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Resilience is of utmost importance for first-year undergraduate students to persist and flourish throughout the course of their studies. The researchers explored the comparative and simultaneous effect of two factors, i.e., emotional intelligence (EI) and critical thinking (CT) disposition in predicting the resilience of first-year undergraduate students. A total of 490 participants from the state of West Bengal (eastern part of India) filled out a self-report questionnaire comprising the Connor--Davidson Resilience Scale, a profile for emotional competency, and CT disposition assessment (EMI). Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis reported that resilience was positively correlated with EI and CT disposition. Further, both EI and CT disposition had unique as well as shared contributions in explaining resilience and the outcome was in favor of EI being the stronger predictor. The study suggests that college authorities and counselors should undertake efficacious support initiatives to foster resilience in students.

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the students with Autism faced difficulties in teaching-learning due to campus closures. The special schools opted for alternative classrooms i.e. online mode. Due to certain specific and unique characteristics, the learning experiences of students with autism would be different from neurotypical students. Objectives: To know about the challenges and facilitators of the alternative classroom through the teacher's narratives. Method: The virtual interviews recorded by 15 special educators from special schools in Kolkata city and its outskirts, selected using purposive sampling were analyzed through inductive thematic analysis. Results: The generated themes reveal the challenges of setting up and adapting to the online classes faced by special educators, students, and their parents. The study findings also inform about the advantages gained during the pandemic such as parental involvement for better learning in a safe space. Conclusion: A combined mode of teaching might be appropriate for the future to bring out the best in the learners.

Introduction: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by underlying obsessions and yielding/nonyielding compulsions, which often leads to significant levels of distress for the individual. Recently, obsessive-compulsive symptoms have been grouped into various symptom dimensions. The Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DY-BOCS) gives a comprehensive picture regarding symptom severity in each individual dimension of OCD, while also providing a global severity score. Aims and Objectives: The psychometric properties of the Bengali adaptation of DY-BOCS have been assessed in this study. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 80 individuals suffering from OCD as per the ICD-10 DCR criteria. The Bengali version of the DY-BOCS and other scales for OCD, anxiety, and depression were administered to all of them. Inter-rater reliability was assessed for 34 individuals, and agreement between self and clinician-rated version of DY-BOCS was studied for 60 individuals. Internal consistency for items in a particular dimension of DY-BOCS, convergent validity, and divergent validity were also assessed. Results: Internal consistency was found to be excellent (Cronbach's α > 0.90 in all domains), and inter-rater reliability was found to be good to excellent for all the six dimensions of the DY-BOCS (intraclass correlation values >0.80 for aggressive and miscellaneous domains and >0.90 in all other domains). High correlation was found between self and clinician-rated versions of DY-BOCS for the age group 18-35 years, the highest correlations being found for the Contamination (r = 0.82) and Aggressive domains (r = 0.75), while it was found to decrease in the older age group. Convergent validity and divergent validity were found to be satisfactory. Conclusion: The psychometric attributes of the Bengali version of DY-BOCS appear to be satisfactory and thus can be reasonably administered to the population having Bengali as their mother tongue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Materials and Methods Results Conclusion Endless loop tachycardia (ELT) is the commonest pacemaker mediated tachycardia (PMT) encountered among patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). Despite being enabled with various preventive algorithms, we encountered several cases having recurrent, long, and symptomatic ELT.We retrospectively analyzed consecutive device checkups at device clinic at a single center of eastern India between January 2019 to March 2023.There were 20 cases of confirmed and sustained ELT among 4520 device checks. Although mostly benign, in two cases ELT led to clinical worsening in patients having left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction. Even with good ventricular function, ELT resulted in improper atrioventricular (AV) synchrony leading to disabling symptom in one case. The differentiation of ELT from sinus tachycardia and atrial tachycardia (AT) was not always easy. Magnet application is certainly useful to differentiate. The situations that provoked ELT in this study were—long AV delays, VIP (ventricular intrinsic preferences)/MVP (managed ventricular pacing), atrial non‐capture, atrial under/over sensing, premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)/couplets, premature atrial contractions (PAC) and slower ventriculo‐atrial (VA) conduction. Rate responsive shortening of post‐ventricular atrial refractory period (PVARP) also promoted its occurrence and hindered troubleshooting. When ELT occurred despite post‐PVC extension of PVARP, lowering the atrial sensitivity, switching to bipolar sensing and manual setting of longer PVARP after measuring VA conduction time were useful. “Rate responsive PVARP” had to be turned off in a few cases to prevent ELT. On the contrary, an over aggressive prolongation of PVARP led to repetitive non‐reentrant ventriculo‐atrial synchrony (RNRVAS) in two cases. Checking VA conduction during implantation and noninvasive program stimulation (NIPS) during follow up were useful to check the tendency for ELT.Clinically significant ELT is rare but not uncommon among devices having in‐built preventive algorithms. Manual adjustments are often useful to troubleshoot the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the students with Autism faced difficulties in teaching-learning due to campus closures. The special schools opted for alternative classrooms i.e. online mode. Due to certain specific and unique characteristics, the learning experiences of students with autism would be different from neurotypical students. Objectives: To know about the challenges and facilitators of the alternative classroom through the teacher's narratives. Method: The virtual interviews recorded by 15 special educators from special schools in Kolkata city and its outskirts, selected using purposive sampling were analyzed through inductive thematic analysis. Results: The generated themes reveal the challenges of setting up and adapting to the online classes faced by special educators, students, and their parents. The study findings also inform about the advantages gained during the pandemic such as parental involvement for better learning in a safe space. Conclusion: A combined mode of teaching might be appropriate for the future to bring out the best in the learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching experience and training of the teachers are important variables for teaching and evaluating effectively having an immense impact to their inclination, attitude and perfection. West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (W.B.B.S.E), India, has taken the initiative to implement Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation system up to class VIII level. The present study explores the effect of experience and training on the attitude of the teachers towards CCE. 100 teachers under W.B.B.S.E were selected from 20 schools from Kolkata and South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, India. Attitude scale towards CCE by Sood & Anand (2011) was adopted. t- test result showed that, teaching experience and training have no effect on the attitude of teachers towards CCE. Few orientations were suggested and discussed in the light of the matter.

