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The aim of this study is to provide a current synthesis of Online Inquiry-Based Learning (OIBL) systems that use argumentation as a pedagogy. Data were collected from three databases: Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC. The present review synthesized the findings of 73 studies from 2010 to June 2023. A qualitative content analysis was conducted to examine the inquiry-based systems regarding design features that support argumentation and learning outcomes. Four design features were identified: engaging students in unique and meaningful topics, providing visualization and scaffolding tools, collaborative inquiry in groups, and sharing and critiquing arguments. Most studies provided scaffolding and visualization support, while a few allowed students to engage in unique and meaningful topics. Most studies measured higher-level cognitive outcomes in contrast to lower-level outcomes. Future studies need to design systems for a more diverse population of students with improved collaboration support. In addition, this review identified a need to focus more on interdisciplinary topics rather than natural science.

The GdPO4:Tm3+/Yb3+ phosphor codoped with various concentrations of Li + ions were synthesized for upconversion emission and optical thermometry studies. Excitation using 980 nm laser diode results in three upconversion (UC) emission bands with centre wavelengths of 478, 648 and 692 nm. These bands are originated from 1G4→3H6, 1G4→3F4, and 3F3→3H6 transitions of the Tm3+ ion, respectively. Li+ ions modified the local crystal symmetry around dopant ions, resulting enhanced UC emissions. The lifetime of the 1G4 level of Tm3+ ion was studied using a 980 nm laser excitation. The temperature sensing performances of GdPO4:Tm3+/Yb3+ and GdPO4:Tm3+/Yb3+/Li+ based on fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technique were evaluated in the temperature range 301–713 K under 980 nm excitation. Non-thermally coupled levels 3F3 (692 nm) and 1G4 (478, 648 nm) were utilized for FIR estimation. A maximum absolute sensitivity of 6.28 × 10−3 K−1 at 653 K and 18.71 × 10−3 K−1 at 713 K were observed for Li + undoped and codoped phosphors respectively. The result indicates that codoping of Li + ions improved the UC emission as well as optical thermometry. Moreover, CIE colour coordinates and anti-counterfeiting application were also exhibited.

Vector-borne diseases are rampant across the world. Studies have been conducted to assess the impact of climatic factors on the life stages of various mosquito species. In this study, the overall effect of climatic factors such as temperature and relative humidity on the life span, survivability, development, and vectorial capacity of Aedes mosquito species has been evaluated. A literature survey was done through PubMed, Google Scholar, and Shodhganga databases using the keywords’ “Aedes”, “temperature”, and “humidity”. The search output was analyzed in terms of the impact of environmental factors on the life stages of Aedes species and it was observed that both temperature and relative humidity act as significant indicators for dengue vector propagation and virus transmission. A total of 86 research papers were selected for inclusion, and the study is divided into five criteria: (i) egg eclosion, (ii) larval development, (iii) pupal development, (iv) adult survival, and (v) vector transmission. A 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was estimated using SPSS software. Literature mining results revealed the most optimal temperatures for egg eclosion, larval development, pupal development, adult survival, and vector transmission were 24.03±3.79, 24.81±3.23, 26.18±3.96, 26.55±2.71, and 29.78±2.77, respectively. The study finds a knowledge gap regarding the impacts of relative humidity on Aedes biology. The outcomes of this work will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the core behavioral patterns of Aedes mosquitoes under evolving climatic circumstances. Furthermore, these findings will play a pivotal role in shaping forthcoming strategies for mosquito control.

Introduction: Medical students are expected to provide compassionate and empathic care to their patients. Empathy is a crucial component of the doctor-patient relationship. The Triguna theory is a fundamental concept in Hindu philosophy that describes three inherent qualities of nature: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. Each individual has a unique combination of these qualities, which shapes their personality and behaviour. However, the relationship between Triguna personality and empathy in medical students has not been explored in depth. Aim: To examine the association between Triguna personality and empathy in medical students. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted among first-phase medical undergraduates in the Department of Physiology, Rama Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India from July 2024 to August 2024. A total of 122 medical students participated in the study. The Vedic Personality Inventory (VPI) was used for assessing personality, and the Brief form of Interpersonal Reactivity Index (B-IRI) was used for assessing empathy. Correlational analysis and an unpaired student’s t-test were performed. Results: There were 122 subjects; the proportion of male and female students was 52 (42.6%) and 70 (57.4%), respectively. The mean± Standard Deviation (SD) age was 20.43±1.23 years. Sattva score was positively correlated with Perspective-taking (PT) (r=0.193, p

Objective: Tuberculosis (TB) is among the most frequent causes of infectious-disease-related mortality. Despite being treatable by antibiotics, tuberculosis often goes misdiagnosed and untreated, especially in rural and low-resource areas. Chest X-rays are frequently used to aid diagnosis; however, this presents additional challenges because of the possibility of abnormal radiological appearance and a lack of radiologists in areas where the infection is most prevalent. Implementing deep-learning-based imaging techniques for computer-aided diagnosis has the potential to enable accurate diagnoses and lessen the burden on medical specialists. In the present work, we aimed to develop deep-learning-based segmentation and classification models for accurate and precise detection of tuberculosis in chest X-ray images, with visualization of infection using gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) heatmaps. Methods: First, we trained the UNet segmentation model using 704 chest X-ray radiographs taken from the Montgomery County and Shenzhen Hospital datasets. Next, we implemented the trained UNet model on 1,400 tuberculosis and control chest X-ray scans to segment the lung region. The images were taken from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) TB portal program dataset. Then, we applied the deep learning Xception model to classify the segmented lung region into tuberculosis and normal classes. We further investigated the visualization capabilities of the model using Grad-CAM to view tuberculosis abnormalities in chest X-rays and discuss them from radiological perspectives. Results: For segmentation by the UNet model, we achieved accuracy, Jaccard index, Dice coefficient, and area under the curve (AUC) values of 96.35%, 90.38%, 94.88%, and 0.99, respectively. For classification by the Xception model, we achieved classification accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and AUC values of 99.29%, 99.30%, 99.29%, 99.29%, and 0.999, respectively. The Grad-CAM heatmap images from the tuberculosis class showed similar heatmap patterns, where lesions were primarily present in the upper part of the lungs. Conclusion: The findings may verify our system's efficacy and superiority to clinician precision in tuberculosis diagnosis using chest X-rays and raise the possibility of a valuable setup, particularly in environments with a scarcity of radiological expertise.

