages continue to shape the process of educational exclusion, even when these groups live in a metropolitan city amidst educational institutions. However, we also stress that the state policies, informed mentors, shared aspirations, and diversity in socio-cultural interactions hold the potential to alter and widen educational aspirations, access, and outcomes.

An efficient teacher needs to communicate effectively with the audience, which in turn largely depends on an engaging presentation. The goal of any presentation is to inform, entertain, persuade or inspire and academic presentations primarily provide information, as in a classroom lecture or in a conference research paper. The department of medical education at our institute has been conducting the 'National course on educational sciences for teachers of health professionals' since last four decades. Since 2015, newer learner engagement strategies (LES) were incorporated into the program. We analysed the feedback data from participants with an aim to understand the impact of implementation of LES in the course. Literature was further explored to identify other LES in practice. We collected data of five national courses conducted during 2018 to 2020 at our Institute. The in-campus national faculty development course, which is spread over 6 days, consists of about 42 sessions involving nearly 28 presentations. One hundred thirty-five (n=135) participants from all over India had participated in this course during the period under review. Newer strategies must be used to engage new generation of learners during presentations. The best way to engage learners is by having an interactive presentation with a structured narrative that holds their attention and allows them to participate in the presentation process. Medical teachers should make themselves familiar with digital tools which help in interactive teaching. Further prospective research studies need to be carried out to understand outcomes and improve strategies of learner engagement.

In the context of the lockdown area of COVID-19, animated and gag cartoon-based intervention has a significant role in promoting students' learning performance at elementary levels. ICT-based intervention on students with ADHD mostly uses in UK, USA, Greece, Iran, and Poland. Still, recent researches are conducting in India,especially in the Northeastern region, to assess its effectiveness. Based on the literature and research questions,the current study aimed to evaluate the effect of animated and gag cartoon-based e-contents intervention on experimental groups' learning performance with those in the comparison group in Silchar town, Assam. 90 students with ADHD were assigned to experimental groups and a comparison group. The experimental group I (n=30, age ranged 10.5-11.5 SD= 11) was exposed to animated cartoon based e-contents instruction, and experimental group II (n=30, age ranged 10.5-11.5 SD= 11) was assigned to gag cartoon based e-contents in Environmental studies. Simultaneously, the traditional approach was used in the comparison group (n=30, age ranged 10.5-11.5 SD= 11). The quasi-experimental design was used to examine the effect of animated and gag cartoon-based e-contents intervention on experimental groups' learning performance with those in the comparison group. It resulted in animated cartoon-based e-contents and gag cartoon-based e-content intervention that significantly affected participants' performance over the comparison group.

Youth is a period of transition from the dependence of childhood to adulthood's independence and awareness of our interdependence as members of a community. National Youth Policy (2014) pointed out youth as the age group of 15-29 years, which constitutes 27.5 percents of population. Young people are healthy, more than that 1.8 million young people aged 15 to 24 die each year, mostly due to preventable causes. SARS-CoV-2 is a highly infectious disease identified first in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Initiating from China, novel Corona moved towards east and then crossed to west showing its tyrannical face in each country. Almost eighty percent of the nation in this globe had been deadly affected and locked down was declared almost ninety percent of the nations by the novel corona. Human beings are striving hard to overcome the strange corona virus. The curative medicines have not produced till now the only way is to preventive measures. India has been locked down for more than a month due to the spread of corona virus.. The study aims in understanding the extent of awareness on SARS-CoV-2 among Indian youth residents of 15 to 35 years age through a cross sectional survey. A self-developed online KAP questionnaire was completed by the participants. The knowledge questionnaire consisted of 12 questions regarding the clinical characteristics and prevention of COVID-19. Assessments on residents' attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 included questions on confidence in winning the battle against COVID-19 and wearing masks when going out in recent days. The KAP was classified as three levels such as high, moderate and low level. The study covers about 8338 samples residing in India. The study shows that about the participants are moderate to high level of awareness about SARS-CoV-2. The knowledge about the spread of the corona virus has an impact on practicing the preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, students' right to education has been threatened globally, and medical colleges are not an exception to this. During COVID-19 induced lockdown, medical colleges had to resort to online classes instead of regular academic sessions. Medical colleges and other higher education institutions in India faced a challenge in determining on how to engage their students in the learning process and assess them using reliable, effective and acceptable methods. Now that the COVID pandemic is nearly over, many medical colleges have already started regular sessions. At the same time, some continue to use online lectures and other tools for engaging their learners in addition to regular classes. Medical colleges also used different online tools for formative assessments. But the effectiveness of such online educational activities is yet to be established in India. This article discusses how unsupervised online tests can be used for formative and summative exams in post-COVID medical education.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has forced educators to transform their teaching into online versions in a very short span of time. The study aims to throw light on the perspectives of the faculty of higher educational institutions in India in the process of transitioning to remote teaching due to COVID 19. Data were collected with the help of an online questionnaire from the faculty respondents (n=535) representing different types of educational institutions imparting higher education -- NITs, IITs, Central Universities, State Universities, and Private Universities in India. The remote teaching experiences as perceived by the faculty are a blend of both satisfying and dissatisfying elements and overall, faculty perceived remote teaching & learning as a moderately favorable experience indicating many glitches that need to be addressed in order to make online teaching a more favourable and effective experience. Furthermore, it was observed that the faculty remote teaching experiences significantly varied based on their designation, experience and academic discipline. The faculty suggested blended learning to be the best in the days to come. Blended learning will probably enable the students and the teachers to revamp both the styles of learning: Online and Face-to-Face.

