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Background: Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at a higher risk of developing dental caries. Few scoping reviews have been conducted in India to understand their issues. We aimed to summarise the distribution and risk factors of dental caries among children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities in India. Methods: A scoping review was conducted based on the Arksey O Malley framework. Quality assessment of studies, descriptive and thematic analyses were also conducted. Results: We charted, collated, and summarised from four databases. Thirty-one studies met the study criteria consisting of children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Median caries prevalence was 70%, decayed missing and fIlled permenant teeth (DMFT) was 2.4, decayed missing and filled decidous teeth (dmft) was 2.36, and DMFS was 3.7. Major determinants were the severity of disability, socioeconomic status and parents' education. Oral care and dental visits were inadequate. Conclusion: Further exploration is required to improve access and reduce caries experience and prevalence among children with intellectual and developmental disabilities in India.

There is an ever-increasing demand for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to engage with the challenges of the changing labour market contexts and trends, such as the Fifth Industrial Revolution and the new normal. However, a major criticism is that higher education institutions do not often prepare graduates for real-life contexts. For that reason, it is not surprising that graduate employability and the competencies required have become the primary concerns of HEIs. Often, we see the phrases "competency" and "employability" presented in the literature as essential requirements for graduates to attain gainful employment streams. Some studies also present them as interrelated concepts. However, we seldom find studies that unravel their intertwined relationships. This article tries to bridge this gap by looking into the role of HEIs in promoting the development of competencies for employability. We used a structured questionnaire to collect the quantitative data from 389 postgraduate students enrolled in a generic stream from an Indian State, Kerala. This paper proposes and tests a structural model of relationships between the perceived competencies of the postgraduates and their perceived career preparedness and, subsequently, perceived employability. This paper also highlights the need to reimagine tertiary education to suit the demands of changing times.

Understanding the current and preferred organizational culture among school teachers in India is a primary requirement, particularly when the National Educational Policy (NEP) is being implemented. Measuring the competing values using the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) provides information about the dominant characteristics of the organizational culture and the school teachers' preferences. We surveyed school teachers and received 273 responses. Research revealed that clan culture is the overall current and preferred organizational culture type. Many of the results are not a surprise. However, we found that organizational leadership is currently in the hierarchy culture and strategic emphasis is on adhocracy, whereas teachers prefer a clan culture on these dimensions. Teachers expect school leaders to be the ones who facilitate the path to achieve, provide mentoring, and are instrumental in team building. They prefer a culture that provides for the development of human capital, promotes high trust and transparency among teachers, and offers an opportunity to participate in decision-making. This study is unique as it measures schools' organizational culture that has not been done earlier in the Indian context. The results suggest implications on the leadership practices and the strategic emphasis that need to change, in order to facilitate the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP).

Objective: Mobile health (mHealth) technologies are a rapidly evolving field in India and are increasingly being used to address noncommunicable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, few studies have addressed user perceptions of T2DM mHealth applications (apps) in India. The purpose of this study was to determine the usability and compare results of an mHealth app designed to improve T2DM health literacy among specific populations in India. Design: Comparative survey design. Setting: Bengaluru, India. Method: A descriptive comparative design was used. The mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ) was used to research the usability of the T2DM mHealth app. Participants (N = 95) were recruited via email and WhatsApp. They were first asked to use the mHealth app and then complete a usability questionnaire. Results: Participants in the study were mainly single (86.3%), women (95.8%), aged 18-28 years (89.5%), with some college education (63.8%), unemployed (90.5%), living in an urban area (76.8%) and not previously diagnosed with T2DM (93.6%). Mean responses (1 = "disagree"; 7 = "agree") ranged from 5.89 (SD, 1.48) to 6.22 (SD, 1.42) favouring the app's usability. Users recommended incorporating more knowledge and information into the app as an idea for improvement. Results showed that there was no significant difference in scores by age, gender, marital status, employment or previous diagnosis rates and responses to the questions. Conclusion: As a result of these findings, we can use the same interface and layout as that used on the mHealth app with more confidence when creating other health education apps. The data revealed areas for improvement in future apps, such as adding more information, additional questions and more language options. Informed by these findings, we may create health literacy apps that are better suited for the user with greater ease of use.

The objectives of the study on which this paper is based, were to develop an IT [Information Technology] based expert system on dairy cattle diseases for Continuing Veterinary Education (CVE) of veterinarians and to assess its effectiveness. The veterinarians working in three districts under the Animal Husbandry Department, Kerala were the respondents of the study. The research was conducted in three phases. A needs analysis was conducted to prioritize the dairy cattle diseases based on which the content was developed. Concerned experts validated the content of different dairy cattle diseases before being incorporated into the software tools. The perceived applicability of the expert system 'DIAREX-K' was assessed using a stratified proportionate random sampling to identify participants who then completed a structured questionnaire. The majority of the respondents rated the expert system as highly satisfactory and indicated a favorable attitude toward computer usage. Simplicity and design aspects of the system received top ranking. The findings indicate that it is essential for the organization to take the initiative and motivate the veterinary professionals to use computer-assisted aids such as the expert system as a CVE program to improve their clinical and diagnostic practices.