Background: Yoga is an ancient wisdom that originated in India and encompasses eight limbs, including yama, niyama, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Despite its holistic nature, many studies on yoga tend to focus solely on its physical aspects, breathing practices, and meditation, neglecting other essential components. To address this gap, a study was conducted to determine the perception and practice of all eight limbs of yoga among yoga teachers. Method: A self-designed questionnaire containing 28 items was used for assessing the knowledge, perception, and practice of the eight limbs of yoga among yoga teachers. A total of 37 yoga teachers participated in the study. Cross-tabulation was performed to analyze the data. Results: The majority of participants (>80%) in this study on the practice of astanga yoga reported that all limbs of yoga were essential in their practice. However, there were varying degrees of emphasis placed on each limb. Pranayama (91.9%) and asana (89.2%) were given the most emphasis, while niyama (75.7%), yama (73%), pratyahara (70.3%), dhyana (70.3%), and dharana (64.9%) were given slightly less emphasis. Interestingly, those with more experience placed greater emphasis on various aspects of yoga. Conclusion: Practitioners should embrace all eight limbs of yoga when introducing it to new populations to increase access to yoga. This will help promote the benefits of yoga and make it more accessible to those who may benefit from it. Health professionals should have a comprehensive understanding of the holistic practice of yoga, including its ethics, postures, breath, mindfulness, and meditation, to promote its maximum benefits and avoid potentially harmful practices.

Abstract Currently, augmented reality (AR) is one of the emerging technologies which is being widely used in the education sector. In engineering drawing, AR has been implemented to enhance learners’ spatial ability but not their conceptual knowledge yet. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of AR on engineering drawing students’ learning performance. In this study, we developed an AR-based application EDINAR to learn engineering drawing concepts for undergraduate engineering students. The study included 392 first-year students from an engineering institution. The control group (N = 196) studied engineering drawing using traditional methods, whereas the experimental group (N = 196) used an AR-based engineering drawing application (EDINAR) to learn engineering drawing. One-way ANOVA was used to analyse the performances of both groups. The findings revealed that students studying engineering drawing with the help of EDINAR outperformed those using traditional approaches. In addition, we received positive feedback about the AR application from the experimental group about their learning experience. Based on these results, it is recommended to incorporate AR in engineering education to improve the learning performance and students’ learning experience.

A surging population in Karnataka State, a semi-arid region in India, poses a threat to both food security and livelihood sustainability, necessitating a concentrated effort to bolster agricultural efficiency and achieve United Naton’s Sustainable Development Goal 2 (zero hunger). Therefore, in order to address the pressing issue of food scarcity in Karnataka, this study meticulously examined the spatio-temporal variation of agricultural efficiency and irrigation intensity in Karnataka, uncovering its significant dependence of agricultural efficiency on irrigation intensity. Specifically, this study used a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to ascertain significant differences in the means of agricultural efficiency and irrigation intensity during 2004–2005 and 2018–2019. This study showed that the maximum improvement in agricultural efficiency index was recorded in Belgaum (40.24), Gulbarga (24.77), and Yadgir districts (22.92) between 2004–2005 and 2018–2019, which indicated the progressing trend and better scope for agriculture extension. On the contrary, some districts expressed threat (a decline of above 20.00 of agricultural efficiency index) and needed special care for the improvement of agricultural efficiency in four northern districts (Bagalkot, Bidar, Raichur, and Bijapur), three southern districts (Chitradurga, Chikballapur and Hassan), and two southern districts (Koppal and Gadag) in Karnataka. During 2004–2005, irrigation intensity varied from 3.19% to 56.39%, with the lowest irrigation intensity in Kodagu District and the highest irrigation intensity in Shimoga District. During 2018–2019, irrigation intensity changed from 0.77% to 72.77%, with the lowest irrigation intensity in Kodagu District and the highest in Dakshin Kannad District. Moreover, the research scrutinized the complex relationship between agricultural efficiency and irrigation intensity, with the correlation coefficient increased from 0.162 during 2004–2005 to 0.255 during 2018–2019. It implies that in both periods, a low positive correlation existed between these two variables. Over time, several factors (high-yield seeds and chemical fertilizers) other than irrigation intensity gradually became essential for agricultural efficiency. This research offers a wealth of valuable insights for regional planners and policy-makers contending with comparable challenges in various regions of India and other developing countries.

Landslides are frequent natural hazards in mountainous regions, and harshly upset people's lives and livelihoods. In the present study, we have carried out an analysis of seven GIS-based machine-learning techniques; and asses their performance for landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) in the Bhilangana Basin, Garhwal Himalaya. A landslide inventory consisting of 423 polygons was prepared using repeated field investigations, and multi-dated satellite images for the periods between 2000 and 2022. The landslide dataset was classified into two groups: training (70%) and test dataset (30%), and 12 predictive variables were used for the LSM. The methods used to produce LSM are boosted regression tree (BRT), Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA), generalized linear model (GLM), multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), model-architect analysis (MDA), random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM). The sensitivity and performance of these models to predict landslide susceptible areas were carried out using the area under the curve (AUC) method. The RF model (AUC = 0.988) has given the highest precision indicating the best performance. Though MARS (0.974), SVM (0.965) and MDA (0.952) models have also performed adequately for the LSM (all have AUC values above 0.95), however, it is recommended that the RF model is highly suitable for LSM in the mountainous region.