Cognitive development is a part of neuroscience related with development of human being. The study aimed to assess the effect of consumed arsenic contaminated ground water on the developmental aspects of children in Jorhat, Assam. In this case-control study, 225 primary school children from 20 schools of Jorhat, Assam, India, participated who consumed expected moderate and low levels of arsenic contaminated groundwater getting from tube well both inside and outside the school campus. The amount of arsenic present in the sample was determined through spectrophotometer and arsenic assessment kits. The complex relationship among the latent constructs and their behaviour influenced due to the effect of arsenic in the groundwater level was analyzed through path analysis by using AMOS version 21. It was resulted that there was a significant positive relationship between arsenic and the developmental phenomena of primary school children.

Web 2.0 tools includes wikis, blogs, social networking sites, and web applications for community interaction, inputs, content sharing, and collaboration. The study aimed to assess the effects of Web 2.0 technology assisted Slideshare, YouTube, and WhatsApp on the individual and collaborative learning performance and retention in tissues system. In this quasi-experimental research, there are three groups assigned for treatment in tissue system. Experimental group1 was exposed to web2.0 technology assisted individual Slideshare, Wiki, YouTube and WhatsApp modes of learning whereas Experimental group2 was treated with web2.0 technology assisted collaborative Slideshare, Wiki, YouTube and WhatsApp modes of learning, but lecture cum discussion intervention was provided to participants of traditional group. It was resulted there was significant effect of collaborative and individual web2.0 technology on the learning performance and retention of secondary school students over traditional group.

This paper explores equity challenges common to short-term cross-cultural research partnerships. We focus on a project-based activity in which U.S. undergraduate students and college faculty taught middle-school students in Goa, India how to make podcasts about complex environmental problems. Project team members conducted a collaborative auto-ethnography focused on questions of power, leadership, collaboration, and equity, and examined exit interview photo elicitation data to identify the core challenges of ethical and equitable short-term cross-cultural research and programming. Our use of photographs as conversation prompts helped to highlight contradictions and asymmetries along axes of power, cultural imperialism, knower-knowledge, age, race/ethnicity, social class, and gender. We reflect on possibilities for educational research that rejects a "voluntourism" model and moves, if imperfectly, toward more equitable international collaborations.

There are some studies indicating that parents make a significant contribution to children's conceptual learning through play, whereas very few studies have been done to identify parents' pedagogical positioning in children's imaginative play for supporting their learning and development. This paper is seeking how Indian-Australian immigrant parents involve themselves and support the development of abstract concepts by taking on their children's perspectives in imaginative play. Vygotsky's cultural-historical theory was used to analyse the data to answer the research question. The data have been collected through video, audio and semi-structured interviews from four Indian-Australian immigrant families. Approximately 17 hours of data were collected from four focus children's families. The finding of this study show how to extend the play that the parent and child develop from an individual perspective by moving between inside and outside of the imaginative play. However, the study also reveals that the play participants might miss the opportunity to understand each other's perspectives by only being outside of the play. The paper suggests that future research should concentrate on studying the pedagogical positioning of the adult, which is an important dimension for understanding adults' involvement in children's imaginative play for supporting learning and development.

Animation based online instructional sessions were organised for enhancing learning attainment and cognitive functioning skills for children diagnosed with ADHD symptoms. The study aimed to examine the effectiveness of animation-based instruction for the empowerment of learning attainment in relation to the cognitive functioning in students with ADHD during COVID-19 crisis. Quasi-experimental design was done on students with ADHD (n = 75, 11-12 years) from three different schools of Assam, India. The mean performance of animated cartoon-based instruction and static cartoon-based instruction was found better over the comparison group. Moreover, the ANCOVA result reveals a significant effect of animation and static cartoon-based intervention in learning attainment and cognitive functioning of the participants. Overall, the animation-based instructional approach was particularly effective in favouring development of memory and reasoning capacity in participants. Results demonstrated that as the study used small sample size and lacked proper observation effect, thereby more research is required to come to conclusion about the application of animation-based intervention at different levels of education.

The aim of the study was to explore the career aspirations of the youth in Manipur, and data were collected through focus group discussions from 18 participants. The analysis of the data using thematic analysis was done to identify themes to develop an understanding of what careers these youth aspire for and the barriers to their aspirations. Four major themes identified were aspirations, barriers, support from family, and impact of the insurgency. The participants were found to have high career aspirations, clarity with regard to what they want to achieve in life, and desire to have careers that let them work for the betterment of their community. Limited job opportunities in Manipur and underdevelopment of private sector were attributed as major barriers. Participants from lower socioeconomic status reported facing greater challenge. Emotional as well as monetary support from family facilitated high career aspirations and perseverance in achieving them.

This paper introduces the Mobile Assisted Inquiry Learning Environment (MAILE), an Experimental Instructional Strategy (EIS) which employs an inquiry-based learning approach to guide secondary school students to learn environmental science in an engaging way supported by mobile phones. The students are situated in both the real world and the virtual world to extend their learning experiences. The effectiveness of this innovative approach is determined by comparing the learning effectiveness of an Experimental Group (EG) exposed to the experimental strategy and a Control Group (CG) taught the same content using the pedagogy prescribed by the state curriculum. The results show significant positive results in favor of the EG in multiple dimensions of cognitive learning prescribed by Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge, Comprehension and Application.