The formal sources of educational guidance remained no more sufficient to deal with the fast changing educational demands of the learners. Therefore, informal sources like media, especially low cost newspapers, may serve these demands. Newspapers are storehouse of current information and treasure of knowledge related to personal as well as social and local and global issues. According to a readership survey among the youth of India, conducted by NBT in 2009, a literate youth spends on an average 32 minutes on newspaper reading daily and about 63% read newspapers to gather news and information on current event and only 10% reading for entertainment. Knowing this youth demand, several dailies are bringing out educational supplements. Hence, the present study was planned to investigate educational dissemination through newspaper daily and its role in educational guidance. 28 days of circulations of the newspaper The Telegraph (Calcutta Edition), including the routine publication and all the supplements (Metro, T2, Sunday, Graphiti, Telekids and Career Graph) published during the month of February, 2013, constituted the sample for the present investigation. To collect the data content analysis method was used and a General Information Schedule (GIS) was developed for the research purpose. The data were analyzed using both Chi-Square and Percentage technique. Data analysis showed that the amount of both Non-Educational News and Non-Educational Ads were higher in percentage than Educational News and Educational Ads respectively. The amount of coverage of Educational News and Educational Ads also significantly differed and the latter was much higher in amount than the former. Further, the coverage given to different categories of educational news items also not equal or near to equal. The research concluded that The Telegraph (Calcutta Edition) is providing only a partial and unstructured educational guidance to the students which are neither comprehensive, nor regular. This research will create the scope for using newspaper as a tool of educational guidance and will help the newspaper publishers to review their existing content and to come up with necessary modifications.

This paper illustrates the cloud-based telemonitoring framework that implements healthcare automation system for myocardial infarction (MI) disease classification. For this purpose, the pathological feature of ECG signal such as elevated ST segment, inverted T wave, and pathological Q wave are extracted, and MI disease is detected by the rule-based rough set classifier. The information system involves pathological feature as an attribute and decision class. The degree of attributes dependency finds a smaller set of attributes and predicted the comprehensive decision rules. For MI decision, the ECG signal is shared with the respective cardiologist who analyses and prescribes the required medication to the first-aid professional through the cloud. The first-aid professional is notified accordingly to attend the patient immediately. To avoid the identity crisis, ECG signal is being watermarked and uploaded to the cloud in a compressed form. The proposed system reduces both data storage space and transmission bandwidth which facilitates accessibility to quality care in much reduced cost.

The main purpose of this study is to understand the opinion of student trainee teachers towards Microteaching skills. In this study, survey method was adopted. The participants of this study were 130 trainee students from four Teacher Training Colleges of West Bengal, India in 2013-14 sessions. The tools used in the study for data collection was a questionnaire comprising of two parts, made by the researcher. Part-A comprises of 6 items and Part-B consists of 15 items. The Microteaching skills have been selected according to the revised B.Ed Calcutta University syllabus. Data were analyzed using Descriptive Statistics (Mean and Standard deviation). "t" test was performed to determine the differences in opinion towards Microteaching among rural-urban located students, deputed and fresher students and among male and female students. The findings revealed that, the deputed and fresher trainees hold mostly similar opinion towards the different skills of Microteaching and the different components within it. There is a difference in opinion between rural and urban located trainees and overall the respondents have a favorable opinion towards Microteaching skills which would help them to face the real classroom situations. To improve the quality of teachers, it is important to study the usage and applicability of Microteaching skills.

Background Patient rights are basic rules of conduct between patients, medical care providers, and the institutions and the people supporting them. Patient Right Education program provides an opportunity to improve nurses knowledge about patient rights. It fosters communication between patients and nurses, which helps achieve patient satisfaction and reduce the number of violations cases of patient's rights in the hospital. This study aims to find the effectiveness of patient rights education programs among nurses. Materials and Methods A quasiexperimental approach and one group pretest posttest design were adopted for this study. One hundred subjects were selected through a convenient sampling technique in the selected tertiary Hospital, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India. A pretest was conducted on the first day using a structured knowledge questionnaire, and the patient rights education program was conducted for the participants on the same day. The posttest was conducted on the 7th day after the education program. Results Among 100 nurses, the posttest knowledge score (9.67 + 1.67) regarding patients' rights was more than the pretest knowledge (7.43 + 1.67) score. The paired t -test showed that the calculated p -value was 19.381, more than the tab value of 1.98. Hence, it was found that the program effectively improved the knowledge by showing the difference in mean knowledge score at a 5% significance level. For item-wise comparison, McNemar's test was used, and there was an improvement in 50% of patient rights items. Conclusion This study concluded that nurses need a proper awareness system about patient rights for nurses in hospital settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contamination of arsenic in drinking water and foods is a threat for human beings. To achieve the goal for the reduction of arsenic availability, besides conventional technologies, arsenic bioremediation by using some potent bacteria is one of the hot topics for researchers. In this context, bacterium, AKS4c was isolated from arsenic contaminated water of Purbasthali, West Bengal, India, and through draft genome sequence; it was identified as a strain of Micrococcus luteus that comprised of 2.4 Mb genome with 73.1% GC content and 2256 protein coding genes. As the accessory genome, about 22 genomic islands (GIs) associated with many metal-resistant genes were identified. This strain was capable to tolerate more than 46,800 mg/L arsenate and 390 mg/L arsenite salts as well as found to be tolerable to multi-metals such as Fe, Pb, Mo, Mn, and Zn up to a certain limit of concentrations. Strain AKS4c was able to oxidize arsenite to less toxic arsenate, and its arsenic adsorption property was qualitatively confirmed through X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Quantitative estimation of plant growth-promoting attributes like Indole acetic acid (IAA), Gibberellic acid (GA), and proline production and enhancement of rice seedling growth in laboratory condition leads to its future applicability in arsenic bioremediation as a plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The footballing rivalry between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan in Kolkata, India, explicates important facets of the politics of nation-building and identity formation through sport. The sporting nationalism of the colonial era gave way to narrow parochialism in post-independent India where the cultural differences of Bangals (original Hindu residents of East Bengal in colonial India and Hindu migrants from East Bengal/East Pakistan in postcolonial India) and Ghotis (original residents of western parts of Bengal in colonial India and of West Bengal in postcolonial India) emerged as the key linchpin of expressing allegiance to their respective club football teams particularly in the aftermath of immigration of refugees which took place as a result of the partition of 1947 and the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war. However, the legislations pertaining to Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and National Register of Citizens (NRC) have propelled fans of these clubs to forego their sub-cultural differences and act in unison to express their grievances against the new regulations of the Indian state. The anti-NRC protest by the fans hinges on the link between football and the debates pertaining to the idea of citizenship in contemporary Indian politics. The displaying of Tifos by the fans that exhibited significant social messages bears semblance with the Ultras of European football. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge are substitute procedures to enhance groundwater and surface water for providing an unceasing water supply to a demand area. This analysis recommends the methodology to demarcate harvesting of rainwater and artificial recharge sites as recognizing constructive artificial recharge sites applying multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), integrated with remote sensing (RS), and GIS, procedures for supplementing groundwater properties in the Upper Shilabati catchment of West Bengal state, India. The Upper Shilabati catchment is a drought-prone area with high water demand to fulfill sustainable livelihood. The categorized regions like very low 5% (83.05 km2), low 32% (523.44 km2), moderate 26% (425.93 km2), high 37% (604.70 km2), and very high 0.002% (0.04 km2) while harvesting of rainwater regions are very low 6% (97.49 km2), low 25% (404.43 km2), moderate 53% (866.53 km2), high 13% (212.09 km2), and very high 4% (64.420 km2). The examining outcome indicates that the projected and previously current artificial recharge construction, like Percolation Tanks (PT), Check Dams (CD), Nala Bund (NB), Farm Ponds (FP), and Bore Wells (BW) with the entire numbers of 5, 2, 2, 2, and 1 similarly. The zones delineated for generating numerous artificial recharge structures with 112 artificial recharge constructions are notified, and 60 artificial recharge locations fall in the high recharge region. This artificial recharge is located in 28 (moderate recharge) and 24 sites (low recharge). Study outcomes could be applied to communicate an effectual groundwater management