Abstract Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome, also known as Wilkie's syndrome, is a rare disease presenting as an acute abdomen. It has a clinical presentation similar to intestinal obstruction and is often missed during diagnosis. Reduced weight leading to loss of fat pad between SMA and aorta is the main pathophysiology. Diagnosis is made through barium meal and CT scan. Conservative management remains the treatment of choice; however, surgery is opted for in refractory cases. Key Clinical Message Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome, also known as Wilkie's syndrome, is a rare disease presenting as an acute abdomen with clinical features similar to intestinal obstruction. This is a case of SMA syndrome in an adult male with a decrease in aortomesenteric angle, with no predisposing condition.

The increasing global concern for sustainability in supply chain management is driven by stricter government regulations addressing environmental pollution and social injustice. This has led to a growing emphasis on integrating sustainability into supply chain practices. However, there is limited research on incorporating all three dimensions of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social) into supply chain management. This study presents a mixed-integer linear programming model for designing an uncertain supply chain network design that aims to minimize overall costs (establishment, production, and transportation/routing costs) while considering carbon emissions and a few social factors simultaneously. The study considers sustainable aspects of decision-making process and utilizes chance-constrained programming to address uncertainties. The proposed model attempts to maintain balanced flow levels across all stages of the network, optimizing the utilization of raw materials and production. The proposed optimization model is a cost minimization model that also tries to minimize greenhouse gas emissions throughout the entire network. A greedy based heuristic is provided for dealing with larger instances of the given decision making problem. Additionally, sensitivity analysis has also been carried out to explore the impact of various parameters involved.

Background: Medical studies are one of the stressful course in India and worldwide. Emotional intelligence (EI) is a group of skills that can be learned to enhance coping skills and promote well-being. Aims and Objectives: The present study is aimed to analyze the relationship between EI and psychological distress such as depression, anxiety, and stress in 1st-year medical undergraduates. Materials and Methods: A self-reported questionnaire is used for assessing EI and psychological distress. A shorter version of the Trait EI questionnaire is used for assessing EI and the depression, anxiety, and stress subscale is used for assessing psychological distress. A total of 98 medical students participated in the study. Unpaired student’s t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis was performed. Results: The results showed a negative association between EI and depression, anxiety, and stress. Depression, anxiety, and stress were found in 35.7%, 50%, and 14.3% of 98 participants, respectively. EI was found to be significantly higher in men. Women were found to be more affected than men. Conclusion: High EI is associated with the lower psychological distress. This shows the need to assess and improve EI through practices that can improve their psychological health.

Background Hematological conditions like pancytopenia are widespread in our lab. Diagnosis and therapy of pancytopenia require etiology analysis. Most pancytopenia causes are determined by the Absolute Reticulocyte Count (ARC), which has been neglected. The aim of this study is to determine the importance of the Absolute Reticulocyte Count (ARC) in assessing the etiology of pancytopenia, with a focus on its role in distinguishing between different causes of this hematological condition. Materials and Methods The study was conducted in a tertiary health care institution in Bihar, India. Over the course of 1 year (April 2021 to March 2022), a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out. Complete blood counts (CBC), reticulocyte count including ARC and peripheral blood smear (PBS) examination were performed in all cases of pancytopenia. Serum ferritin, Serum vitamin B12 level and serum folate were also estimated. Bone marrow examination was done in all cases. Results A total of 200 pancytopenia cases were assessed, and the findings were recorded. In cases of aplastic anemia, ARC was found to be 100x109 /L was seen in neoplastic disorders. Lower ARC values were associated with conditions like aplastic anemia, while higher ARC values were indicative of acute leukemia and metastatic deposits, making ARC a valuable diagnostic tool. Conclusion It was concluded that ARC is crucial in distinguishing between different causes of pancytopenia, and it must be a regular part of work-up to prevent needless invasive bone marrow examinations in cases of pancytopenia. Recommendation This study suggests that pancytopenia patients be routinely assessed with Absolute Reticulocyte Count (ARC). ARC helps identify pancytopenia etiologies, preventing needless bone marrow exams. Pancytopenia diagnosis and treatment can be improved by adding ARC to diagnostic techniques.

Background Hemoglobinopathies are a growing global health issue. These hereditary diseases are most common worldwide. WHO says the Middle East and India have the highest incidence. HPLC is a good way to screen hemoglobin variants such HbF and HbA2. The present study was carried out to diagnose hemoglobinopathies and thalassemias by the use of HPLC in Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India. Materials and Methods A retrospective descriptive research assessed 550 patients for thalassaemia or other hemoglobin structural abnormalities. This investigation included all cases of microcytic hypochromic anemia (MCV< 80 fl, MCH< 27 pg) with a clinical suspicion of hemoglobinopathy that did not respond to usual treatment. The trial excluded patients who had blood transfusions within three months. Results This study included 550 cases, 310 boys and 240 females, aged 2 months to 40 years. HPLC analysis revealed abnormal hemoglobin fractions in 96 cases. One person had delta thalassemia, one had delta with beta-thalassemia, one had hemoglobin D Iran, two had HbE with beta, six had HbE trait, eight (1%) had beta major, and less than 1% had HbE homozygous. Of the cases, 72 (13%) had beta thalassemia. The HPLC pattern was normal in 48%. In all cases, peripheral blood smears showed target cells, microcytosis, and hypochromia. The majority of patients had increased RBCs. Conclusion Hemoglobinopathies can be quickly, accurately, and effectively diagnosed with HPLC. It is a valuable diagnostic technique for beta thalassemia characteristics, particularly in impoverished nations like India where hemoglobinopathies are difficult to identify. Prompt diagnosis could aid in appropriate and targeted treatment. Recommendation This study emphasizes the need of HPLC for hemoglobinopathy diagnosis, especially in high-burden countries like India. HPLC screening and diagnosis can help combat hemoglobinopathies' global health issues by enabling early detection and focused treatment.