What is the role of management education amid ruination on a planetary scale? Quite significant, given that dominant forms of management learning fuel capitalism's imperialist tendencies, with disproportionate consequences in the Global South. How, then, may we reflect on our positionality as educators at management institutions in India? We review how contemporary management education is infused with a desire for globally ranked excellence, even as it seeks "Indianness" as a form of recognition on the world stage. We focus on how this ranking fetish leaves academic debris in the form of predatory research practices, mimetic imperialist knowledge, socio-political irrelevance, and academic precarities. We consider the possibilities of being epistemically irreverent and indisciplined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Next-generation sequencing has enabled non-invasive diagnosis of type IV collagen disease in clinical settings other than the typical presentation of Alport syndrome (AS). Methods: We reviewed the clinical and histological records of children diagnosed with Alport syndrome based on next-generation sequencing. Variants on clinical exome sequencing were categorized using ACMG 2015 criteria. Results: During 2015–2023, we found 43 patients (34 boys) with 39 variants in COL4A5 (n = 27), COL4A4 (n = 7), and COL4A3 (n = 5). Thirty, 8, and 5 patients had X-linked, autosomal recessive, and autosomal dominant disease, respectively. The median (IQR) age and eGFR at diagnosis were 10 (7–13) years and 100.1 (59–140) ml/min/1.73 m2, respectively. Fifteen patients were initially diagnosed with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. Alport syndrome was suspected in these patients due to persistent microscopic hematuria, eGFR < 90 ml/min/1.73 m2, characteristic histology, and/or non-response to immunosuppression. Of 26 patients who underwent kidney biopsy, light microscopy revealed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, minimal change disease, and mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis in 9, 9, and 8 patients, respectively. Electron microscopy (n = 18) showed characteristic glomerular basement membrane changes and/or foot process effacement in 12 and 16 cases, respectively. Twenty-one patients (48.8%) had high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, while two had lenticonus. Twelve patients progressed to chronic kidney disease stages 4–5. Median survival (IQR) with eGFR > 30 ml/min/1.73 m2 was 15.6 (13–18) years. Conclusions: The phenotype of Alport syndrome varies from asymptomatic urinary abnormalities to hematuria, proteinuria and/or low eGFR, and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. Adverse outcomes are common, especially in boys with X-linked disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyze the data of diabetic patients regarding warning signs of hypoglycemia to predict it at an early stage using various novel machine learning (ML) algorithms. Individual interviews with diabetic patients were conducted over 6 months to acquire information regarding their experience with hypoglycemic episodes. Design: This information included warning signs of hypoglycemia, such as incoherent speech, exhaustion, weakness, and other clinically relevant cases of low blood sugar. Researchers used supervised, unsupervised, and hybrid techniques. In supervised techniques, researchers applied regression, while in hybrid classification ML techniques were used. In a 5‐fold cross‐validation approach, the prediction performance of seven models was examined using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). We analyzed the data of 290 diabetic patients with low blood sugar episodes. Results: Our investigation discovered that gradient boosting and neural networks performed better in regression, with accuracies of 0.416 and 0.417, respectively. In classification models, gradient boosting, AdaBoost, and random forest performed better overall, with AUC scores of 0.821, 0.814, and 0.821, individually. Precision values were 0.779, 0.775, and 0.776 for gradient boosting, AdaBoost, and random forest, respectively. Conclusion: AdaBoost and Gradient Boosting models, in particular, outperformed all others in predicting the probability of clinically severe hypoglycemia. These techniques enable community health nurses to predict hypoglycemia at an early stage and provide the necessary therapies to patients to prevent complications resulting from hypoglycemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kinesiophobia or fear of movement is a cause of decreased level of activity in patients with chronic neck pain. Traditional forms of treatment, such as physiotherapy alone, can tackle problems of neck pain, but not kinesiophobia. This study aims to study the effect of visual distractiontechnique in the treatment of kinesiophobia. Study design: Quasi experimental study. Methods: A total of 43 participants with chronic neck pain and kinesiophobia were selected for the study. These participants underwent assessments on the NRS, Tampa scale and evaluation of cervical ROM. Assessment was done pre and post intervention of two weeks. Results: A significant reduction in Tampa score and NRS scores was observed and improvement in cervical ROM were seen post intervention in all subjects. Conclusion: The new visual distraction tool is effective in reducing kinesiophobia levels and NRS scores and improving cervical ROM in patients with chronic neck pain with kinesiophobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adverse health conditions are believed to reduce one's quality of life (QoL). However, the impact of common lifestyle-related conditions like hypertension, obesity, and diabetes on the QoL in rural communities in India remains largely unexplored. This study aims to understand the impact of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity on the QoL in rural Punjab, India. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 931 individuals of both sexes, aged 20–75 years, in the Mansa district of Punjab, India. Sociodemographic data were collected by using a pre-tested interview schedule. Somatometric measurements, blood pressure (BP), and fasting glucose were measured using standard protocols. QoL was evaluated using WHOQOL-BREF. Results: Individuals with already-diagnosed hypertension were at a significantly higher risk of poor QoL, both overall and specifically in the psychological and social relationships domains than those with normal BP. Underweight individuals exhibited a greater risk of poor QoL in the physical health domain compared to those with normal weight. Additionally, individuals with diagnosed diabetes were at an elevated risk of poor QoL in the psychological health domain compared to non-diabetics. However, neither general nor central obesity, nor newly screened cases of hypertension and diabetes (individuals who were previously unaware of their conditions), showed a significant impact on QoL. Conclusions: The study suggests that the diagnosis of hypertension and diabetes, rather than the mere presence of these conditions, may be associated with poor QoL. Counseling and awareness post-diagnosis may help reduce the effects of diagnostic labeling and counter misinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the molecular docking characteristics and antifertility impacts of petroleum ether extract (PEEPO) and chloroform (CHEPO) derived from Pandanus odoratissimus (PO) leaves. TriposSybyl-X 2.1 for molecular docking and Swiss ADME for ADME predictions were used. Antifertility activity was determined by using two in vivo animal models, with a focus on estrogenic/antiestrogenic activity and anti-implantation effects. The findings showed that at different doses (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg), PEEPO had more anti-implantation effect than CHEPO. After taking either extract orally for up to 4,000 mg/kg, no acute toxicity was found. Furthermore, both extracts substantially raised blood oestrogen levels while lowering serum cholesterol and LDL levels, improving their antiimplantation and estrogenic activities, whether given alone or in combination with ethinyl estradiol. Molecular docking scores suggested strong interactions between phytochemicals in the extracts and estrogen receptors. ADME studies highlighted four phytochemicals present in PO leaves, showing high gastrointestinal absorption, blood-brain barrier permeability, and negative Log Kp values, indicating their potential as antifertility agents. The phytochemicals in both PEEPO and CHEPO demonstrated promising antifertility potential and interactions with estrogen receptors. Isolation of these phytochemicals could lead to the development of effective herbal antifertility formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To the best of our knowledge, this paper presents the first report on the microbial status of wild bees (A. dorsata and A. florea) honey collected from different northern states of India. In total, 17 bacterial morphotypes (9 from A. dorsata and 8 from A. florea) were recovered. The bacterial load (log CFU/g) was observed to be maximum (4.01) in A. dorsata honey from Sirmour-Puruwala whereas, lowest load (3.49) was recorded in Punjab-Rupnagar honey. Likewise, A. florea honey from Sirmour-Kala Amb and Punjab-Doraha were recorded with maximum and minimum bacterial loads of 4.17 and 3.40, respectively. Observance of lower bacterial load than hazardous limit ensured its safety for human consumption. Three most dominant bacteria viz., AD1, HF7 and AF4 were identified as Micrococcus endophyticus (MT938911), Bacillus subtilis subsp. stercoris (MT764923) and Bacillus pumilus (MT764923), respectively through 16S rRNA ribotyping. Moreover, the inhibitory activity of honey was good to excellent against Salmonella typhi NCTC 786 and fair to good against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10662 and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883. The Escherichia coli ATCC 1041 was the most sensitive bacterium among all. These results justify wild bees honey as a natural remedy for curing and preventing numerous human ailments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil organic carbon (SOC) is a vital resource whose presence or absence can determine the quality of soils. The sustainability potential of soils can be unlocked with the presence of SOC. The present study aimed to evaluate the implications of different agricultural field practices on the soil organic carbon, its various fractions, and the soil organic carbon stocks in the semiarid region of Phagwara (Punjab) with a maize variety (Suvarna NMH-589). Soil samples were collected from all the treatments (T0, T1, T2, T3,..., T9) at two soil depths, 'a' (0-15 cm) and 'b' (15-30 cm), during the experimental period of 2022-23 and 2023-24. Analyses were performed on the soils collected at 0 DAS (days after sowing), 45 DAS and 90 DAS. A pooled mean data of the analysis revealed that the total organic carbon (TOC) was maximum in the straw mulching treatment T1 (7.87, 9.40, 11.50, along with increasing DAS). Values of TOC ranged from 5.48-11.05 g kg-1 and 4.16-7.93 g kg-1 at the surface and subsurface layers during the experimental periods. The oxidizable soil organic carbon (SOC) ranged from 3.67-6.07 g kg-1 and 2.62-4.63 g kg-1 at soil depths 'a' and 'b', respectively. There was the suggestive notion that the incorporation of organic matter and its decomposition has a positive effect towards increasing the organic carbon content in soils. The SOC stocks also fluctuated in a range of 7.26-11.51 Mg ha-1 and 9.69-19.23 Mg ha-1 at the different soil depths 'a' and 'b'. Differential accumulation of biomass in the surface and subsurface layers was the driving factor for such a range in the values obtained. The carbon fractions also fluctuated during the experimental periods. It was concluded that different agricultural practices greatly influenced the organic carbon dynamics in soil. The agricultural practices that could boost SOC could improve crop productivity, improve nutrient transformation, and act as a sink for CO2 in the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today most education institutions around the world have adopted the philosophy of outcome-based education. The emphasis in outcome-based education is achievement of outcomes; hence the curriculum should be designed in a way that it includes the components targeted specifically at achieving these outcomes. A discipline-based approach results in fragmentation of learning and lack of clinical applicability. Integrated teaching could be a solution to achieve required outcomes in a holistic way. Hence, the aim of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate an integrated teaching module. Temporal coordination of the basic sciences, along with correlation of learned topics to clinical settings, was done in the first year of the undergraduate medical program. The module was evaluated by obtaining qualitative and quantitative feedback from students. Student assessment was conducted with a test that had case vignettes and multiple-choice questions. In addition, students' change in learning approaches and self-directed learning readiness were collected. Students' perception regarding the educational environment was also obtained. Analysis of the data showed positive feedback from the students regarding the integrated teaching. Students' average score in the test was 86%. There was a significant increase in the scores for the deep approach and self-directed learning readiness in the posttest compared with the pretest. Moreover, students were found to be satisfied with the educational environment. Evaluation of integrated teaching revealed that it was well accepted by the students. Moreover, it facilitated the achievement of the students' outcomes.