Academic procrastination is one of the main problems students encounter during studying. It affects their mental health, academic performance, and even everyday activities. A lack of time management was once thought to be the cause of procrastination. Procrastination, however, has been linked to mood control, according to recent studies. Decision-making is also a factor that is influenced by emotion or a person's affect. The present study aims to find whether decision-making and affective styles influence academic procrastination among Indian students. The participants (N = 211) who are currently studying any discipline in a regular mode and who are between the ages of 17 to 30 years (mean = 21.10 & SD = 2.168) were selected using purposive sampling, and data was collected online using Academic Procrastination Scale, General Decision-Making Style Instrument and Affective Style Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, along with multiple regression analysis. Results found a significant inverse correlation between rational decision-making and academic procrastination and a weak inverse correlation between adjusting affective style and academic procrastination. A significant positive correlation between avoidant decision-making and academic procrastination was also found. Through regression analysis avoidance, decision-making has been found as a positive predictor of academic procrastination along with rational decision-making, and spontaneous decision-making as negative predictors. No significant correlations were found for academic procrastination with intuitive, dependent, spontaneous, concealing, and tolerating styles. The current results contribute to the existing literature on academic procrastination and the development of effective strategies to reduce academic procrastination by managing unhealthy decision-making styles.

The doctorate degree ranks third on the academic hierarchy, and is commonly viewed as an approval on a student by an institution, to conduct original research in at least one academic discipline. Several motivations drive the need to acquire a doctorate degree, and they include intrinsic interest, employment considerations, personal, and professional development. To achieve this feat, some students pursue their PhD abroad for several reasons as discovered by this study. Using a quantitative approach, this paper reports on the findings of an online survey distributed to 1901 Asian and African students pursing their PhD to investigate their experiences, and determine their satisfaction, and its relationship with their personal and professional growth. Findings reveal that most students were satisfied with their decision to pursue a PhD in another continent, but were dissatisfied with some properties that made up the process. This included their relationship with their supervisors, their study-work-life balance, and its effects on their mental health. As you are reporting on a study that has already happened, write in past tense.

The sudden COVID-19 outbreak has obstructed the conventional method of teaching causing a mandated shift to virtual platforms. A developing country like India which predominantly depended on conventional methods of teaching and learning in the pre-COVID era is gradually gaining success in effectively transitioning into virtual classrooms with the aid of digital programs and online platforms to resume theoretical education. However, chemistry education, in particular, which involves the physical approach to experimentation in conventional laboratories, requires a practical and effective alternative in the virtual arena. Though the country's digital progress has provided virtual experiments that can be helpful in laboratory learning, only very few instructors/teachers are aware of such opportunities. The adaptability and accessibility to virtual laboratories in the Indian context also remain unclear due to various factors that influence the transition from conventional laboratories to virtual laboratories. Therefore, we attempted to evaluate the learning prospects of students by taking up the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) screen experiments for virtual titration as an example. This article aims to reflect information from the feedback of students on their first virtual laboratory experience and after completing an academic year to record learning outcomes in comparison to their prior experience on conventionally carrying out titration experiments and to highlight the features of the virtual laboratories that were preferred by students. Among the various components of the virtual laboratory, students state that the quiz is a component that is engaging and ensures knowledge progression. Conclusively, the students perceive that virtual laboratory experiments should be an integrated part of the laboratory curriculum for enhanced learning. In summary, our work throws light on the need for virtual laboratories in chemistry education in India and its prospect in the postpandemic period.

Background: There is ongoing debate around rate versus rhythm control strategies for managing atrial fibrillation (AF), however, much of the data comes from Western cohorts. Kerala‐AF represents the largest prospective AF cohort study from the Indian subcontinent. Objectives: To compare 12‐month outcomes between rate and rhythm control strategies. Methods: Patients aged ≥18 years with non‐transient AF were recruited from 53 hospitals across Kerala. Patients were stratified by rate or rhythm control. The primary outcome was a composite of all‐cause mortality, arterial thromboembolism, acute coronary syndrome or hospitalization due to heart failure or arrhythmia at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included bleeding events and individual components of the primary. Predictors of the composite outcome were analysed by logistic regression. Results: A total of 2901 patients (mean age 64.6 years, 51% female) were included (2464 rate control, 437 rhythm control). Rates of the primary composite outcome did not differ between groups (29.7% vs 30.0%; p =.955), nor did any component of the primary. Bleeding outcomes were also similar (1.6% vs 1.9%; p =.848). Independent predictors of the primary composite outcome were older age (aOR 1.01; p =.013), BMI <18 (aOR 1.51; p =.025), permanent AF (aOR 0.78; p =.010), HFpEF (aOR 1.40; p =.023), HFrEF (aOR 1.39; p =.004), chronic kidney disease (aOR 1.36; p <.001), and prior thromboembolism (aOR 1.31; p =.014). Conclusion: In the Kerala‐AF registry, 12‐month outcomes did not differ between rate and rhythm control cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jesuit schools, in particular, have been known for a long time to be centres of learning in Chotanagpur area, India, where tremendous efforts were made to achieve a high level of academic excellence; yet it appears that this legacy is not being sustained among rural, tribal, vernacular schools of Chotanagpur these days because of varied reasons. In addition, it is observed that the agents of education, namely teachers, working in these schools have ceased to represent desirable attitudes (psychological wellbeing and affective commitment) which are essential for the teaching-learning process. If Jesuits want to maintain relevant and inspirational education in Chotanagpur, then they need to discern, decide, and dedicate themselves to guarantee teachers' psychological well-being and affective commitment so that teachers can become creators of the Jesuit education ethos. Against this backdrop, the present research paper discusses the scenario of Jesuit run rural schools in Chotanagpur its historical achievements and contemporary challenges. In addition, practical implications and recommendations for a better future are discussed.