In this paper, Junctionless Twin Gate Trench Channel (JL-TGTC) MOSFET with individual gate control is realized. The device gives full functionality of 2-input digital ‘AND’ and ‘NAND’ logics. The simulation depicts the results in the form of various parameters such as cutoff current, transfer characteristics, and potential profiles. All the simulations regarding device structure and functionality are done on TCAD. This new type of MOS device has improved applicability in low-voltage digital electronics such as sequential circuits etc.

Background and objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, a newly emergent coronavirus, first recognized in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Early identification of laboratory indicators helps in distinguishing severe patients from mild to moderate counterparts and can facilitate medical interventions, thereby lowering the mortality rate. The present study was done to evaluate the role of hematological parameters and basic coagulation parameters in the assessment of the severity of COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective observational study was done at a tertiary care institute from May 2020 to May 2021. Hematological and coagulation profile was studied in 200 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Data related to age, gender, and clinical features were retrieved from patients’ records. Laboratory findings such as complete blood count neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelet to lymphocyte ratio, and coagulation parameters in different categories were compared. Results: The majority of patients were males (59.5%) and with mild illness (52.5%). Moderate and severe illness was present in 30% and 17.5% of cases, respectively. The frequency of anemia, leucopenia, and thrombocytopenia was 62.5%, 6%, and 5.5%, respectively. Overall neutrophilia was seen in 40.5% of cases, whereas lymphopenia was seen in 39% of cases. Coagulation parameters were also much deranged in moderate and severe cases as compared to mild cases. Conclusion: The hematopoietic and hemostatic systems are significantly affected by COVID-19. Careful evaluation of laboratory parameters assists clinicians in formulating a tailored treatment approach and in predicting disease severity.

Abstract Food waste disposal is regarded as a source of contamination in the environment. There is little information on whether food waste compost can be used in agriculture, especially in the subtropics. The study examined the effect of food waste compost on onion (Allium cepa L) cultivation under an open experimental field condition in a subtropical climate. Standard methods were used to analyze the soil physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, soil moisture, water holding capacity, total organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, iron, copper, and zinc) of control and treatment plots. Standard methods were used to measure all other morpho-physiological parameters. The plant height, the number of leaves per plant, the length and width of the leaves, the neck diameter, the relative water content of the leaves, the ash content of the leaves, and the root length were all measured. The treatment group had higher soil fertility than the control group. During the experiment, plant height, leaf number, leaf length, and leaf width all increased. Most morphophysio-chemical parameters in the treatment group onion plants were higher than in the control group after harvest. The yield of control plots was 13.64 t ha−1 and the yield of treatment plots was 32.04 t ha−1. Therefore, from this study it might be concluded that the compost from food waste has the potency to increase the soil fertility followed by the higher onion production. Hence, food waste can be used to prepare compost for higher onion production under sub-tropical conditions. Graphical Abstract

Photoacoustic spectroscopy is an essential technique for material characterization by measuring acoustic noise inside a cell. In this work, we have fabricated a photoacoustic cell and a pre-amplifier circuit and optimized both for maximum sensitivity. The cavity volume is measured ∼4.90 × 10−6 m3 at optimum condition. After that, the thermal diffusivity of undoped ytterbium oxide is measured by recording photoacoustic voltages. It is found 42.22–44.90 mm2/s for the excitation pump power 150–300 mW range by 980 nm diode laser source.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a serious global health problem affecting all age groups. It is being recognized for its health impact on the working status of adults, and uncontrolled asthma is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic problems. The knowledge of comorbidities of asthma, including thyroid disorders, is important for its management. METHODOLOGY: A case–control study was conducted in 60 diagnosed patients of bronchial asthma in the age group of 20–40 years attending medicine outpatient departments and Chest Clinic of Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi. Thirty controls were taken from the normal population. Pulmonary function tests using "Schiller SP1 portable top spirometer" were done, and forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1st s (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were analyzed. The thyroid function was assessed by estimating levels of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T3, and free T4 using the Cobas e411 autoanalyzer. RESULTS: Based on TSH analysis of asthmatic patients, 25% were hypothyroid, 16.7% were hyperthyroid, and 58.3% were euthyroid. There were significant reductions in FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio, and PEFR in asthmatics compared to controls, but no significant differences were found in these parameters among the asthmatics with different thyroid status. CONCLUSION: The thyroid functions varied in asthmatics. However, the variation in the thyroid function did not affect the pulmonary function in asthmatic patients.

Coolant is a substance that applied in a machining process for the efficient machining of materials. The application of coolants is based on the several factors including the types of machining process, workpiece material, cutting tool and cost. Coolant helps to dissipate the heat that can be generated during the machining operation, induce lubricating effects to decrease the friction caused by the interfaces of two surfaces, flush away chips and offer corrosion protection. With the right type of coolants used, the performance of machining applications and the attributes of workpieces can be remarkably enhanced. The objective of the study to provides a critical review on the mechanism of coolant penetration, functions, variety of coolants, cooling actions, effectiveness, applications, and the additives that alter the ability and properties of coolants. Furthermore, the critical review also addresses the new technology cryogenic machining that uses cryogenic gases as coolants instead of conventional coolants.