plan for domestic and agricultural determinations with confirm sustainable water supply for this basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of transdermal glycerol trinitrate skin patches as an additive and effective agent for facilitating cervical ripening for labour induction. Methods: This was a double-blinded prospective randomised clinical trial carried out in a major obstetric unit in India. Women who planned for labour induction were randomly allocated for induction either by combined application of glycerol trinitrate skin patches [GTN patch] and intracervical dinoprostone gel or by the gel only. Sample randomisation was done using a stratified block randomisation technique with a sealed envelope. The numbers designating the group allocation sequence were concealed from doctors, research staff, and investigators. Six hourly improvements were assessed in the modified Bishop's score, induction-delivery time interval, the need for oxytocin, maternal side effects and foetal outcomes. Data were analysed using SPSS software. Results and discussion: Recruitment Bishop scores, parity and gestational age were matched in both cases and the control group. The modified Bishop's score was statistically improved in study groups, as evidenced compositely and irrespective of parity. The two groups appeared to have no significant differences regarding other outcomes. The additional application of the GTN patch seems helpful to accelerate the progress of labour but could not yield any favourable labour outcome. The GTN patch does not impose additional feto-maternal adverse effects apart from increased incidences of headaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disability in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) is a growing concern among the elderly in rural India, as its prevalence is higher than in urban areas. Thus, the rationale of the present study is to address different demographic, socioeconomic, behavioural, and health-related factors associated with ADL and IADL disability among the elderly in rural India. Data and methods: A total of 19,578 samples from the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI) Wave 1, 2017–2018, formed the basis of this study. A multivariable binary logistic regression model was administered to identify the risk factors associated with functional disability using Stata 16. Results: A multivariable binary logistic regression model shows that the higher odds ratio of ADL/IADL disability is found among the elderly who meet the following criteria: poor health status, age 80 years and above, female, depressed, not attending school, having chronic diseases such as heart disease, lung disease, and arthritis, smoking and drinking alcohol, poor economic status, physically inactive, and not covered by health insurance. On the contrary, the lowest odds ratio was found only among the elderly who belonged to a Scheduled Tribe (IADL disability) and had lung disease (ADL disability). Conclusion: A better understanding of these factors in the study can help to reduce functional disability by planning and implementing services specifically for rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey was conducted through semi-structured interviews, involving 38 local fishermen of three villages in the Gangani region along Shilabati River in West Bengal, India. The survey revealed that three threatened species of turtles--Nilssonia gangetica, Nilssonia hurum, and Lissemys punctata--were clandestinely harvested by the riverine communities. These species are also being documented for the first time from this area, popularly called Jangal Mahal. N. gangetica was the most commonly harvested species, followed by L. punctata and N. hurum, mostly for consumption, local sale, and as traditional medicine. The most frequently used method for capturing turtles was the 'multiple hook bait'; exclusively practiced by adult males of the fisher community, usually belonging to the age group 21-40 years, between February and June. The study indicated that the respondents knew that harvesting of turtles was clandestine, yet they continued to do so as their traditional right, as they believed minor catches will not harm local turtle populations. It is assumed that N. hurum, which is an endangered species, is already rare and on the brink of local extinction, whereas other two species are coping with the harvest in the specialized riparian habitat and adjacent ponds. In this study the harvesting of threatened turtle species was ardently associated with the socio-cultural customs rather than an economic compulsion but to check rising threat to these species, the uncontrolled harvest needs to be addressed urgently as a high priority conservation issue. This requires further explorations on the ecology of turtles, initiatives by enforcement agencies, and utilizing the inherent knowledge of indigenous people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Above‐normal all‐India summer monsoon (ISM) rainfall was received in 2020 with 109% of its long‐period average. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), ISM 2020 experienced robust month‐to‐month rainfall variations; in particular, the peak monsoon month of July 2020 witnessed deficit rainfall. The present study investigated the possible mechanisms that are responsible for the July 2020 deficit rainfall. Analysis revealed that the strong low‐level moisture divergence caused by the westward‐propagating atmospheric Rossby wave, induced by suppressed western North Pacific (WNP) convection, is primarily responsible for the July rainfall deficit. The WNP suppressed convection is linked to anomalous low‐level anticyclonic circulation. It is noted that the intense WNP anticyclone is maintained by the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) warming‐induced atmospheric Kelvin waves and strong low‐level convergence over the Meiyu‐Baiu rainband. Unlike July, the strength of the WNP anticyclone and TIO warming are weaker in June and August. In addition to the observational analysis, the skill of the Climate Forecast System version‐2 (CFSv2) model in predicting the July rainfall at a lead of about two months is examined. Strong positive rainfall anomalies over India are predicted by the model in July, which is in contrast to the observations. Despite predicting the TIO warming, the model failed to capture the westward extension of the WNP anticyclone, which impacted the July rainfall prediction. To understand the importance of the WNP anticyclone on ISM rainfall, a CFSv2 sensitivity experiment is carried out by imposing strong negative sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over the WNP region to excite the anticyclone. Both the westward extension of the WNP anticyclone and suppressed rainfall over the core monsoon region in July are captured by the model when low‐level circulation is imposed. The model sensitivity experiment strongly supports the role of the WNP anticyclone and its westward extension in inducing reduced rainfall in July 2020 over the monsoon trough region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Schizophrenia is a persistent and incapacitating psychiatric condition characterized by symptoms with positive, negative, affective, and cognitive domains. Sleep disturbances represent an important facet of this disorder, impacting both the quality of life and influencing its overall outcome. In the cross-sectional study, we intended to investigate the polysomnographic findings of patients with schizophrenia showing predominantly positive symptoms as opposed to those presenting with predominantly negative symptoms and also as compared to normal population. Methods: This study had a cross-sectional design, involving the recruitment of 60 medication-naive patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to the ICD-10 criteria and 30 study participants representing normal population. The cases were subdivided into two groups: one characterized by predominantly positive symptoms and the other characterized by predominantly negative symptoms. Both the groups received overnight polysomnography, and study variables were recorded. Results: All the sleep parameters were deranged in patients with schizophrenia as compared to normal controls in the general population, with significantly more pronounced differences found in those with predominant positive symptoms for most variables (p < 0.001). The only exception was the duration of N3 (slow-wave sleep) which was significantly decreased in patients with negative symptoms compared to those with positive symptoms (p < 0.001). But no significant differences were found between the negative and positive symptom domain groups in mean rapid eye movement (REM) latency, duration of N1 and N2 sleep, and total percentage of REM sleep. Conclusion: This study highlights substantial variations in sleep patterns between the negative and positive symptom domains of schizophrenia and also as compared to the general population. Further study is imperative to explore the link between circadian integrity and symptoms of the various domains of schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large proportion of disability around the world is preventable. Levels of disability in many poor countries can be reduced by achieving the international development targets for economic, social and human development. In this paper, the author studied the different contributory and causative factors of locomotor disability, disease states and the significance of poverty in relation to disability in Eastern part of India. Final data were collected from 200 people with locomotor disability by personally visiting each individual and their family at their home or institutes on the basis of personal interviews, discussions with them, their parents and teachers. Data were collected by situational sampling technique and tools used for the study were General information schedule (GIS) and Semi-structured interview schedule. The study revealed that various diseases which resulted in locomotor disability in some way were related to poverty. The nature and causative factors for various diseases which resulted in locomotor disability are malnutrition, unhygienic condition in the pre-natal and postnatal period of the mother as well as carelessness of the medical practitioners. Among the other associated significant indirect causes has been found to be illiteracy, ignorance of the parents, and various socio-cultural issues. However, general improvements in living conditions will not be enough but an integrated and specific steps are required for prevention of disability, ensuring that people with disabilities are able to fully participate in the developmental process and claim their rights as well as obtain a fair share of the benefits as full and equal members of society.