There is a widespread misperception that sickle cell trait (SCT) is not a major health issue, since people with SCT do not normally exhibit apparent symptoms like those found with sickle cell disease (SCD). Therefore, SCT individuals are often neglected, as SCT is assumed to be a benign condition. However, in the present study, growing evidence has linked SCT to severe health risks. This study aims to comprehensively examine the clinical and socioeconomic aspects of SCT individuals in Koraput district of Odisha, India. A total of 9 individuals with specific, uncommon comorbidities and social issues were selected for a detailed case study during the SCT screening program, which involved 1132 individuals aged 30 years and above from scheduled tribe (ST) and scheduled caste (SC) categories, unrelated up to the 1st cousin. Physiological measurements such as weight, height, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, and haemoglobin levels were recorded. Mental health and quality of life (QOL) were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and WHOQOL-BREF tools. In-depth interviews were conducted to explore socioeconomic factors. Case studies revealed various comorbidities and social issues among SCT individuals. These included priapism, anaemia, hypotension, low blood glucose, decreased BMI, reduced SpO2 levels, retinopathy, paralysis, social barriers affecting marriage prospects, diagnosis stigma and depression, neonatal deaths, clinical negligence, consanguineous marriages leading to offspring with SCD. Additionally, the economic burden associated with healthcare expenditures was evident. The study highlights the need for awareness and comprehensive support systems for individuals with SCT, particularly in marginalized communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Euryale ferox Salisb. popularly called "Foxnut" is a spiny aquatic plant locally named "Thangjing" in Manipur and is one of the most highly consumed aquatic crops while Eupatorium birmanicum DC. locally named "Langthrei" is an endemic ethnomedicinal plant found in Manipur, India. Methods: This study was carried out to examine the phytochemical content, evaluate the Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) and the in vitro antioxidant potential (DPPH and ABTS assays) in the seeds, arils of E. ferox and leaves of E. birmanicum. Results: Phytochemicals such as phenols, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids and steroids were detected from the plant samples studied. Among the samples, TPC was found in the range 21.95 ± 1.18 mgGAE/g ext to 119.80 ± 2.63 mgGAE/g ext while, TFC was recorded in the range 2.57 ± 0.07 mgQE/g ext to 7.27 ± 0.28 mgQE/g ext with the highest value of TPC and TFC in E. ferox seeds. In case of DPPH and ABTS assays, the recorded IC50 value were attained in the range 16.99 ± 0.49 µg/mL to 335.90 ± 2.19 µg/mL and 70.69 ± 1.83 µg/mL to 576.26 ± 4.41 µg/mL respectively with the lowest IC50 value recorded in E. ferox seeds. Conclusions: The results of our study revealed that seeds and arils of E. ferox as well as leaves of E. birmanicum contain a variety of phytochemicals and promising antioxidant activity which will contribute a scientific insight for exploration of their therapeutic potentials in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Several cases of glomerular diseases following Covid-19 vaccination, especially mRNA vaccines, have been reported. However, there is little data on glomerular diseases associated with the two vaccines widely available in India (Covaxin and Covishield) and their long-term outcomes. Materials and Methods This was a prospective observational study conducted between May 2021 and May 2023. Patients with new-onset or relapse of proteinuria, hematuria, or renal failure within 30 days of Covid-19 vaccination were included. Data on pre-existing renal disease, vaccine type, symptomatology, laboratory reports, kidney biopsy findings, and treatment details were collected. The clinical course and long-term renal outcomes were studied. Results Sixteen patients with Covid-19 vaccine associated glomerular disease (CVAGD) were studied. The median age was 28 years (IQR 20.5–40) and median time of symptom onset was 14 days (IQR 10–16.5) after vaccination. Renal syndromes at presentation were nephrotic syndrome in seven patients (43.75%), nephritic syndrome in seven patients (43.75%), and rapidly progressive renal failure in two patients (12.5%). Kidney biopsy revealed minimal change disease in five patients (31.2%); IgA nephropathy in four patients (25%); C3 glomerulopathy, lupus nephritis, and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in two patients each (12.5%); and pauci-immune glomerulonephritis (ANCA-associated vasculitis) in one patient (6.25%). Eleven patients were treated with immunosuppressive drugs. Median duration of follow-up was 20 months (IQR 18–21). At last follow-up, 11 patients had complete recovery of renal failure and proteinuria and 4 patients had partial recovery. Conclusion The most common lesions in this series were minimal change disease and IgA nephropathy. The overall long-term outcome of CVAGD appears good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization Astana Declaration of 2018 sees primary healthcare as key to universal health coverage and gives further support to the goal of building sustainable models of community palliative care. Yet evaluating the benefits of such models continues to pose methodological and conceptual challenges. Objective: To explore evaluation issues associated with a community-based palliative care approach in Kerala, India. Design: An illuminative case study using a rapid evaluation methodology. Methodology: Qualitative interviews, documentary analysis and observations of home care and community organising. Results: We appraise a community palliative care programme in Kerala, India, using three linked 'canvases' of enquiry: (1) 'complex' multi-factorial community-based interventions and implications for evaluation; (2) 'axiological' orientations that foreground values in any evaluation process and (3) the status of evaluative evidence in postcolonial contexts. Three values underpinning the care process were significant: heterogeneity, voice and decentralisation. We identify 'objects of interest' related to first-, second- and third-order outcomes: (1) individuals and organisations; (2) unintended targets outside the core domain and (3) indirect, distal effects within and outside the domain. Conclusion: We show how evaluation of palliative care in complex community circumstances can be successfully accomplished when attending to the significance of community care values. Plain language summary: Where are the values in evaluating palliative care? Learning from community-based palliative care provision The evaluation of any intervention or service will inevitably involve a series of decisions on what we measure, what criteria we use to judge whether the intervention has been successful (or not), what type of data we actually collect and what methods we use to do this. When evaluating a range of palliative care interventions, we suggest that these decisions have often been taken in a concealed way and tend to favour relatively narrow quantitative measures linked to end outcomes. Our paper reports on the evaluation of a community-based palliative care intervention on Kerala, India. In it, we suggest that such complex work requires a broader approach to evaluation that: makes the values being used to assess success explicit; draws on a range of data types; is interested in delivery processes; and places the voices of participants at the heart of the assessment. The paper concludes with some broader observations on how these principles might be applied more widely within palliative care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper aimed to explore the palliative care (PC) needs and barriers to access among cancer patients in a rural region of North India with a high cancer burden. Methods: A Participatory action research (PAR) approach was employed. Situational assessment, community sensitization workshops (CSWs) and door-to-door surveys were planned, conducted and developed over three PAR cycles. A parallel convergent mixed-methods approach was adopted wherein the quantitative data from door-to-door surveys and qualitative data from CSWs and investigator field notes were collected and analyzed to provide a comprehensive understanding of PC needs and barriers to access. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used. Results: A total of 27 CSWs involving 526 stakeholders were conducted. A total of 256 cancer patients were assessed for PC needs and symptom burden using the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators (SPICT-4ALL) and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) tool, respectively. Based on the SPICT assessment, all patients (n = 256) satisfied general and/or cancer-specific indicators for PC. The majority (56.6%) had ≥ one moderate-severe symptom, with the most common symptoms being tiredness, pain and loss of appetite. Analysis of qualitative findings generated three themes: unmet needs, burden of caregiving, and barriers and challenges. Cancer affected all domains of patients' and their families' lives, contributing to biopsychosocial suffering. Social stigma, discrimination, sympathizing attitudes and lack of emotional and material support contributed to psychosocial suffering among cancer patients and their caregivers. Lack of awareness, nearby healthcare facilities, transportation, essential medicines, trained manpower and education in PC, collusion, fear of social discrimination, faulty perceptions and misconceptions about cancer made access to PC difficult. Conclusions: The study emphasize the need for and provide a roadmap for developing context-specific and culturally appropriate CBPC services to address the identified challenges and needs. The findings point towards education of CHWs in PC; improving community awareness about cancer, PC, government support schemes; ensuring an uninterrupted supply of essential medicines; and developing active linkages within the community and with NGOs to address the financial, transportation, educational, vocational and other social needs as some of the strategies to ensure holistic CBPC services. Trial registration: Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2023/04/051357). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new succulent species Euphorbia duerrii is described and illustrated from the Dhule District of Maharashtra state in India. This new species is allied to Euphorbia sahyadrica but differs in shape of the podaria, short obovate leaves, 2-4 times branched peduncles, fimbriate bracts in male flowers and colliculate capsules. Euphorbia duerrii sp. nov. belongs to Euphorbia section Euphorbia based on the presence of succulent stems, spine shields, ecarunculate seeds, and glands of the cyathium lacking appendages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Shear slowness data are crucial data in rock physics analysis and seismic reservoir characterization. In petrophysical formation evaluation, the use of sonic data is limited, and hence, sonic data, especially shear sonic, are not considered as critical. In many deep-water wells to save the cost of operations, shear sonic data are not recorded. In these scenarios for rock physics analysis, it becomes necessary to predict shear sonic data from other available datasets. Conventional techniques for shear slowness predictions rely on empirical relations and rock physics modeling. However, these approaches require extensive information as input and additionally carry assumptions and multiple prerequisites. Presently with the advancement of computing power Machine learning (ML) emerges as a robust and optimized technique for predicting precise DTS in quick time and with fewer input datasets. In this study, wells located in the deep-waters of the East Coast of India and penetrated siliciclastic reservoirs of both compacted sand and soft high porosity sands were used as input to train the ML algorithm. Random Forest machine learning algorithm is best used for both classification and regression tasks, and this algorithm is used here for the data prediction. As a comparison, the convolutional LSTM method is also used for data prediction. To comply with the geological variability in the prediction and to enhance the prediction accuracy, rock physics understandings were used as a guide in feature engineering. The RF prediction shows a good match of ~ 93%, and the LSTM model prediction shows ~ 94% correlation at validation well. Both the model predicted data show good agreement with the rock physics modeling interpretations at the target well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: India is a vast and diverse country with existing variations in the frequency and distribution of cancers across its various parts. In regions lacking population-based cancer registries (PBCRs) in a vast country like India, hospital-based cancer registry (HBCR) data become an important source of information on the trends and patterns of a region. To determine the numerical trends of cases of the top ten cancer sites reporting to HBCR of a tertiary care cancer center in Bihar from 2014 to 2021. Materials and Methods: The details of all histopathologically confirmed cancer cases registered in the HBCR department of radiation oncology, State Cancer Institute, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India between January 2014 and December 2021 were included in this retrospective observational study. All these cases were grouped site-wise and listed in descending order of the total number of cases reported in each group. Cross-tabulation with age and sex distribution was done. The frequency distribution of the top ten leading cancers for every consecutive calendar year was plotted in line diagrams for time trend analysis. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). was used for analysis. Annual percent change (APC) was determined for the number of cases of all ten cancer sites using joinpoint regression analysis (Joinpoint Regression Software, Version 4.0.4--May 2013; Statistical Methodology and Applications Branch, Surveillance Research Program of the US National Cancer Institute; Bethesda, MD, USA). Results: Out of 32,057 total cancer cases registered between Jan 2014 and Dec 2021, 21,848 patients (68.2%) cases constituted the top ten cancers. The top ten cancers among both sexes were cancer gallbladder (n = 4204, 13.1%), head and neck (n = 3395, 10.6%), breast (n = 3392, 10.6%), lung (n = 2069, 6.5%), cervix (n = 2039, 6.4%), hematolymphoid (n = 1930, 6.0%), liver (n = 1572, 4.9%), stomach (n = 1116, 3.5%), ovary (n = 1103, 3.4%), and colon-rectum (n = 1028, 3.2%). Except for cervical and hematolymphoid cancers, the rest all showed a rising trend over consecutive years. Conclusion: Cancer of the gallbladder continues to be among the most common cancers in the region. Focused research in all aspects of this deadly disease is needed. Strengthening of prevention and screening programs for common cancers and upliftment of the existing infrastructure for diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the region are necessitated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadotrophin axis, estrogen plays a key role in the regulation of bone maturation and growth plate closure. This study was designed to explore the link between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) gene with idiopathic short stature (ISS) susceptibility in a North Indian population. Methods: Four SNPs of ESR1 (rs543650, rs6557177, rs2234693 and rs9340799) were genotyped by Sanger sequencing in ISS patients and controls. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) and haplotyping were done by SNPStat and SHEsisPlus software. The extent of LD was determined by calculating D' and R2 values in SNP paired combinations. Results: Fifty-two ISS patients were compared with 68 controls. A significant positive association was found between rs6557177 and rs543650 genotype and ISS susceptibility. The frequencies of the rs6557177 CC genotype [p=0.030; odds ratio (OR)=0.13; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01-1.10] and rs543650 genotype TT (p=0.043; OR=0.29; 95% CI: 0.09-0.92) were increased in the ISS group compared with controls. However, no significant correlation was observed between clinical parameters of patients and these SNPs. rs543650 showed strong LD with rs2234693 and rs9340799, similarly rs2234693 and rs9340799. Conclusion: Our study showed that the CC genotype at rs6557177 and TT genotype at rs543650 of ESR1 constituted a risk factor for developing ISS in North Indian children. These findings may lead to a better understanding of the SNPs associated with ISS susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sleep deprivation include physical effects (sleepiness, fatigue) cognitive impairment (deterioration of performance, attention and motivation) and mental health issues. Objectives: To assess and compare sleep duration and sleep hygiene with their associated factors among rural and urban residents of a district of Uttar Pradesh. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Etawah district, UP, from January 2022 to June 2022. All residents of rural and urban areas were included using multistage sampling. Study tool included a questionnaire which collected sociodemographic information, sleep duration, and sleep hygienic practices using sleep hygiene index. Results: In this study, 240 participants each from the rural and urban areas were included. The mean duration of sleep among the participants in rural and urban areas was 7.40±1.22 and 8.18±1.30 h during the workdays whereas, 7.30±1.30 and 8.11±1.35 h during the weekends respectively. About 40% were having unhygienic sleep practices. Most of the study participants had the history of sleep duration less than 8 hr. among the comparison groups. Graduated participants had the more sleep problems. Conclusions: Particularly among the elderly, inadequate sleep duration and differences in sleep rhythm between weekdays and weekends were seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objectives: Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a unique non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), is a CD30-positive neoplasm of T-cell lineage. Its distinctive yet variable cytomorphology makes diagnosing fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) challenging. This study was undertaken to study the cytomorphology and the utility of immunocytochemical (ICC) stains on cytology in ALCL and to discuss their morphological differential diagnosis. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in the Department of Pathology of a tertiary care center. A retrospective review was done from January 2017 to July 2022, and all histopathologically and immunohistochemically (IHC) diagnosed cases of ALCL were taken and correlated with the cytological diagnosis. Results: Twenty-one cases of histopathology examination and IHC-proven cases of ALCL were retrieved from the departmental archives and reviewed. The ages ranged from 3 to 80 years (median age 28 years). Commonly noted cytomorphologic features included singly dispersed large pleomorphic cells, hallmark cells, and Reed-Sternberg-like cells. CD15, CD30, epithelial membrane antigen, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase-1 were some of the ICC stains used in this study. All 21 cases had cytology correlation. Fourteen cases had concordant cyto-histological correlation. Seven cases of histopathologically proven ALCL were reported as Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in three, ALCL/anaplastic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, HL/ALCL, poorly differentiated carcinoma, and NHL in one case each on cytology. Conclusion: ALCL has a reasonably distinct cytomorphologic appearance and ICC staining pattern, and a careful interpretation of both helps arrive at a reliable FNAC diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policies and programmes of higher education play an important role to make accomplishment of the higher education objectives. If the policies and schemes of government for higher education has a good strategy to implement them, then only they will accomplish the objectives of higher education which in turn will bring progress and quality education. In this article various policies and schemes of government for higher education are analysed and discussed. For this purpose, documentary analysis of various government documents, such as annual reports of Manipur University, acts and statutes of Manipur University, annual reports of Directorate of Higher Education, Manipur, college statistics published by College Development Council, Manipur University and State Higher Education Commission report, are done. It tries to identify the changes which the policies and schemes of government have brought for the development of higher education in the state. Towards the end, the article tries to find out the problems of implementation of higher education policies and the gap in its implementation.