Introduction: India has large share of global blindness and visual impairment. Major factor reported is lack of awareness about eye conditions associated with poorer outcomes in terms of seeking medical help, treatment and prevention. Therefore, increase in awareness and knowledge about eye health will result in improved practices towards eye health and decrease in burden of visual impairment. Aim: To assess Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) about eye health and common eye problems in urban Indian population. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional community based online survey was done for six months, from July 2020 till December 2020. A self-designed questionnaire was sent via Google forms to people aged 18 years and above. Knowledge, attitude and practice towards eye health and eye diseases i.e., cataract, glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) and dry eye, were assessed with respect to age, gender, education, and spectacle usage. Statistical analysis was done using descriptive statistics to summarise the data and inferential statistics Chi-square test was used to find association by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Results: Of the total 417 participants, 177 (42.4%) were males and 240 (57.6%) females. Mean age was 32.49 years. All the participants were literates, 226 (54.1%) were graduates and 161 (38.6%) were postgraduates. A total of 370 (88.7%) of them believed eye diseases can be prevented by regular check-ups from ophthalmologists but only 15 (16.48%) of the population aged above 40 years underwent glaucoma screening. A total of 10 diabetic patients underwent DR screening. Conclusion: Most participants were aware and had good knowledge about common eye diseases. This does not correlate with their self-care practices. There is a need for robust health education to increase the level of awareness and to understand the importance of routine eye examinations which help in early detection and treatment, thereby reducing visual impairment in the public.

The development of scramjet technology has paved the path of possibilities for researchers to develop light-weighted space missions in the years to come. Many countries around the globe have already tested successful scramjet engines. The researchers are making continuous efforts to improve the combustor design by improvising turbulence inserts and flame holders in the combustor. One such improvisation is the introduction of strut into the parallel-cavities combustor. The research paper uses computational fluid dynamics to investigate the effect of internal flow field variables on a strut and cavity-based scramjet combustor. The current work presents a comparative study by analyzing two different scramjet combustor configurations namely case A and Case B to understand the effect of presence of strut in the cavity combustor. The velocity and static pressure profiles are analyzed at different streamwise locations. At x = 70 mm, the velocity values are reduced to lower magnitude for case B as compared to case A and the static pressure values towards downstream detoriates with reduction in intensity of shock waves. It is seen that the magnitude of velocity values and pressure values increases with increase is Mach number. The high-pressure values are observed for M-2.75. A performance assessment of the combustor is carried out for both the configurations, maximum combustion and mixing performance is obtained for M-2.52 for case B as compared to Case A. The paper further analyses three different fuel injection locations namely fuel injection strut only, fuel injection through the wall only and fuel injection through both strut+wall recognized as the case I, II, and III respectively. From various flow-field parameters analysis, it is seen that the production of eddies and vortices in the combustor region indicates proper mixing which is observed for case I. On studying the mass fraction concentration of H20 species for all the cases it is observed that the H20 species is increasing in the lateral direction which indicates that the combustion efficiency is incrementing in the same direction. The maximum combustion and mixing efficiency is observed for case I than the other two cases.

Activating flux is made up of inorganic material mixed with a volatile medium. The objective of this study is to identify and review the literature in activating flux, and different type of welding techniques. For that purpose, a structured review method is adopted and the Scopus database is used as a primary source for the selection of papers. The papers were identified using the string term of “Activating flux” OR “Activated flux” in the title of papers. And a total of 238 papers were identified for the study. Besides the above few other papers were also reviewed and the materials used, the type of flux used, and the findings of different combinations were highlighted in the form of tables. The findings of the study provide a comprehensive understanding of the different type of welding techniques focusing on TIG welding, and the different combination of flux used and their impact was summarized.

Adenosine bases of RNA can be transiently modified by the deposition of a methyl-group to form N6-methyladenosine (m6A). This adenosine-methylation is an ancient process and the enzymes involved are evolutionary highly conserved. A genetic screen designed to identify suppressors of late flowering transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing the miP1a microProtein yielded a new allele of the FIONA1 (FIO1) m6A-methyltransferase. To characterize the early flowering phenotype of fio1 mutant plants we employed an integrative approach of mRNA-seq, Nanopore direct RNA-sequencing and meRIP-seq to identify differentially expressed transcripts as well as differentially methylated RNAs. We provide evidence that FIO1 is the elusive methyltransferase responsible for the 3'-end methylation of the FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) transcript. Furthermore, our genetic and biochemical data suggest that 3'-methylation stabilizes FLC mRNAs and non-methylated FLC is a target for rapid degradation.

The scramjet engines use the atmospheric oxygen to complete the combustion process, therefore, known as Air breathing engines. It does not bear any active parts and operates at supersonic speed, so it becomes essential that the variables such as fuel, pressure, temperature, Mach number to create the necessary environment to initiate the combustion phenomenon. The supersonic combustion undergoes severe turbulence in the variables associated with combustion. Thus, the selection of the appropriate parameters in designing of a suitable combustor is indispensable. The research paper discusses the effects of two different fuel jets on the flow variables in a scramjet combustor under reacting flow conditions. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations on the scramjet combustor are carried out using Ansys 15.0 software. To investigate the effect of fuels on the combustion characteristics, the effect of pressure, Mach number and species concentration are studied. The pressure distribution for both the fuels shows that the maximum pressure is seen for hydrogen fuel at Mach number 2.52. The Mach number contours for both fuels reveal that the recirculation zone formation is more pronounced for ethylene fuel. The performance assessment of the combustor show that the maximum combustion efficiency was 87.62% and 89.26% and mixing efficiency was 98.97% and 97.46% for hydrogen and ethylene fuel respectively at M-2.52. Thus, it is concluded that the current scramjet model operated more effectively at Mach 2.52 with hydrogen as a fuel.

The present article involves computational investigation of parallel fuel injection based scramjet combustor. The wedge shaped strut face is used as a fuel injector. Selected geometry is first validated and then further investigation is performed. Steady-state, two dimensional, scramjet combustor model has been chosen to complete the numerical convergence through ANSYS Fluent software. Grid independence analysis has also been performed. Reynolds Average Navier Stokes equation in addition with k-epsilon turbulence modelling have been utilised to reach the convergence at a lower computational cost. Finite rate eddy-dissipation based Species transport modelling is chosen to solve the chemical kinetics between hydrogen and air. The incoming boundary condition of free-stream air has been optimized to improved combustion efficiency. There are three selected model is utilised for comparison i.e. zero degree, positive five and negative five degree air angle of attack model. To change the angle of attack of the incoming air, a Modified isolator is added ahead of the combustor with constant length. It is observed that the behaviour of shock waves and flow properties are dependent on the angle of attack. Comparative observation has been analysed with monitoring the combustion efficiency graph. Maximum combustion efficiency reaches up to 93% in negative five degree air angle of attack model moreover, mixing is also improved by 4%. It can be summarized that the scramjet combustor performance is primarily highly influenced by the geometry configuration and the nature of flow of incoming air.