Purpose: The unending ambivalence in the academic environment and the job market is detrimental to management graduates' wellbeing. The study looks into the possible intervening methods to enhance the wellbeing of students during difficult times. The study proposes spirituality development as means through which psychological resources like perceived employability and psychological capital are developed in an individual. This study also tries to identify how spirituality development leads to life wellbeing among management students. Design/methodology/approach: Cross-sectional study was conducted among 212 management students from Kerala, India. Multi-stage random sampling was used to collect data. Structural equation modelling using IBM-AMOS was done to gain insights into the proposed relationships. Findings: The results indicated that spirituality had a significant impact on the wellbeing of management students. Both perceived employability and psychological capital mediated the relationship between spirituality and life wellbeing. Research limitations/implications: The positive impact of developing spirituality among students is discussed in the paper with the theoretical underpinning of broaden and build theory. The findings suggest that colleges should try to make their campus climate more supportive of students' non-academic needs and open them to a spiritual environment especially during these challenging times. Originality/value: The study is one of the first attempts to discern how spirituality development leads to an accumulation of psychological resources and life wellbeing among management graduates'.

Purpose: Well-being and employability are considered important indicators of a sustainable career that must be incorporated into the system at the beginning of a job. Hence, it is essential to explore the role of positive personal resources to improve young managers' well-being. The unending ambivalence in the academic environment and the job market is detrimental to management graduates' well-being. The study aims to look into the possible intervening methods to enhance the well-being of management students during difficult times. Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 212 management students from Kerala, India. Multi-stage random sampling was used to collect data. Structural equation modelling using IBM-AMOS was done to gain insights into the proposed relationships. Findings: The results indicated that psychological capital had a significant impact on the well-being of management students. Both perceived employability and psychological capital are positively related to life well-being. And, perceived employability mediated the relationship between psychological capital and life well-being. Research limitations/implications: The theoretical contribution comes from the application of the broaden-and-build theory and resource caravans from the conservation of resource theory as a theoretical framework to understand the positive impact of developing psychological capital among university students. The practical contribution comes from identifying a need for universities to make their campus climate more supportive of the non-academic needs of students by supporting them to become more self-reliant and enhance their positive psychological resources. Developing psychological resources of perceived employability and psychological capital is quintessential to enhance life well-being and career sustainability of early careers talent. Originality/value: This study is one of the first attempts to discern how psychological capital leads to an accumulation of psychological resources and life well-being in university students and graduates offering opportunities for career sustainability.

Despite tremendous success in improving access and enrolment of pupils in the Ghanaian basic education system in recent times, learning outcomes still remain below expected levels. Through a systematic review of literature on international programmes and research on activity-based learning (ABL), this article highlights exemplary practices which could help improve the quality of teaching, raise student learning and close achievement gaps for Ghanaian pupils. The article finds that Ghana has been the testing ground for many initiatives aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning. However, owing to the litany of problems associated with these initiatives, the article forcefully contends that Ghana now needs to focus on drawing lessons from international best practices on ABL pedagogies to enable the country to see what is working and not working and to set the foundation for developing a new national approach to ABL, which should have the potential to transform the education landscape in Ghana.

Progress on the fourth United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4), which strives to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education", can only be made with teachers whose levels of job satisfaction and dedication to teaching are high. The authors of this article conducted a survey among "ad hoc" teachers (also referred to as "para" teachers) in rural India. The purpose of their study was to find out the extent to which being led by principals who practised a management style termed "servant leadership" positively impacted respondents' affective commitment and psychological well-being. A servant leader seeks to serve by developing the followers' selfhood in various relational, ethical, emotional and spiritual contexts. This has the effect of encouraging the followers to become the best version of themselves. Data collection involved the completion of a questionnaire by a sample of 1,120 (840 female, 280 male) para teachers from 17 non-formal community learning centres and 10 schools in the Indian state of Jharkhand. The results of the survey revealed that there is an indirect effect of servant leadership on affective commitment and psychological well-being through a set of three elements, "hope, efficacy and resilience," which together amount to a para teacher's personal resource of psychological capital. Relying on the findings of their research, the authors suggest that it will be beneficial for Jharkhand's Department of Education to implement interventional teacher training programmes which nurture servant leadership among school principals and educational officers and thereby foster psychological capital among para teachers.

Support groups and meetings are self-help gatherings that provide a unique sense of community, unconditional acceptance, and information on cancer and its treatment. This cross-sectional study examined 12 outpatient meetings within the Kerala model of palliative care, a community-based service provided to patients irrespective of disease, stage, or prognosis starting from the time of diagnosis. The study focused on the pivotal role of community nurses in facilitating these meetings, with participants including cancer patients and survivors. Using in-depth interviews (n = 52) and participant observations, this research used a qualitative approach and explored the dynamics and outcomes of outpatient meetings. Findings highlight the indispensable contributions of these community nurses serving as linchpins in providing support, guiding discussions, and offering crucial education. Outpatient meetings effectively addressed psychosocial concerns, combatted stigmas associated with cancer, and promoted informed decision making in cancer care. The study emphasizes the need for recognizing the role played by community nurses in improving psychosocial support and diminishing stigma, and ultimately the quality of life of patients and survivors through the palliative cancer care within the Kerala model. We also underscore the need for policy initiatives, resource allocation, and training programs tailored to support these frontline health care providers effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop and research an interactive health education programme on NCDs in a rural subpopulation of Bengaluru and to build 'health champions' among young people to contribute to the prevention of NCDs in India. Design: A descriptive qualitative approach was used to develop and evaluate an interactive educational programme. Students, aged 12-16, from a rural secondary school took part in the study. Method: Participants were separated into five focus groups covering different NCDs including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, otitis media, oral cancer and malnutrition. Each focus group was interviewed face-to-face before, during and after all activities. Content analysis was conducted using a directed approach. Results: Findings were organised into themes that described aspects of learning that enhanced or detracted from student understanding about NCDs. Conclusion: Findings from this study show that creative methods have a positive impact on educating students, aged 12-16, on NCDs.