The study assessed the relationship among the factors of inhibition control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility in relation to cognitive development of children. A total of 30 children (17 male and 13 female) age group 6-7 years old (Mean=6.5; SD = 0.34) participated in the study. In this study, the authors have used Stroop Task, Saccadic Test, and Simon Task Flanker Task to assess the inhibitory control. In addition, Working Memory Tasks, Cognitive Flexibility Tasks, and Cognitive Development Scale assessed working memory, cognitive flexibility, and cognitive development are used. It resulted that processing speed, selective attention, and automaticity factors of inhibitory control has significant relationship with cognitive development of children. Moreover, the timing and kinematics factors of inhibitory control assessed by Saccadic Task, found significant relationship with cognitive development. Not only was that but also the tendency to respond the stimulus has also significant relation with cognitive development that was assessed by Simon Task. Children's detection and recognition of target factor of inhibitory control was assessed by Flankar Task. As a whole processing speed, selective attention, automaticity, timing, and kinematics, and tendency to response the stimulus factors were hierarchically related with cognitive development of elementary children.

Aim: The current study tested the comparative efficacy of various strategies on basic mathematical skills of learning disabled children. Methods: Learning disabled children were randomly assigned to multimedia, cognitive, eclectic and control conditions. Assessment included the use of IQ, Diagnostic Test of Learning Disability, and Pre and post-test administration of the Children with Specific Learning Disabilities in Arithmetic scale. Results: All the tested strategies significantly enhanced basic mathematical skills of learning disabled children. Conclusions: Multimedia, cognitive strategy and eclectic approach can be used for enhancing the mathematical skills of learning disabled children. (Contains 2 tables.)