Numerical investigation of Scramjet combustor is performed with the help of center lobed strut to act as a parallel fuel injector. The geometry of the combustor plays a major role to get the enhanced combustion performance in scramjet engine due to the absence of rotating parts. Keeping this idea, the behavioral impact of upper wall divergence angle inside the supersonic combustor and their outcome have been studied by allocating three models. The supersonic free stream air is used as an oxidizer and sonic speed hydrogen as a combustible fuel to complete the chemical reaction during the combustion. Experimental model has been selected for the purpose of comparison and validation. The grid independence analyze has also been done. Ansys 14.0 - Fluent solver is opted for numerical investigation. The computational results show substantial conclusions. The mixing behavior follow the similar pattern in all the models and reaches up to 100% but the behavior of mixing length is found lesser in case of one and two degree upper wall divergence angled combustor model. The mixing length is found 41 mm for both one and two degree angle model whereas 51 mm mixing length has been captured in case of three degree divergence angled model. Initially the rapid combustion is observed in one degree angle of divergence model among all cases. However, the maximum combustion efficiency reaches 95.3% in case of two degree angle of divergence at the upper wall. Which signifies the greater impact of combustor geometry on the scramjet engine performance.

There are various Lean tools available to increase the value of construction projects, this paper mainly talks about the Visual Management tools that help in improving the efficiency and value of the construction project. The methodology adopted for the study is to collect the data using structured survey on the usefulness and importance of 12 lean tool and techniques identified from the literature review. A five point likert scale have been used for collection of data from pan India basis. A total of 153 valid response were received and analysed using Excel spread sheets and SPSS 23 software. Reliability analysis, relative importance index, cluster analysis were performed on the data collected. The findings of the study concludes that the most significant and important lean tool and techniques were Big rooms, 5S, LPS, and BIM having a RII value of 92%, 91%, 90%, and 88% respectively.

Aluminium alloys are widely used in the fields of electric module packaging, electronic technology, automotive body structure, wind and solar energy management, due to the advantages of high specific strength, high processability, predominantly anti-erosion, increased conductivity, eco-friendly nature and recoverability. The objective of the study is to review the previous papers on aluminium usages, application, and workability parameters. The methodology adopted for the study is to use the structure literature review technique, and the time period selected for the study is 2008–2019 from the Scopus database. The findings of the study concluded that there are various types of aluminium alloys has been used by the previous researchers, and only 6061 is least explored aluminium alloy among all of them. The future scope of the study is to investigate using distinct activating fluxes for raising penetration & to understand consequences on mechanical components & rust behaviour of TIG-welded aluminium metal welds.

Two new Schiff base ligands comprising benzothiazole derivatives, namely (N,N′,E,N,N′E)-N,N′-(1,3-phenylenebis(methanylylidene))bis(5-nitrobenzo[d]thiazoL2-amine (L1) and (N,N′,E,N,N′E)-N,N′-(1,3-phenylene-bis(methanylylidene))bis(5-methylthiazo-L2-amine (L2), have been synthesized and thoroughly characterized using FTIR, 1H NMR, mass UV/vis and fluorescence spectral techniques. Further, L1 and L2 lead to the formation of lanthanide complexes 1–6 with Ce(III), Nd(III), and Pr(III) ions in 1:2 (metal:ligand) stoichiometry. UV/vis spectra of L1, L2 and 1–6 exhibit characteristic ligand centered absorptions in the range of 230–350 nm. Besides, both ligands and complexes show significant emissions and good anti-bacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria. Ligands and complexes display anti-bacterial activity against bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (MTCC 1144) causing skin infection and food poisoning and pimple-causing bacteria propionic bacteria acnes (P. acnes) (MTCC 1951).

MicroProteins are a class of small single-domain proteins that post-translationally regulate larger multidomain proteins from which they evolved or which they relate to. They disrupt the normal function of their targets by forming microProtein-target heterodimers through compatible protein-protein interaction (PPI) domains. Recent studies confirm the significance of microProteins in the fine-tuning of plant developmental processes such as shoot apical meristem maintenance and flowering time regulation. While there are a number of well-characterized microProteins in Arabidopsis thaliana, studies from more complex plant genomes are still missing. We have previously developed miPFinder, a software for identifying microProteins from annotated genomes. Here we present an improved version where we have updated the algorithm to increase its accuracy and speed, and used it to analyze five cereal crop genomes – wheat, rice, barley, maize and sorghum. We found 20,064 potential microProteins from a total of 258,029 proteins in these five organisms, of which approximately 2000 are high-confidence, i.e., likely to function as actual microProteins. Gene ontology analysis of these 2000 microProtein candidates revealed their roles in stress, light and growth responses, hormone signaling and transcriptional regulation. Using a recently developed rice gene co-expression database, we analyzed 347 potential rice microProteins that are also conserved in other cereal crops and found over 50 of these rice microProteins to be co-regulated with their identified interaction partners. Overall, our study reveals a rich source of biotechnologically interesting small proteins that regulate fundamental plant processes such a growth and stress response that could be utilized in crop bioengineering.

The author’s provides a review of the literature using a systematic literature review of the lean tool and lean construction papers published in the time frame from 2008 to 2018. The papers selected from the Scopus database by using the following filters: ten top-rated journals selected on the basis of cite score form Scopus, the only article having a key words “lean construction”, or “Lean tool” were selected, only engineering and material science article selected, and the last only journal article was selected. The search result filters the 48 articles out of 944 articles. The findings of the study conclude that only a few tool and techniques were explored a number of times by the researchers. On the other hand, few countries were dominating in terms of publication were the UK, and the USA has 15, 14 articles respectively. There is not a single article from India in the selected papers.