In the modern world of competitive higher education the role of motivated teachers is undeniable. This study aims to find the importance of the organizational culture in motivating the teachers. Data was collected from 450 degree college teachers of Bangalore city. Analysis of data and the discussion is included. The results showed a positive relationship between work motivation and the organizational culture. Teachers working in organizations with high culture were found to be more motivated. Implications of the findings and limitations of the study are given.

Literacy in reading and understanding printed words is significant for all undergraduate students to succeed in their academic career. Developments in digital technology improved the quality of academic texts in terms of design, format and layout. Further, availability of academic related English language resources in electronic versions gave readers to access and read the content on computer screens or download a text to make a hard copy. These developments on the printed pages of English course books helped the readers to identify letters of English alphabet precisely. However, vocabulary and sentence structures presented in the text remained difficult to the ESL students. A study was conducted to assess the reading strategies of engineering students across the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Subjects of the study were 52 students pursuing engineering education in the engineering colleges affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, India. The primary source of data was obtained through think-aloud verbal probe. Findings of the study reveal that engineering students feel disappointed and frustrated when the content presented in the course is beyond their comprehension. This research paper presents qualitative data obtained through think-aloud verbal probe. Insights from the verbal reports on reading strategies presented in this paper give new directions to the teaching-learning of English in ESL undergraduate classrooms. Findings presented from the study are significant for English teachers, researchers and curriculum designers to develop quality reading materials for ESL classrooms.

The article narrates a personal journey of learning and unlearning the images in school textbooks, its uses potentials and challenges as experienced by the author. It reflects upon the experiences of the process of selection of these images within the context of political science as a discipline. These experiences have been formed over a decade while working for Eklavya in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, and also at the NCERT in New Delhi. It locates changes in understanding the perspectives on political cartoons and posters as could be used in a school textbook. It also argues that there is a need to rethink ways in which cartoons are used in textbooks. Furthermore, it tells us something about the way political science as a discipline is taught in schools across India.

Existing studies, highlighting that dining out forms an important part of public cultures in India, have focused on the growing influence of consumer cultures on India's middle classes and their identity formation. However, insufficient scholarly attention has been paid to the distinctly different ways in which middle-class experiences with modernity and cosmopolitanism unfold across different cities in India and in the worldwide South Asian diaspora. This article argues that in the major Gujarati city of Ahmedabad, middle-class engagement with new and global culinary practices is couched within dominant, regionally coloured vegetarian cultures, redefining vegetarianism as integral to the project of modern middle-class identity among certain upwardly mobile social groups. This ethnographic study of popular pizzerias sheds light on the transformative capacity and significance of vegetarian food. From being a symbol of exclusionary bourgeois hegemonic cultures, it has turned into a consumer item regarded as accessible and desirable for supporting middle-class aspirations to experience 'global' forms of consumption. The concluding analysis suggests that, since there are many diverse, cosmopolitan urban spaces like Ahmedabad, more research is needed especially on how global Gujarati food culture has been developing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the drug pricing policy and cost containment measures in India by drawing on the data of spending on and price variations of cancer drugs. Results show that medicines held the highest share in the out-of-pocket (OOP) cancer medical expenditure in private and public sectors, and it was more pronounced for private sector and in outpatient care. Medicine expenditure has a positive and significant causal association to OOP medical expenditure of cancer patients even when other medical costs, type of care and socio-economic backgrounds are controlled for. Further, there were significant price variations for recently approved anticancer medicines across brands, which are under and outside price control. The results confirm the ineffectiveness of price control measures for cancer drugs under market-based pricing policy and the inadequacy of existing risk protection measures in India. This calls for the adoption of appropriate cost containment measures, which include expanding the scope of all forms, types and severities of cancer and anticancer medications under health insurance and adoption of a uniform treatment protocol across private and public sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder found in women of reproductive age in India. It has multigenic etiology, including genetic, lifestyle, stress, diet, exercise, and obesity. Methods: We have searched various databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar including the relevant literature on "PCOS." Results: Some of the most common clinical features observed are oligomenorrhea/amenorrhea, hyperandrogenemia, hyperinsulinemia, polycystic ovaries in ultrasonography, hirsutism, alopecia, acne, and acanthosis nigricans. Several studies have shown an association between PCOS and heart disease because of varied causes, including altered lipid/glucose metabolism, hypertension, systemic inflammatory conditions, vascular injuries, obesity, and hyperandrogenism. PCOS and hyperprolactinemia are the two most common etiologies of anovulation in women, although evidence linking them suggests independent origins of these conditions. Hence, PCOS influences the quality of life as its clinical manifestations may lead to fear of sexual unattractiveness, poor self-esteem, discontent with one's physical appearance, social anxiety, emotional changes, and mood swings, causing huge psychological distress. Conclusion: It is essential to focus on managing the patients' primary needs and reducing the impact of long-term risk factors when treating a patient with PCOS. The symptoms of a PCOS patient could be well managed when a variety of specialists work together, catering to a multidisciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is considerable evidence that parental corporal punishment (CP) is positively associated with children's behavioral and mental health problems. However, there is very little evidence addressing whether CP perpetrated by teachers or school staff is similarly associated with problematic student functioning. To address this gap in the research literature, data were collected from students in a locale where school CP continues to be widely practiced. Participants were 519 adolescents attending public or private schools in Puducherry, a city in eastern India. Students completed surveys assessing school CP, internalizing problems, social support, and resilience. The results indicated that 62% of the students reported experiencing school CP in the past 12 months, with males and those attending public schools being significantly more likely to report school CP than females and those in private schools. Youth who reported school CP reported more anxiety and depression. That relation was more pronounced in youth who reported family tension. Social support and resilience did not moderate the relations. The findings add to the substantial evidence about negative associations regarding the use of CP but in a new venue--the school, and provide some evidence for the need to change how students are disciplined in schools in India and elsewhere.