The authors explored the mental health of students with their academic career-related stressors collecting data from 400 students of different schools of Eastern part of India by using; namely General Information Schedule (GIS), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and the Academic Career Development Stress Scale. The data was subjected to t tests and ANOVA. The study shed light on three main results: (i) academic career development stress along with its ten components revealed dissimilarities with respect to gender and streams of study; (ii) significant relationships were indicated between the mental health status of students and various aspects of academic stress and demographic factors; and (iii) qualitative analyses highlighted the complex of association among academic stress, mental health and other variables.

The study aims to explore the nature of selected domains of self-concept (namely behaviour, Intellectual and school status, physical appearance and attributes, anxiety, happiness and satisfaction) of the sighted adolescents and the adolescents with a visual impairment. The sample (N = 160) have been drawn by simple random sampling from 100 sighted adolescents and 60 adolescents who are visually impaired from the selected schools of West Bengal (Eastern Part of India). Mean, Standard Deviation and Student's t-test has been computed for analyses of data. Significant differences were noted among the adolescents who are sighted and visually impaired with respect to the overall self-concept scores including the domains namely physical appearance, popularity, happiness and satisfaction. The results of this study will assist parents, advocacy groups and special educators to comprehend the areas in which the sighted students and students with visual impairment need help and support, in order to develop positive self-concept. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

Changes in the world economy, transportation and communication are resulting in increased levels of interdependence among individuals, groups, organizations, communities, and societies. Students can be from many cultures, ethnic groups, language groups and religions as well as from different economic social classes and ability levels. At the same time there are differences between disciplines in teaching-learning which creates patterns of interaction that result in diversity being valued or rejected and impact on the kind of attitudes and values one develop. Pluralism and diversity among individuals creates an opportunity, but like all opportunities, there are potentially either positive or negative outcomes. When diverse students are brought together, whether the diversity results in positive or negative outcomes depends largely on how learning situations are structured competitively, individualistically or cooperatively. While our nation is undergoing a particularly turbulent time, it has become prime requirement to inculcate in the young minds the values of cooperative learning. With these theoretical assumptions the author of the present study aimed at finding out the nature of learning behaviour (cooperative, competitive and individualistic) among the post graduate students of the three disciplines of Calcutta University. Data has been collected from 120 university students. The statistical treatment has been restricted to ANOVA and t-test. Data based fact highlighted marked specificity of learning behaviour (cooperative, competitive and individualistic) with respect to gender and discipline of the university students.

On the verge of 21st century with the knowledge explosion it has become one of the prime necessities of all the students to become an information literate life-long learner in order to meet the requirements of the fast-paced society. Students differ in the way they seek information, its use, as well as the way they adopt these information. All these tend to affect their future progress, achievement, classroom environment and learning and interpersonal relationships. Accordingly University teachers' task is not simply to deliver pieces of information but to support the learning process and skills for information-seeking and problem-solving behaviour. Therefore Universities are in desperate need to understand the nature of information-seeking behaviour of the students. Information-seeking has often been compared to a rational problem-solving process, where a gap in knowledge triggers a conscious search for information. It is dependent on the context and to a large extent on the individual's psychological mechanism. The researcher finds out on the line of Wilson's 2000 model of information behaviour to show how teaching-learning method influences the information-seeking process. The present study aimed at identifying the facilitating and inhibiting factors of information-seeking behaviour of the University students.

The Koyna-Warna Seismogenic Region of western India has been recognized as one of the hotspots for reservoir-triggered seismicity (RTS) since 1967. The current study investigates the fluid's interaction with the severely fractured granitoid basement of this area and its potential contribution to the recurring seismicity. The presence of several secondary minerals, such as chlorite, epidote, calcite, illite, etc., along the pre-existing faults and fractures, is revealed by detailed petrologic investigation at mesoscopic and microscopic scales along with XRD analysis. This indicates the fluid-rock interaction along these mechanically weak planes and subsequent propylitic grade of hydrothermal alteration under acidic to neutral conditions (pH 5.5–7) and the temperature of above 200–220 °C up to about 350 °C. Additionally, the transformation of biotite into chlorite due to fluid interaction has been inferred from the microscopic appearance of biotitic remnant within neoformed chlorite which is further supported by the mass loss of K2O and concurrent gain of MgO and FeO, demonstrating the replacement of potassium (K) interlayer sheet by brucite-like [Mg (OH)2] layer during biotite chloritization. However, this released K2O further assists in the formation of illite resulting in the mass gain of K2O at a few certain depths, whereas the dissolution of plagioclase justifies the formation of albite and calcite as evidenced by the gain of Na2O and CaO. The present study also highlights that the recurring nature of the seismicity in this area may be related to clay mineralization along the faults and fractures due to fluid-rock interaction, such as chlorite, illite, etc., in addition to the existing fault geometry and stress build-up due to reservoir impoundment. At increasing stress condition, the anisotropic and weakly bonded, layered crystal structure of chlorite forming ripplocations may develop kink bands and increases the yield strength proportionally with rising pressure up to dehydration temperature. Such visco-elastic behaviour of chlorite may promote aseismic creep in the faults. On the other hand, epidote noticed at certain depths has a contrasting behaviour; it tends to wear at the micron or submicron‐scale asperity contacts and produce fine particles which generate unstable sliding. However, the relatively higher abundance of chlorite in the faults and fractures disrupts the epidote‐epidote contact asperities and prevents such wearing of epidote grains into fine particles. Thus, biotite chloritization in conjunction with relatively less production of epidote along pre-existing faults and fractures helps to release the accumulated stress through a series of small-scale earthquakes and results in the steady fault creep observed in this region during the past 50 years. In this context, fluid-rock interaction along the pre-existing faults and fractures at shallow depth has acted as a blessing for the Koyna-Warna Seismogenic region shielding it from relatively large magnitude earthquakes – a boon for the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite a global decline in tobacco use reported by the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), India stands out for its high number of tobacco users. While research in India often focuses on tobacco use among young adults, there's a notable lack of studies addressing tobacco use among middle and old-aged women. However, the national prevalence of tobacco use among middle and old-aged (45 years and above) women in India is 18.2%. Thus, this study seeks to identify the factors influencing tobacco consumption among middle and old-aged women in the country. Methods: The study has utilized secondary data from Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) conducted