The purpose of this study was to examine the overall effectiveness of the flipped classroom on students’ learning achievement and motivation. Data were collected from three databases, which include Web of Science, Scopus, and Eric. The present meta-analysis synthesized the findings of 95 studies with 15386 participants published from 2013 to 2019. The results revealed that the flipped classroom approach had a moderate effect size for learning achievement and learning motivation. The effect sizes of 12 moderators, including sample level, sample size, learning domain, the flip classroom model, research design, intervention duration, teaching method in the class, sample region, interactions in a pre-class and face-to-face class, tools in pre-class, and resources in pre-class were also analyzed. The results indicated that sample size, intervention durations, and sample regions significantly moderated the effect sizes. The findings of this study are discussed in-depth, together with the implications for practices on the use of the flipped classroom approach.

BackgroundUnderstanding patients' perspective to get an insight into cancer, and how best the public health systems can battle with this disease is the way forward in this current world. This study aimed to explore patients' knowledge about common cancers, barriers to assessing cancer information and cancer preventative approaches in Fiji.MethodsThe study used a qualitative method approach that was conducted among patients who attended Special Outpatients (SOPD) at the four selected health centres in Lautoka Subdivision, Fiji from 1st March to 30th April 2021. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used to guide in-depth interviews. These audio recordings were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. All interview transcripts were read and similar words and phrases were assigned numbers which were grouped together to identify themes and sub themes.ResultsTwenty-eight patients took part in the in-depth interview and the responses were grouped into four themes including; cancer knowledge, diagnosis of cancer in a close friend/family, barriers of communication and optimizing cancer awareness. Patients' awareness about common cancers and cancer risk factors was low. Many barriers for cancer screening were highlighted including stigmatization, fear, worry, death, lack of information, herbal medicine use, lack of resources and delay in diagnosis. Awareness strategies highlighted by participants included community outreach programs, house to house visits, opportunistic screening, engagement of community health care workers and the concept of a cancer hub centre.ConclusionIt is evident that there is a range of views from patients towards cancer and it is important to understand these perceptions to better guide public health interventions concerning cancer. This puts more focus on the need to invest more in information, education, and communication material for public campaigns that target a variety of people for a wider reach.

The concepts of embodiment and embodied learning are gaining traction in the field of education. This special issue aims to synthesize current knowledge on the design and evaluation of learning in immersive and embodied learning environments, mediated by XR (eXtended Reality) technologies. Of the 14 invited submissions, six (6) were finally accepted for publication. The collection of works in this special issue provides insights on best practices for learning experience design, based on systematic or empirical data and analysis on learning outcomes or processes.

Background Poisoning has become a major public health problem, with the intent in most cases being self-harm and commit suicide. This study highlights the psychological and clinical-epidemiological profile of patients visiting Scheer Memorial Adventist Hospital after poisoning. Methods This retrospective record-based study was done among poisoning patients of a hospital in Nepal from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2020. Data were analyzed using STATA version-15. Results Out of 134 total poisoning cases, 71 had consumed organophosphate compounds. The majority of the cases were female (59.2% in organophosphate groups, 69.8% in non-organophosphate groups). The circumstances of poisoning were mostly suicidal (95.8% in organophosphate groups, 90.5% in non-organophosphate groups) and the reasons for this being mostly family disputes. Organophosphate groups had 8.41 times higher odds of having complications when compared to non-organophosphorus compounds. Conclusions The majority of the poisoning cases were suicidal in nature and family disputes being the major reason for the intake of a poisonous substance. This demands that more attention be given to psychological and family counseling to resolve any disputes, as well as psychological management of poisoning cases after medical management. Also, a strong regulatory mechanism should be imposed to control the easy access to poisonous substances.

Background Poisoning has become a major public health problem, with the intent in most cases being self-harm and commit suicide. This study highlights the psychological and clinical-epidemiological profile of patients visiting Scheer Memorial Adventist Hospital after poisoning. Methods This retrospective record-based study was done among poisoning patients of a hospital in Nepal from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2020. Data were analyzed using STATA version-15. Results Out of 134 total poisoning cases, 71 had consumed organophosphate compounds. The majority of the cases were female (59.2% in organophosphate groups, 69.8% in non-organophosphate groups). The circumstances of poisoning were mostly suicidal (95.8% in organophosphate groups, 90.5% in non-organophosphate groups) and the reasons for this being mostly family disputes. Organophosphate groups had 8.41 times higher odds of having complications when compared to non-organophosphorus compounds. Conclusions The majority of the poisoning cases were suicidal in nature and family disputes being the major reason for the intake of a poisonous substance. This demands that more attention be given to psychological and family counseling to resolve any disputes, as well as psychological management of poisoning cases after medical management. Also, a strong regulatory mechanism should be imposed to control the easy access to poisonous substances.

Computational thinking (CT) has received growing interest as a research subject in the last decade, with research contributions attempting to capitalize on the benefits that CT may provide. This study included a systematic analysis aimed at revealing current trends in the CT subject, identifying educational interventions, and emerging assessment instruments. It also gave an overview of how teachers learned CT skills and how they integrated the CT curriculum into classroom practices. We searched the data in the Web of Science database and identified 360 articles. Most importantly, it emphasized the following points: (a) the most popular subject areas in CT literature; (b) CT intervention tools; (c) CT assessment practices used so far within educational courses; and (d) effective CT approaches to influence pre-service teachers. Results from this review revealed that CT's promotion in education had achieved significant progress in recent years. Along with the growth in the number of CT studies, the number of subjects, research questions, and teaching approaches also increased in recent years. It was also found that CT was mostly used in science, mathematics, programming, and computer science tasks, with little work in artificial intelligence (AI) and non-STEM areas. The essence of this paper implicated the researchers in designing the curriculum based on different subject domains. Furthermore, we recommended integrating augmented reality-based games using CT methodologies into the curriculum.