The profound advances in the biomolecular sciences over the last decades have enabled similar advances in biomedicine. These advances have increasingly challenged our abilities to deploy them in an equitable and ethically acceptable manner. As such, it has become necessary and important to teach biomedical and scientific ethics to our students who will become the researchers, medical professionals, and global citizens of the future. As advances in the biosciences and medicine are made, developed, and used across the globe, our survival on an endangered planet requires global dialog and consensual action. To that end, a group of us from around the world have come together to describe the differing foundations of our ethical beliefs, and how ethical issues in biomedicine and in science are described and confronted in our countries. We hope to show the commonality in our beliefs and practices and to encourage readers from around the world to contribute to a continuing discussion through a new section of the journal, The Global Ethics Corner.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, cases of violence and abuse have increased significantly around the world, necessitating a reevaluation of our relationships. Both violence and abuse seek to control and instill fear in the individual, gradually disrupting their overall well-being. Emotional abuse does not receive the same level of attention and social response as other forms of abuse due to its subtle nature. Its effects are as harmful as physical and sexual abuse, with serious consequences for the mental health of individual and their families. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the importance of mental health. With the imposition of lockdown in India, the number of helplines for domestic violence and abuse has skyrocketed. Abuse experiences can be seen to be bidirectional; women are not alone in such instances. Many cases, however, go unreported and never reach formal institutions. The National Family Health Survey (2019–2021) reveals the current state of Indian health and nutrition, but emotional abuse (also referred to interchangeably in this article as emotional violence) only includes responses from women and is no longer included under "spousal violence" in the most recent edition. This article also includes recommendations and attempts to highlight existing shortcomings in addressing the issue of emotional violence. The articles cited in this article were obtained from electronic databases. Other secondary data sources mentioned include newspaper articles, magazines, census reports, and periodicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Battlefield injuries result in acute and severe uncontrolled pain, which can be reduced with the early use of analgesia. Apart from pain, battlefield injuries may also cause significant morbidity and a prolonged period of absence from active duty. Traditionally available opioids are known to cause various undesirable side effects such as respiratory depression that may worsen the condition of an already injured combatant. Nalbuphine is an opioid agonist-antagonist and has been increasingly used for postoperative analgesia over the last decade. In India, it is the only opioid analgesic that does not come under the Controlled Substances Act at the time of this publication. In today's world, where nalbuphine is being recommended for acute pain worldwide, its use in the Indian combat scenario needs to be conceptualized at the medical officer level (primary caregiver). This conceptualization will be discussed in detail in this review article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental abacus (MA) is a technique of performing fast, accurate arithmetic using a mental image of an abacus; experts exhibit astonishing calculation abilities. Over 3 years, 204 elementary school students (age range at outset: 5-7 years old) participated in a randomized, controlled trial to test whether MA expertise (a) can be acquired in standard classroom settings, (b) improves students' mathematical abilities (beyond standard math curricula), and (c) is related to changes in basic cognitive capacities like working memory. MA students outperformed controls on arithmetic tasks, suggesting that MA expertise can be achieved by children in standard classrooms. MA training did not alter basic cognitive abilities; instead, differences in spatial working memory at the beginning of the study mediated MA learning.

This paper provides a network analysis of the international flow of students among 210 countries and the factors determining the structure of this flow. Among these factors, bilateral hyperlink connections between countries and the number of telephone minutes (communication variables) are the most important predictors of the flow's structure, followed by trade, the physical distance between countries, a common border between countries and a common language between two countries. The USA is by far the most central country in the flow of international students, followed by China, the UK, France, Germany, Australia and India. These results are discussed in light of World-System Theory. Future research should examine how the network of international student flows changes over time and consider additional factors to provide a better understanding of the network as an international system.

The use of cartoons as illustrations in National Council of Educational Research and Training's (NCERT) Political Science textbooks has recently attracted attention from leaders across the political spectrum. Textbooks have been burnt and the government has set up a committee to inquire into the appropriateness of using cartoons in school textbooks. Unfortunately, it appears that there is a widespread lack of understanding about why cartoons should have been included in textbooks in the first place. It is often believed that the only purpose of a cartoon is to lampoon. Hence, it appears that in the NCERT textbooks, too, the cartoons were intended to mock and belittle. The job of textbooks is thought to be to simply lay down the truth according to the state. The fresh approach to using illustrations taken in the present NCERT social science textbooks, however, is largely unknown to many who express themselves vociferously and shrilly in the public sphere on the NCERT cartoon controversy. The following topics about illustrations in textbooks are discussed in this article: (1) The use of images in traditional textbooks; (2) A new use of images in textbooks; and (3) The cartoonist as a social commentator.