in 2017–18. This study exclusively included a total of 38,180 middle and old-aged women who reported tobacco use. The analysis encompassed the utilization of Chi-square tests and Binary logistic regression to pinpoint the risk factors linked to tobacco use among middle and old-aged women. Results: Our study reveals a heightened likelihood of tobacco use among middle and old-aged women residing in the northeastern region of India. The study underscores the imperative to direct targeted efforts toward middle and old-aged women who fall into specific categories, including those who are widowed, separated, or unmarried, individuals who consume alcohol, those with lower socioeconomic and educational standings, residents of rural areas, those living in solitude, individuals experiencing depressive symptoms, and those who self-report poor health. Conclusion: Given the heightened susceptibility of these demographic groups to tobacco use, it is crucial to prioritize tobacco prevention and cessation initiatives specifically tailored to their needs and circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Plasmodium vivax remains a major challenge for malaria control and elimination due to its ability to cause relapsing illness. To prevent relapses the Indian National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) recommends treatment with primaquine at a dose of 0.25 mg/kg/day provided over 14 days. Shorter treatment courses may improve adherence and treatment effectiveness. Methods: This is a hospital-based, randomised, controlled, open-label trial in two centres in India. Patients above the age of 16 years, with uncomplicated vivax malaria, G6PD activity of ≥ 30% of the adjusted male median (AMM) and haemoglobin levels ≥ 8 g/dL will be recruited into the study and randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive standard schizonticidal treatment plus 7-day primaquine at 0.50 mg/kg/day or standard care with schizonticidal treatment plus 14-day primaquine at 0.25 mg/kg/day. Patients will be followed up for 6 months. The primary endpoint is the incidence risk of any P. vivax parasitaemia at 6 months. Safety outcomes include the incidence risk of severe anaemia (haemoglobin < 8 g/dL), the risk of blood transfusion, a > 25% fall in haemoglobin and an acute drop in haemoglobin of > 5 g/dL during primaquine treatment. Discussion: This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of a 7-day primaquine regimen compared to the standard 14-day regimen in India. Results from this trial are likely to directly inform national treatment guidelines. Trial registration: Trial is registered on CTRI portal, Registration No: CTRI/2022/12/048283. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience is of utmost importance for first-year undergraduate students to persist and flourish throughout the course of their studies. The researchers explored the comparative and simultaneous effect of two factors, i.e., emotional intelligence (EI) and critical thinking (CT) disposition in predicting the resilience of first-year undergraduate students. A total of 490 participants from the state of West Bengal (eastern part of India) filled out a self-report questionnaire comprising the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, a profile for emotional competency, and CT disposition assessment (EMI). Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis reported that resilience was positively correlated with EI and CT disposition. Further, both EI and CT disposition had unique as well as shared contributions in explaining resilience and the outcome was in favor of EI being the stronger predictor. The study suggests that college authorities and counselors should undertake efficacious support initiatives to foster resilience in students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Anemia is an important nutritional disorder with major public health importance. In India, anemia prevalence among adult males was 25.0% (NFHS-5, 2020-2021). Being rich in iron and other micronutrients camel milk might decrease the nutritional anemia prevalence. The objective was to determine the prevalence of anemia among adult male camel milk consumers (CMC) versus nonconsumers in rural Rajasthan. Materials and Methods: A community-based study was conducted among 30 CMC adult male. All the participants meeting the eligibility criteria were recruited. The same numbers of non-CMC (NCMC) adult males were recruited with respect to similar age, sex, and residence. After obtaining informed consent a semi-structured interview schedule containing sociodemographic, dietary characteristics were introduced to all participants in June 2013. The participants were assessed for their hemoglobin (Hb) level from fingertip capillary blood using the Cyanmet Hb method as suggested by Dacie and Lewis. The prevalence of anemia in each group was compared. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel version 2013 and analyzed in Stata version 13. Results: The prevalence of anemia was more (26.6%) among nonconsumers than CMCs (16.6%). There was a significant difference between these groups (P < 0.001). The mean (standard deviation) Hb (g/dL) level of the male in the CMC and NCMC categories was found to be 13.0 (0.99) and 12.22 (1.51) in adult males, respectively. This difference was statistically significant (P = 0.021). Conclusion: The prevalence of anemia among CMC adult males was lower than nonconsumers with relatively higher levels of Hb in the former group. Future studies are recommended for further inference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is associated with morbidity and mortality. Assessment of factors affecting AWS will help in early diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment, hence improving the prognosis. Aim: The present study was conceived and planned to assess the socioeconomic, biochemical, and clinical predictors of alcohol withdrawal and delirium tremens with alcohol dependence patients in the Indian population. Study Design: Longitudinal study. Methodology: The study includes 100 patients admitted for alcohol withdrawal. Participants were assessed for detailed history, physical and mental state examination, CAGE scale (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener), AUDIT scale (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), PAWSS scale (Prediction of Alcohol withdrawal severity Score), MINIPLUS (Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview) scale and CIWA scale (Clinical Institute withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol) scoring along-with biochemical and hematological investigations. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS version 20. Results: Mean age of the patients observed was 33.91 years (19-70 years). A significant association between increase of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and total bilirubin levels (P= 0.208); highly significant association between low platelet counts, low potassium levels, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and the development of delirium tremens and severity of alcohol withdrawal was observed (P<0.05). CAGE (P<0.014), AUDIT (P<0.001), and CIWA scores has significant association (P<0.001) with development of delirium and PAWSS showed good prediction (P<0.007) with patients having severe alcohol withdrawal. Conclusion: Our study recommends that socioeconomic and biochemical factors and predictors can be considered for early diagnosis of severity of alcohol withdrawal and delirium tremens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As the life expectancy of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) has improved with effective antiretroviral treatment (ART), they now face the challenges of accelerated ageing. Frailty is an emerging concept in the management of PLHIV and up to 28% of PLHIV are identified as frail. Frailty is a determinant of adverse clinical outcomes and is a complex clinical endpoint that has not been studied in India. This exploratory study was done to evaluate frailty and its determinants among PLHIV in India. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in 76 PLHIV aged 50 years or more. All the study subjects underwent a comprehensive clinical assessment. The Fried's criteria and Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) Index were used to evaluate for frailty. Socio-demographic, clinical, immunological, and virological variables were assessed for their association with frailty. The study was registered under Clinical Trials Registry-India (ICMR-NIMS): REF/2019/05/025616. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 56.05 ± 5.8 years (range 50-76), and males constituted 81.57% (62/76) of the subjects and majority (60.53%) were underweight. On frailty assessment, 57.89% of the PLHIV were identified as prefrail/frail. Frailty had a significant association with low CD4 count (P = 0.0001) and number of comorbidities (P = 0.017) especially when comorbidities ≥2 (P = 0.04) and polypharmacy (P = 0.033). VACS index, polypharmacy, and low CD4 count ≤200 cells/mm3 were strong predictors of frailty. On multivariate regression analysis, CD4 count ≤200 emerged as the strongest independent predictor of frailty. Conclusion: The study highlighted the high prevalence of frailty and under nutrition among aged PLHIV. The study emphasizes the need for a shift away from traditional clinical endpoints to other outcome measures for a holistic approach to PLHIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Surgical wound closure is the process of closing incised skin to facilitate rapid wound healing with a low risk of complications and an appealing cosmetic outcome. The method and material for wound closure are influenced by the type of surgery, the anatomical site of the wound, and the length of the incision. It must serve both functional and aesthetic purposes with fewer complications. Aim: To compare the rate of Surgical Site Infection (SSI) between skin staplers and polyamide sutures among patients undergoing open abdominal surgeries. Materials and Methods: The present study was a singlecentre, prospective, two-arm, parallel-group, randomised (1:1) clinical study conducted at the Department of General Surgery, IPGMER-SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, between July 19, 2022, and January 31, 2023. A total of 134 eligible adult patients (18-70 years) undergoing open abdominal surgeries were screened, enrolled, and randomised to the Surgipler skin stapler (n=67) and Trulon polyamide suture (n=67). Patients were followed up for 84 days. The primary objective was to compare the rate of SSI between the two groups. The secondary objectives were evaluation of wound complications, postoperative pain, patient satisfaction, cosmetic appearance of the wound, time taken for skin closure, ease of use, and safety of the two interventions. The statistical analysis was performed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test for continuous variables. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: The Surgipler skin stapler performed better than the Trulon polyamide suture in postoperative wound closure of open abdominal surgeries, based on the percentage of SSI (2.98% vs. 4.47%), skin closure time (387.99±116.40 vs. 578.57±139.22 seconds), patient satisfaction score (4.20±0.53 vs. 2.69±0.57), the overall Patient and Observers Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) observers score (1.17±0.39 vs. 2.44±0.69), and the overall POSAS patient score (1.24±0.47 vs. 2.50±0.76) at the end of the study. All parameters had a statistically significant p-value <0.0001. Conclusion: The present study concludes that the Surgipler skin stapler performed better than the Trulon polyamide suture in postoperative wound closure in open abdominal surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to study the clinical profile of acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) and establish Cell-free DNA (Cf DNA) as a predictor of the outcome of ACLF. In this prospective study, those patients who fulfilled EASL criteria were included. Cf DNA was estimated in 30 patients and compared with the CLIF-C ACLF score. The median age of 132 consecutive ACLF patients was 40 years. The most common acute insult were sepsis (30.3%) and alcohol (22%). While alcohol (35.6%) and chronic HBV (14.3%) were the most common etiologies of cirrhosis. The overall mortality was 45.5% and 71.2% at 28 days and 90 days, respectively. Multiple regression analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model showed that heart rate (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.04–1.08 P = 0.001), lung failure (HR 2.82, 95% CI 1.24–6.44, P = 0.02), and cell-free DNA (HR 2.70, 95% CI 1.17–6.24, P = 0.02) were independent predictors of mortality When Cf DNA was used to predict 28-day mortality, Cf DNA was found to have a higher AUC (AUROC 0.84, 95% CI 0.70-0.98, P = 0.001) than the CLIF-C-ACLF score (AUROC 0.81, 95% 0.66–0.97, P = 0.003). However, when 90-day mortality was compared, CLIF-C-ACLF score had a higher area under the curve (AUROC 0.93, 95% CI 0.83–1.00, P = 0.0001) than Cf DNA (AUROC 0.89, 95% CI 0.77–1.00, P = 0.0001). Alcohol and sepsis remain the most common causes of acute insult. Cf DNA is a better predictor of 28-day mortality, whereas CLIF-C ACLF is more accurate to predict 90-day mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was an attempt to assess how the trainee teachers belonging to the vernacular background, from West Bengal (Eastern part of India), India, improved their oral fluency in a Task-Based Language Teaching approach. Trainee teachers from a university were taught with a task-based approach for 2 months with task conditions like pre-task planning time, pair and group work, and feedback. The learners’ performance in the intervention tasks and pre-post-test were audio recorded. The findings indicated that the learners could produce fluent sentences with grammatical accuracy and elaborate utterances with reduced pauses. Furthermore, learners’ opinion on the task-based teaching and learning approach was sought with some questions, where they appreciated the TBLT approach as it allowed them to improve their speaking skills to an extent. The implications of the findings are discussed in light of the suitability of a task-based approach in the Indian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: Preventive measures and appropriate rehabilitation are important in reducing the social burden of blindness. This study was to evaluate the etiologies, proportions, and level of rehabilitation for patients with blindness. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study with 1000 visually impaired patients was conducted. The data regarding age, gender, socioeconomic status (SES), etiologies, curable or incurable blindness (IB), treatments, awareness, and state of rehabilitation were collected and reviewed. Results: The ratio of curable to IB was 0.82:1. The proportion of blindness rises after 40, even while the proportion of curable blindness (CB) increases after 60. The male–female ratios were 1.25:1 and 1:1.66 in the cases of CB and IB, respectively. On the other hand, the male–female ratio for childhood blindness was 1.66:1. Cataracts (78.22%) were the most common cause of CB, whereas diabetic retinopathy (24%), corneal opacity (17.5%), and trauma (12.4%) were causes of IB. Patients with illiteracy, low SES, and female gender were more likely to develop IB. There were low enrollment rates at the blind school and poor rehabilitation, mainly because of a lack of knowledge. Conclusion: Diabetic retinopathy, corneal opacity, and trauma are the major causes of IB. IB and poor rehabilitation were more profound in women and were associated with illiteracy, low SES, and a lack of awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the developing world, nearly one-third (35%) of under-five children are stunted and rural children are twice likely to be underweight as those in urban areas (United Nations, Children education Fund, UNICEF Global Database (2006-2010). United Nations Development Assistance Framework of Uganda. Retrieved from https://countryoffice.unfpa.org/uganda/drive/Uganda_UNDAF.pdf). India presents a grim scenario which lacks in various aspects inflicting sufferings on children below five years of age. The objective of the study is to find out the association between mother's nutritional awareness and nutritional status of the child (NSC). Methodology: The sample consisted of 300 children of 3-4 years of age from kindergarten and preprimary schools of Kolkata. The tools used were Nutritional Awareness of Mother (NAM) questionnaire and NSC by measuring age, height and weight of children which were used for finding weight for age, height for age and weight for height of the child and the statistical analysis used was chi-square test. Results: The result showed that nutritional awareness of mother significantly influences the NSC. Conclusions: The study would help in motivating educators for incorporating need-based educative measures for young adolescents and thus the eradication of various issues regarding infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, etc. may be checked to some extent.