Background: Mycobacterium leprae is a noncultivable mycobacteria, and diagnosis of the disease is based on its clinical and histopathological characteristics and finding the bacteria in skin scrapings and in biopsies taken from the patients. The aim of this study was to shed light on the clinical classification (based on the number of skin lesions) used extensively in the field where patients classified as paucibacillary (PB) were positive on skin smears and histopathology leading to treatment failure and drug resistance. Methods: In this study, we enrolled untreated 62 leprosy patients with 1–5 skin lesions and did a detailed bacterio-histopathological analysis by slit-skin smears (SSSs) and histopathology. Results: Of 62 patients analyzed, 15 patients came out to be multibacillary (MB) and 47 were PB by SSS and histopathology. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that the WHO classification of leprosy based on the number of lesions seems to be inappropriate as it considers a number of MB lesions as PB only, thus misleading the treatment strategies. Hence, it is essential that a comprehensive clinicobacteriological assessment of leprosy cases should be done to ensure the appropriate bacillary status and guiding the appropriate treatment strategy.

Universal health care aims at providing low cost or if possible free primary care to everyone. Most countries pursue this goal and it is pertinent for developing countries to make the best use of their limited resources to achieve it. In spite of every effort from the government, unfortunately patients in India spend significant amount of money on travelling and out-of-pocket expenses for availing primary care services even at public funded facilities. We propose an optimization model to help health decision makers in managing existing capacity for alleviation of this problem. The model can be used in the identification of existing health care facilities that need to be upgraded or reduced with a view to improve their utilization at minimum cost. The model recognizes increase in patient out-of-pocket expenses incurred at facilities due to longer waiting time (congestion). Results from numerical experiments are presented to explicate the functioning of the model.

Background: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a threat to the accomplishments of the World Health Organization's (WHO) End TB Strategy. The treatment of MDR-TB is less effective and more toxic; additional resistance to second-line drugs makes the treatment more difficult. India accounts for one-fourth of the global TB burden. In 2015 alone, 2.8 million cases of TB were diagnosed of which 79,000 cases had MDR/rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB). This study was conducted to analyze the baseline susceptibility pattern of MDR/RR-TB isolates against second-line drugs. Methods: A total of 374 culture-positive MDR and rifampicin-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates were tested for susceptibility against capreomycin (CAP), kanamycin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, clofazimine, and linezolid. Results: Of the total 374 isolates, 236 (63.10%) strains were susceptible to all drugs, whereas 138 (36.89%) were resistant at least to one of the second-line drugs. One hundred and sixteen (31.01%) strains were identified as preextensively drug-resistant (XDR) (MDR isolates with additional resistance to either fluoroquinolones or second-line injectables) and 22 (5.88%) of the isolates tested were identified as XDR. Conclusion: India is a signatory to the WHO's “The End TB Strategy” with the aim of ending the global TB epidemic; intensified efforts for early detection and treatment of drug-resistant cases from both public and private sectors are required to accelerate the rate at which TB incidence falls and accomplish the desired results.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) is commonly associated with autoimmune cytopenias but CLL presenting with pancytopenia is a rare occurrence. Here, we present a case of 56-year-old male patient, who presented with pallor, mild hepatosplenomegaly, right-sided pleural effusion in chest x-ray, pancytopenia and his bone marrow showed infiltration by mature appearing lymphoid cells making a diagnosis of CLL. Despite the frequency of these immune mediated cytopenia, only few cases of pancytopenia have been described so far to the best of our knowledge. Hence, to emphasise the rarity of such haematological coincidence we are presenting this case report. CLL generally presents with persistent absolute lymphocytosis on peripheral smear with an absolute monoclonal lymphocyte count of more than 5000/cumm. There is a common association with Autoimmune Haemolytic Anaemia (AIHA) and Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) and the association is called as Evan’s syndrome. Its pathogenesis is associated with autoimmune process. AIHA, ITP, and Pure Red Cell Aplasia (PRCA) are commonly associated complications seen in CLL. The pathogenesis of AIHA and ITP are antibody this inplace of the reactions and abnormal T cell activity is noted in the pathogenesis of PRCA. Despite of the frequency of these immune mediated cytopenias noted in CLL, bone marrow was seen to be hypercellular in most of the cases and marrow hypoplasia have been reported in only 2 cases reported in literature so far. In the present case, although pancytopenia was present on peripheral blood smear examination but bone marrow was hypercellular for age with diffuse infiltration by monoclonal mature appearing lymphoid cells which makes this case all the more interesting. Despite repeated blood transfusions,antiviral drug Tenofovir and aggressive supportive measures for 6 months, he developed right-sided pleural effusion and succumbed to his illness.

Introduction: Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a common chronic allergic condition mostly affecting children and their childhood. At present, the choice of medication varies greatly for the same severity of disease from one ophthalmologist to another. A standardised grading system and a comprehensive approach towards VKC including Quality of Life (QOL) assessment is the need of the hour. Aim: To learn the practice patterns and perspectives of Indian Ophthalmologists in the management of VKC and to propose strategies for the holistic approach. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in July 2020. A semi-structured questionnaire was sent via Google form to 200 ophthalmologists. Statistical analysis used: Data was entered in excel and analysis was performed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20. Results: Out of 200 ophthalmologists, 146 (73%) participated in the survey. Among the participants, 43.8% used combination therapy in the management of VKC and 68.5% resorted to steroid therapy in severe cases. Tacrolimus (0.03%) was the most preferred immunomodulator among 56% ophthalmologists and only 11% assessed QOL in the patients periodically. Conclusion: Majority (around 2/3rd) felt immunotherapy and vitamin D supplementation can be tried in the management of VKC and there was a consensus on administering a QOL questionnaire in all patients with VKC in future which would provide holistic care.