Monitoring water resources globally is crucial for forecasting future geo-hydro disasters across the Earth. In the present study, an attempt was made to assess the functional dimensionality of multi-satellite precipitation products, retrieved from CHIRPS, NASA POWER, ERA-5, and PERSIANN-CDR with respect to the gridded India Meteorological Department (IMD) precipitation dataset over a period of 30+ years (1990–2021) on monthly and yearly time scales at regional, sub regional, and pixel levels. The study findings showed that the performance of the PERSIANN-CDR dataset was significantly better in Central India, Northeast India, and Northwest India, whereas the NASA-POWER precipitation product performed better in Central India and South Peninsular of India. The other two precipitation products (CHIRPS and ERA-5) showed the intermediate performance over various sub regions of India. The CHIRPS and NASA POWER precipitation products underperformed from the mean value (3.05 mm/day) of the IMD gridded precipitation product, while the other two products ERA-5 and PERSIANN-CDR are over performed across all India. In addition, PERSIANN-CDR performed better in Central India, Northeast India, Northwest India, and the South Peninsula, when the yearly mean rainfall was between 0 and 7 mm/day, while ERA-5 performed better in Central India and the South Peninsula region for a yearly mean rainfall above 0–7 mm/day. Moreover, a peculiar observation was made from the investigation that the respective datasets were able to characterize the precipitation amount during the monsoon in Western Ghats. However, those products needed a regular calibration with the gauge-based datasets in order to improve the future applications and predictions of upcoming hydro-disasters for longer time periods with the very dense rain gauge data. The present study findings are expected to offer a valuable contribution toward assisting in the selection of an appropriate and significant datasets for various studies at regional and zonal scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unanticipated lockdown following the COVID-19 outbreak significantly impacted the field of rehabilitation, compelling the professionals to switch to tele-mode to continue providing their service without interruption. This article aims to highlight the steps taken to overcome the various challenges that were encountered in this period and to strengthen the opportunities in telerehabilitation services at a tertiary care center in Kerala, India. An average of 1000 clients were served monthly through telerehabilitation in various units at the selected institute during the COVID-19 pandemic. The telerehabilitation services included assessments, intervention, and counseling for clients of all ages with various types of disabilities. A high literacy rate and better access to technology among the general population in Kerala, India were identified as advantages for the rapid implementation of telerehabilitation as a viable form of service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In parts of the world, including many developing countries, climate variability impacts negatively on agricultural production and natural resource management. Workshops in applied climatology were held in Australia, India, Indonesia and Zimbabwe between 1999 and 2002 to provide farmers and agricultural and meteorological staff a better understanding of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation phenomenon, associated climate variability, its forecast potential and its relevance to their local agriculture system. Most participants saw climate information skills as essential or useful in their work but few had good skills. Through discussions, learning outcomes were established and resource materials developed in Australia were adapted for use in the other countries. Educational course material was developed for workshops and for vocational and tertiary education. This material was developed in multimedia and print format suited to different learning styles. Workshops incorporated sessions on local climate, a climate analysis tool to assist forecasting, application of forecasts, communication and evaluation. Post-workshop surveys demonstrated improved knowledge and skills of participants with a need for further training in risk management strategies relating to agricultural systems. This was identified by a skills audit during the workshops and could form the basis for an advanced training programme. (Contains 4 tables.)

India is largely devoid of high‐quality and reliable on‐the‐ground measurements of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Ground‐level PM2.5 concentrations are estimated from publicly available satellite Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) products combined with other information. Prior research has largely overlooked the possibility of gaining additional accuracy and insights into the sources of PM using satellite retrievals of tropospheric trace gas columns. We evaluate the information content of tropospheric trace gas columns for PM2.5 estimates over India within a modeling testbed using an Automated Machine Learning (AutoML) approach, which selects from a menu of different machine learning tools based on the data set. We then quantify the relative information content of tropospheric trace gas columns, AOD, meteorological fields, and emissions for estimating PM2.5 over four Indian sub‐regions on daily and monthly time scales. Our findings suggest that, regardless of the specific machine learning model assumptions, incorporating trace gas modeled columns improves PM2.5 estimates. We use the ranking scores produced from the AutoML algorithm and Spearman's rank correlation to infer or link the possible relative importance of primary versus secondary sources of PM2.5 as a first step toward estimating particle composition. Our comparison of AutoML‐derived models to selected baseline machine learning models demonstrates that AutoML is at least as good as user‐chosen models. The idealized pseudo‐observations (chemical‐transport model simulations) used in this work lay the groundwork for applying satellite retrievals of tropospheric trace gases to estimate fine particle concentrations in India and serve to illustrate the promise of AutoML applications in atmospheric and environmental research. Plain Language Summary: Ground‐level fine particle (PM2.5) concentrations are frequently estimated with freely available satellite Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) products. We focus on India where sparse ground‐based monitoring leaves gaps in our understanding of particle concentrations and the relative importance of different sources. We use an atmospheric chemistry model to test whether satellite retrievals of tropospheric trace gas columns can provide information on the origins of PM2.5 and improve satellite‐derived PM2.5. We created an Automated Machine Learning workflow to evaluate the utility of incorporating multiple trace gas columns in PM2.5 estimates, which represents nonlinear relationships between predictands and predictors while freeing users from selecting and tuning a specific machine learning model. On daily and monthly time scales, we quantify the relative information content of trace gas columns, AOD, meteorological fields, and emissions. We find that incorporating trace gas columns improves PM2.5 estimates and may also enable inference of broad characteristics of particle composition. Key Points: We developed an Automated Machine Learning workflow to evaluate the utility of incorporating multiple trace gas columns in PM2.5 estimatesTropospheric trace gas columns contain signatures of PM2.5 precursors and improve PM2.5 estimatesWe infer or link the possible relative importance of primary versus secondary sources of PM2.5 using Automated Machine Learning and Spearman's rank correlation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder in the general population. Most of the cardiovascular and neurological manifestations of hypothyroidism are due to autonomic dysfunction. The American Academy of Neurology has recommended simple bedside autonomic function tests for the diagnosis and follow-up of autonomic functions. Recognition of autonomic dysfunction and treatment of hypothyroidism may improve cardiovascular outcomes. This study aims to assess autonomic dysfunction in hypothyroidism and correlate it with serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 patients diagnosed with hypothyroidism for 12 months at a tertiary care center in Southern India. Patients with a Zulewski clinical score over 5 and fulfilling the selection criteria were included in the study after obtaining written informed consent. Details of history, treatment, examination, and thyroid function tests data were collected and bedside tests for autonomic functions were performed. Results: Ninety percent of individuals were female, and the average age of the included study population was 40.38 ± 11.78 years. Based on TSH and FT4 values, the patients were subgrouped into currently euthyroid and overt hypothyroid individuals. The majority of the individuals (81.67%) included in the study had autonomic dysfunction. Based on the autonomic dysfunction score, there was a significantly higher proportion of overt hypothyroid individuals (n = 18) with severe autonomic dysfunction compared to euthyroid individuals (n = 4). About 75% of the study individuals had sympathetic dysfunction and 66.7% of individuals had parasympathetic dysfunction. There was no statistically significant association between autonomic dysfunction and the duration of hypothyroidism. Conclusion: Autonomic dysfunction in hypothyroidism is common; sympathetic dysfunction was observed more as compared to parasympathetic dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores influences of economic factors on sociocultural aspects of traditional, industrial, and "transitional" societies, with India an example of a transitional society. Links between socioeconomic contexts, child-rearing goals and practices, and early intervention programs are considered. Child-rearing goals and practices in Indian culture are seen to be incompatible with Western concepts of effective early intervention. (DB)

Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in India frequently exceed 100 μg/m3 during fall and winter pollution episodes. We use the GEOS‐Chem chemical transport model with the TwO‐Moment Aerosol Sectional microphysics scheme with 15 size bins (TOMAS15) to assess PM2.5 composition and impacts on radiation and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) during pollution episodes as compared to the seasonal (October‐December) average. We conduct high resolution (0.25° × 0.3125°) nested‐domain simulations over India for short‐duration, high‐PM2.5 episodes in the fall of 2015 and 2017. The simulations capture the magnitude and spatial patterns of pollution episodes measured by surface monitors (r2PM2.5 = 0.69) although aerosol optical depth is underestimated. During the episodes, near‐surface organic matter (OM), black carbon (BC), and secondary inorganic aerosol concentrations increase from seasonal averages by up to 36, 7, and 7 μg/m3, respectively. Episodic aerosol increases enhance cooling by lowering the top‐of‐atmosphere clear‐sky direct radiative effect (DRETOA) during the 2015 episode (−6 W/m2), with a smaller impact during the 2017 episode (−1 W/m2). Differences in DRETOA reflect larger increases in scattering aerosols in the column during the 2015 episode (+17 mg/m2) than in 2017 (+13 mg/m2), while absorbing aerosol column enhancements are smaller (+3 mg/m2) in both years. Changes in shortwave radiation at the surface (SWsfc) are spatially similar to DRETOA and mostly negative during both episodes. CCN enhancements (0.2% supersaturation) during these episodes occur across the western Indo‐Gangetic Plain, coincident with higher PM2.5 concentrations. Changes in DRETOA, SWsfc, and CCN during high‐PM2.5 episodes may have implications for crops, the hydrologic cycle, and surface temperature. Key Points: We establish a new high‐resolution India domain nested within a global chemistry model with an option for detailed aerosol microphysicsPM2.5 pollution episodes over India vary spatially but are commonly dominated by carbonaceous aerosolsIncreased scattering by aerosols reduces top‐of‐atmosphere direct radiative effect and surface shortwave radiation, enhancing cooling [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the purpose of deriving spatiotemporal estimates of soil moisture, the triangle method is one of the most widely used approaches today utilizing remote sensing data. Generally, those techniques are based on the physical relationships that exist when a satellite-derived land surface temperature (Ts) is plotted against a spectral vegetation index (VI). The present study proposes an improvement in the triangle method in retrieving soil moisture over heterogeneous areas. In particular, it proposes a new approach in robustly identifying the extreme points required for the technique's implementation. Those extreme points are then used in calculating fractional vegetation cover (Fr) and scaled Ts. Furthermore, the study proposes a new approach for calculating the coefficients required to develop the relationships between surface soil moisture (SSM) and Fr/Ts, which is implemented using a model and field data. As a case study, an agricultural field in the Varanasi district in India has been used, on which the triangle method is implemented using ECOSTRESS and Sentinel-2 data. The much-improved spatial resolution satellite data of ~70 m from ECOSTRESS allowed deriving more vivid results of SSM spatial variability for the study area. Comparisons between field soil moisture calculated using the proposed method returned an RMSE of 0.03 and R2 value of 0.84, which are considered very satisfactory. The methodology proposed herein and the results obtained are of significant value with regards to the triangle method, contributing to ongoing efforts at present examining its use for operational product development at a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, like in most other countries in the East, lecturing used to be the predominant method of classroom instruction. This practice was rooted in the cultural values that posit a teacher as one who is venerable, flawless and unquestionable. When students construct knowledge from active participation in a course, real learning and critical thinking occurs--but this is a relatively new idea in Indian educational philosophy and practice. However, since the late 1990s, thanks to the many empirical studies that have established beyond doubt the overarching merits of participatory learning coupled with the compulsions of a globalizing educational environment, there has been a significant shift away from the conventional lecturing style to the more interactive learning styles. In the new educational context in India, two of the supposedly vital values that are intended to be imparted to teacher-participants through in-service teacher training programs are "student-centred learning" and "teacher-as-facilitator." Trainers who handle the sessions believe that these objectives could best be achieved by rewarding those participants who participate more during the sessions with higher grades. The present study critically examines this assumption and finds that those teacher-participants who participate the most during the sessions of the training programs are the least participation-facilitative teachers in their regular teaching roles.