The article presents the discovery of an extended distribution of Gentiana decemfida in Manipur, India, during a botanical trip in March 2023, detailing the taxonomy and characteristics of the species. Topics include the identification of G. decemfida specimens in Manipur, its taxonomic features, and a discussion on its distribution, emphasizing its continuous range from the Indian Himalaya to Northeast India.

Introduction Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections are associated with poor outcomes, particularly among hematology-oncology patients. Appropriate use (selection and de- escalation) of antibiotics is a key component of management of febrile neutropenia particularly in high CRE prevalence regions like India. Methods This was a retrospective study done (April 2019-December 2021) in a dedicated oncology center in North India, which assessed the case records of the patients undergoing therapy for hematological malignancies who were diagnosed with CRE bacteremia. Demographic, clinical and microbiological data, as well as antibiotic prescription patterns were studied. Inter-group analysis was done between an antibiotic stewardship cohort (avoiding CRE therapy empirically or stopping CRE therapy if cultures negative; as per suggestions of the AMS team) and a non-antibiotic stewardship cohort (continuation of empirical CRE therapy; de-escalation advice was not followed). Results A total of 139 patients were identified, with median age of 41 years (range 13-74) out of which 82 (58.9%) were males. Acute myeloid leukemia (66.2%) was the most common malignancy, followed by lymphoma (8.6%) and myeloma (8.6%). Nearly 30% of patients were post allogenic stem cell transplant. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the predominant organism (78.4%) and combination of NDM+OXA-48 (46.3%) was the most common carbapenemase gene detected followed by OXA-48 alone (34.7%). Overall, 28-day mortality was 26.6%. On binary logistic regression analysis, lack of compliance with antibiotic stewardship intervention was an independent predictor of mortality (p=0.005). Conclusions Prior exposure to empirical CRE therapy or failure to de-escalate was associated with poor outcomes in patients with CRE bacteremia, which gives us a window of antibiotic stewardship in febrile neutropenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) is a challenging task due to its complexity and nonlinear interactions. Any improvement in the seasonal prediction skill of models would highly benefit a large population and the economy. In this context, three sets of hindcast experiments are carried out for 9 months each, for the period 1993–2019, using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction‐Climate Forecast System version 2 (NCEP‐CFSv2). The experiments differ from each other in the way they are initialized: one is initialized in February (FebIC), and the second in May (MayIC), whereas in the third one (Exp), ocean is initialized in February and allowed to evolve but the atmosphere reinitialized every month up to May. So, hindcasts of Exp are from the pre‐evolved ocean with realistic atmospheric initial conditions of May. The representation of mean tropical Indo‐Pacific Sea surface temperature (SST), Walker circulation, mean monsoon circulation and moisture transport to Indian landmass are better represented in Exp. The ISM rainfall prediction (interannual) skill improved in Exp as compared to FebIC and MayIC over central India, Indian land mass and extended monsoon region. The initialization strategy adopted in Exp reduces the model initial shocks especially in the upper ocean heat content and SST over the Indo‐Pacific region, thereby offering a cost‐effective alternative approach for reduction of the initial shock. The well‐known cold tongue SST bias over the equatorial Pacific in MayIC is reduced significantly in Exp with improved monsoon teleconnections and the overdependence of ISM rainfall on El Niño Southern Oscillation in MayIC is also reduced in Exp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, subsurface characteristics within the complex formation of the Shilabati basin system of West Bengal, India, extending over an area of 3888 km2, have been estimated using a cost-effective piezometer and MIKE FEFLOW package based on a steady-state numerical model. Pore size and fine particle content of streambeds are affected by two opposing flow contraptions. Such opposite flow conditions are likely to affect the hydraulic conductivity of the streambed. However, analogies of the hydraulic conductivity (Kh) of streambeds for losing and gaining streams have not been well documented in the recent past. The Kh value from the piezometer has been highest at the Dakshin Pairachali site (6.765 m/day), with the stream gaining water from the discharge of the local aquifer. Analysis of the stream-aquifer interaction using the FEFLOW model has allowed us to understand the groundwater water head of the basin ranging from 160.33 to 0.32 m.a.s.l (meters above sea level). The present study also constitutes the first attempt for the identification of suitable sites for the implementation of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) technology in West Bengal, India, to manage extreme drought events. The suitable sites have been identified by means of three fuzzy multi-criteria decision analysis based on nine criteria: river discharge, moisture content, porosity, drainage type, rainfall, land use type, geology, aquifer material, and hydraulic conductivity. To design a radial collector well and infiltration gallery for the selected site in an anisotropic, homogeneous, unconfined, and semi-infinite aquifer near a fully penetrating stream, a pumping test has been conducted to optimize a safe yield of 12.096 MLD (megaliters per day). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Unani formulation Majun Brahmi (MB), a combination of herbs, is used in India as a brain tonic and memory enhancer. Aluminium deposition in the brain is associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Aims and Objectives: The present study was designed to observe that the effects of MB have been evaluated on aluminium trichloride or aluminium chloride (AlCl3)-induced cognitive impairment in an experimental rat model. Materials and Methods: Twenty male Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups of five rats each. AlCl3 was administered orally for 30 days to induce cognitive impairment. Group I received saline, Group II-AlCl3 (100 mg/kg b.wt), Group III-MB (1027.77 mg/kg b.wt), and Group IV-AlCl3 + MB (100 mg/kg b.wt+1027.77 mg/kg b. wt). At the end of the experiment, rats were subjected to behavioral and biochemical assessments. Results: Animals treated with AlCl3 showed a significant increase in time to reach the platform in the Morris water maze test (MWM), prolonged transfer latency (TL) in the elevated plus maze, and decreased step-down latency in the passive avoidance test, as compared to controls (P<0.01). Cotreatment with MB resulted in a reduced time to reach the platform in MWM, increased step-down latencies, and decreased TL. AlCl3 induction significantly increased malondialdehyde and decreased superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione, total antioxidant capacity, and catalase levels. Concomitant administration of MB significantly attenuated the effects AlCl3 on lipid peroxidation and restored the reduced antioxidant parameters. Conclusion: The study provides strong evidence for the potential use of MB in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Naftifine, an allylamine, is highly effective against tinea pedis and exhibits relatively greater affinity to skin and nail beds, possibly due to its high lipophilicity. To study the efficacy and safety of naftifine 2% gel in an Indian population, a phase III multicentre double-blind, comparative, parallel-group study was conducted in comparison with miconazole 2% gel in patients with interdigital tinea pedis, with mild to moderate symptoms. Patients and Methods: Patients presenting with mild to moderate signs and symptoms of interdigital tinea pedis and mycologically confirmed tinea infection were randomised to either naftifine hydrochloride 2% gel (n = 112) or miconazole 2% gel (n = 112) in 1:1 ratio. All patients were treated for 2 weeks with a follow-up of up to 12 weeks. Study evaluations were done at the end of 2, 6, and 12 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving clinical cure at week 6 (± 4 days) and secondary endpoints were the mycological cure at week 6 and week 12 and complete cure at week 12. Results: At the end of week 6, clinical cure was 54.55% and 50.00% in the naftifine and miconazole groups (p = 0.4960), respectively, and it was increased to 78.18% and 76.36% in the naftifine and miconazole group (p = 0.7455) at the end of week 12. Mycological and clinical cure were similar in the naftifine and miconazole groups at week 6 and week 12. The safety and tolerability profiles of both treatments were similar. Conclusions: Naftifine 2% gel was efficacious and safe for the treatment of mild to moderate interdigital tinea pedis. Its clinical effectiveness was comparable to that of miconazole 2% gel. Trial Registration: Clinical Trials Registry of India: CTRI/2021/01/030753. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A majority of saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers occurs in coastal regions. The interactions between groundwater, surface water, and estuarine water are complicated and highly dynamic. A decrease in the groundwater level below the mean sea level results in the reversal of the hydraulic gradient thereby causing the seawater to move inland. Seawater intrusion is triggered by the excessive pumping of coastal groundwater and sea-level rise. The inland motion of seawater into the coastal aquifer is an important reason for the deterioration of the coastal groundwater resources. Geochemical criteria like chloride and TDS concentration, chloride/bicarbonate ratio, and isotope studies have been used by researchers across the world to identify the origin, pathways, rates, and current status of salinization in order to properly understand the interplay between transport and chemistry in the seawater-freshwater mixing zones prevalent in coastal aquifers. This study deals with a comprehensive hydrogeologic and geochemical investigation to identify seawater intrusion into a coastal groundwater basin of West Bengal, Eastern India. The major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, and Na+) and anions (HCO3ˉ, Clˉ, and SO42ˉ) dissolved in the coastal groundwater were analyzed in this study. The relative abundance of major cations and anions was analyzed using Pie and Radial diagrams. Piper and Chadha's diagrams were used to find the dominant groundwater types and their geochemistry in the study area. USSL diagrams were used to classify groundwater for analyzing its suitability for agricultural uses. In addition, Gibbs and HFE-D diagrams were also analyzed to identify major geochemical processes influencing existing groundwater chemistry. Finally, the seawater mixing index (SMI) was developed to identify the aquifers affected by seawater-freshwater mixing as well as to explore the current status of seawater intrusion in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The present study measured the C factor value using NDVI time series, extracted from Landsat 8 OLI imageries. • The forest areas of the basin are more prone to soil erosion, compared to any other LULC category. • Upraised slope significantly affects soil loss rate and sediment yield. • Around 174.31 Km2 (9.16 %) land area contributed 57.54 % of gross soil loss. • The upstream parts of the river basin are highly susceptible to soil erosion. As a major contributor of land degradation, water borne soil erosion poses a threat to environmental and socioeconomic sustainability worldwide. Recently, various anthropogenic factors have aggravated soil erosion related problems in most of the humid and semi arid parts of the developing countries like India. Therefore, accurate quantification of the spatially distributed soil erosion along with the identification of erosion hot spots is of paramount significance for designing extensive management strategies to combat erosion hazard. The present study aimed to estimate mean annual soil loss in a tropical river basin such as Kumari river basin (KRB, area: 195125 ha) in the Chotanagpur plateau region in India. In addition, the study also quantified mean sediment yield and identified the main sediment sources within the basin. For these purposes, the present study introduced a raster based spatially distributed approach that integrated RUSLE and sediment delivery ratio (SDR) models with remote sensing (RS) and GIS. The results depicted that annual soil loss within the basin varied from 0 to 208.34 t ha – 1 yr – 1 with an average of 1.92 t ha – 1 yr – 1. The computed annual soil loss was about 364.05 × 103 tonnes, of these, 209.46 × 103 (∼58 %) were lost from only 8.93 % of the total basin area at intolerable rate. Similarly, the estimated sediment yield within the basin ranged from 0 to 64.53 t ha – 1 yr – 1 with a mean of 1.15 t ha – 1 yr – 1 and followed a similar distribution pattern of soil erosion. Being characterized by steep topography, the forest patches in the upstream part of the basin showed the most critical erosion risk. The methodology adopted in the current research displayed acceptable correctness and enabled spotting of most vulnerable areas of water erosion and critical sediment sources, initiating a comprehensive anticipating aid for the implementation of proper land management and soil conservation plans. This perspective is surmised to be helpful for extensive study of water erosion in other tropical river basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Positive airway pressure therapy is mainstay of treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). But long‑term compliance with is poor with such therapy. A proactive and vigilant management may improve the PAP therapy usage. Cloud‑based telemonitoring PAP devices offer an opportunity for proactive monitoring and prompt interventions related to PAP troubleshooting. This technology is also used in India for adult OSA patients. But we lack our own data on behavior of Indian patients as a cohort on PAP therapy. The present study is an attempt to look at the behavior a cohort of PAP users in OSA. Methodology: This study was planned as a retrospective analysis of data of OSA patients who were using a cloud‑based PAP devices. First 100 patients were chosen for data retrieval that who was on this therapy. The data was obtained for those patients who were on PAP for at least 7 days and maximum follow‑up was available up to 390 days. Descriptive statistical analysis has been carried out in the present study. Results: The number of male and female patients was 75 and 25, respectively. Overall good compliance was present in 66% of patients. 34% of patients were not compliant with PAP during follow‑up. The compliance was statistically same in both the sexes (P = 0.8088). Incomplete data recovery was present in 17 patients and 11 (64.70%) were non‑compliant among them. In the initial, 60 days non‑compliant patients were more than compliant patients. The difference was lost in 60 to 90 days of use. The air leak was present more in the compliant group than non‑compliant group (P = 0.0239). 75.75% of compliant patients had achieved AHI control, whereas 35.29% of non‑compliant patients also achieved AHI control. But overall, AHI control was poor in non‑compliant patients and 61.76% of non‑compliant patients had an AHI uncontrolled. Conclusions: We conclude that 3/4th of the compliant patients achieve AHI control while 1/4th didn’t. This 1/4th population needs further exploration to determine the causes of poor AHI control. Cloud‑based PAP devices give an easy opportunity to monitor patients of OSA. It gives an instant panoramic view of behavior of OSA patients on PAP therapy. The compliant patients can be tracked, and non‑compliant patients can be segregated quickly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]