Children involved in the juvenile justice system are more likely to struggle with substance abuse and intellectual disabilities. Substance abuse is a major public health concern among young individuals globally, including juvenile felons. This study examines the relationships and factors that influence juvenile felons' substance abuse, intelligence, and delinquent behaviour. This study applies a descriptive cross-sectional survey design using a purposive sampling technique. The participants included 163 male juveniles from Tamil Nadu, India. The psychological measures used for the study were the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) scale, the Standard Progressive Matrices, and the Australian Self-reported Delinquency Scale. According to the study's findings, intelligence does not have a significant impact on juvenile felons' delinquent behaviour. Furthermore, the study identified repeated offences and runaway behaviour as factors that increase the risk of substance abuse. Juvenile felons' substance abuse significantly influences and predicts their delinquent behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children involved with the juvenile justice system for engaging in unlawful acts are more likely than their peers of the same age to use cannabis and alcohol, which increases the likelihood of adverse behavioral outcomes and prolonged involvement with the judicial system. This study focuses on the relationship between child maltreatment, emotional intelligence and drug dependence among children in conflict with the law. The participants of the study are 130 justice-involved male juveniles in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu who are given the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ), and Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) for assessment. Interviews are conducted to obtain the data required for the study. For the statistical analysis, frequency, t-test, correlation, and regression analyses are used. Results of the study indicates that low level/lack of emotional intelligence which enhances the likelihood of juveniles being in conflict with the law and engaging in harmful, drug-dependent behavior. No significant relationship is observed between child maltreatment and drug-dependent behavior. For these juveniles, marijuana serves as the gateway drug. Peer influence and school dropout have a substantial influence on drug-dependent behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Music learning induces significant neural changes, enhancing auditory, verbal, and visuospatial skills, IQ, and speech perception. Research studies reveal structural and functional brain plasticity due to music training in adults and children. While musical abilities are linked to formal training, the existence of "musical sleepers" with heightened speech perception without formal training is noteworthy in adults. This study addresses the gap in understanding such phenomena in children, exploring psychophysical abilities in musically adept children, and aiming to impact rehabilitation models. Materials and method: A pre-experimental study involved 164 typically developing children (mean age: 9.93) without musical training. Musical abilities were evaluated using the abbreviated version of Montreal Battery for Evaluation of Musical Abilities (MBEMA) test in DMDX software, covering melody, rhythm, and memory subtests. Psychophysical tests in MATLAB assessed temporal, frequency, intensity, timbre, and binaural resolution. Results: Using a median split based on MBEMA test scores (median: 42), 84 children exhibited poor musical abilities, while 80 showed good ones. Descriptive statistics for MBEMA scores and psychophysical tests were conducted. As data did not follow normal distribution, non-parametric inferential statistics were employed. Mann–Whitney U tests revealed significant differences favouring good musical abilities in all assessments: gap deduction (p = 0.01), pitch discrimination at 500 Hz and 4 kHz (p = 0.00), intensity discrimination at 500 Hz (p = 0.00) and 4 kHz (p = 0.01), profile analysis (p = 0.01), interaural level difference (p = 0.023), and interaural time difference (p = 0.038). Spearman correlation showed highest correlation with pitch discrimination at 500 Hz (r = − 0.538), 4 kHz (− 0.416), intensity discrimination at 4 kHz (r = − 0.367), and 500 Hz (r = − 0.311), profile analysis (r = − 0.313), interaural level difference (r = − 0.276), and gap deduction (r = − 0.235). All were significant (p < 0.01), except for the interaural time difference. Conclusion: Children excelling in music surpassed those with weaker abilities in psychophysical tasks. This echoes past research, underscoring auditory discrimination's influence on musical skills in untrained children. These results potentially support the concept of musical sleepers in children. Key predictors include pitch discrimination, while interaural time difference exhibited minimal correlation. Utilising such assessments may predict musical training outcomes for children with auditory disorders, but additional robust statistical investigation is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's goal of becoming a USD 7 trillion economy by 2030 and a developed country by 2047 has made it pertinent to closely investigate its efforts towards mitigation of poverty particularly in the deliberation of its remarkable economic growth path. Against this background, this paper aims to probe into India's journey in battling poverty and inequality. The paper aims to identify vital lessons learned and evaluate how India's experiences could be relevant to other developing nations by analysing strategies adopted by India. This paper makes an attempt to bring to the forefront India's successes, challenges, lessons learned and policy implications that have emerged through an in-depth study of India's initiatives towards poverty reduction, institutional mechanisms and policy frameworks. Further, the paper seeks to highlight how India could contribute towards global efforts in the eradication of poverty and promotion of equality. The methodology that this paper adopts includes a systematic review approach in which various sources including scholarly literature, policy papers and reports are comprehensively reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]