As a result of extreme modifications in human activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, the status of air quality has recently been improved. This bibliometric study was conducted on a global scale to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air pollution, identify the emerging challenges, and discuss the future perspectives during the course of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For this, we have estimated the scientific production trends between 2020 and 2021 and investigated the contributions of countries, institutions, authors, and most prominent journals metrics network analysis on the topic of COVID-19 combined with air pollution research spanning the period between January 01, 2020, and June 21, 2021. The search strategy retrieved a wide range of 2003 studies published in scientific journals from the Web of Sciences Core Collection (WoSCC). The findings indicated that (1) publications on COVID-19 pandemic and air pollution were 990 (research articles) in 2021 with 1870 citations; however, the year 2020 witnessed only 830 research articles with a large number 16,600 of citations. (2) China ranked first in the number of publications (n = 365; 18.22% of the global output) and was the main country in international cooperation network, followed by the USA (n = 278; 13.87% of the global output) and India (n = 216; 10.78 of the total articles). (3) By exploring the co-occurrence and links strengths of keywords "COVID-19" (1075; 1092), "air pollution" (286; 771), "SARS-COV-2" (252; 1986). (4) The lessons deduced from the COVID-19 pandemic provide defined measures to reduce air pollution globally. The outcomes of the present study also provide useful guidelines for future research programs and constitute a baseline for researchers in the domain of environmental and health sciences to estimate the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to the scarcity of organs available for transplantation, several patients lose their lives each year. Increased awareness and positive attitudes alone may be insufficient to increase an individual’s willingness to donate (i.e., the basic tenets of the knowledge‑attitude‑practice/ KAP model). Therefore, it is pertinent to examine other psychological determinants that are associated with engaging in the altruistic/prosocial act of organ donation. Objective: To understand the association between empathy and KAP of organ donation in an Indian population. This pilot is the precursor to a larger project which aims to develop and test an empathy intervention to promote organ donation. Methods: Using a cross‑sectional design, Indians (N = 419; female = 261; mean age = 28.48 years) aged 18 years and above were recruited using convenience sampling through an online survey. Questionnaires included the Awareness, Attitudes, and Practice of Organ Donation (Chakradhar et al., 2016) and Empathy Quotient‑8 (Loewen et al., 2010). Multiple regression analyses were carried out to analyze the data. Results: Results showed that empathy was related to: (i) Total KAP (β = 0.123, P = 0.014), and (ii) attitudes (β = 0.195, P < 0.001) towards organ donation. Conclusion: These pilot study findings indicate that public health messages focused on evoking empathy can use the technique of patient/ donor narratives, and training clinicians on empathic communication skills can help increase individuals’ KAP of organ donation. Further, this pilot elucidated the need to conduct mixed‑method studies with a donor and nondonor population and clinicians prior to developing and testing a larger empathy‑centered intervention aimed at promoting the KAP of organ donation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite well-known benefits, rates of exclusive breastfeeding and early initiation of breastfeeding are very low. This study was conducted to identify most important and easily modifiable barriers to Early Initiation of Breast Feeding (EIBF). Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2018. Data on factors which could impact EIBF was collected by interviewing with mothers using semi-structured questionnaire. Results: Only 306 (33.7 percent) of the total 908 mother–neonate dyads enrolled received breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth. Factors affecting EIBF included: delivery by lower segment cesarean section (LSCS), lack of prenatal advice on breastfeeding, use of prelacteal feeds, and maternal illness. Conclusion: Rates of EIBF were very low in present setting. Counseling during antenatal visits on the importance of EIBF, and having adequate staff to support initiation of BF, may improve the EIBF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online pharmacies in India are facing the challenge of creating market share and consumer relevance within e-commerce segment. This paper aims to empirically explore the drivers and barriers of online purchase intentions, namely perceived risk and online trust among non-adopters of online pharmacy. It proposes a model explaining how risk dimensions of perceived risk towards online pharmacy impacts online consumers' purchase intention and the moderating effect of online trust in its relationship. Sample size of 740 online consumers was considered in the study and the technique of Structural Equation Modelling, SPSS and Hayes Process were employed. An online and offline questionnaire was administered at internet users who had prior online shopping experience. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the research constructs, validity, and composite reliability. The results of the study demonstrate that perceived risk is a significant factor influencing online purchase intention toward online pharmacy in India. In accordance with the literature reviewrelated to risk perception and antecedents of trust inecommerce, three major risk perceptions, connected with e-pharmacy were finalized for testing the moderating role of online trust. The survey was conductedwith a questionnaire to include differentperspective of non-adopters of online pharmacy across India. The study contributed to the moderating effect of trust factor on the risk perception towards epharmacy inIndian context. The results indicated three major dimensions of risk perception such as financial risk, physical risk, and source risk have varied impact on purchase intention with the moderating effect of trust. The managerial implications of this study would assist both the marketers and policy makers to adopt the mechanisms tostrategize business prospective among potential consumers of online pharmacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to examine the living conditions, working conditions, and health seeking behaviour for malaria among Kondho community after one is infected with malaria. The residential surroundings of those diagnosed with malaria positive cases were extremely conducive for mosquito breeding. For instance, the majority of households threw garbage near their house, went for open defecation, the cowshed was beside their houses, and above all the houses were mostly situated in the jungle or near thick forest. Sub-centre followed by the community health centres was the first point of contact in most cases but medical care was sought only after routine life was affected. While malaria treatment plans are changing towards administering more powerful drugs as a result of chloroquine resistance but not as much has been done in the ground to prevent malaria at the first place. Therefore, together with continuing curative care for malaria—more emphasis is needed on its prevention. Community, civil society and the government need to work in tandem to improve the living and working conditions of backward communities particularly those living in malaria endemic zone so as to be able to take effective preventive measures for malaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]